Code Of Conducts

Every player is expected to:

• Know and respect the rules of soccer and abide by them at all times

• Show respect and courtesy to officials and coaches by following their instructions and directions.

• Show respect and good sportsmanship to all teammates, opposing players, officials, and fans.

• Be committed to your team, coaches, and teammates.

• Be on time for all practices and games.

• Put personal goals aside for the betterment of the team.

• Do not encourage or engage in unsportsmanlike behavior – either verbally or physically.

• Treat EVERYONE with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory disabilities, or by any other distinguishing characteristic.

• Have fun!

Watching our children learn, compete and improve in the game of soccer is exciting for all parents. It is important that parents are involved and informed in their child's experiences in the club, but BDU also believes the role of a parent should be one of care and support towards the players, coaches and the BDU staff. Parents should not engage in "coaching" from the sidelines, criticizing players, coaches or game officials or trying to influence the makeup of the team at any time.

We ask our parents to simply BEHAVE on the sidelines. As a result of this philosophy, below are the 11 points that will guide the BDU parent culture. Should your actions directly conflict with any of these points both you and your player will be subject to suspension.

Every parent and spectator is expected to:

1. Learn and respect the rules of soccer and the rules of the league.

2. Show respect and courtesy to game officials, coaches, and players at all times.

3. Respect the game officials and refrain from questioning their decisions or from addressing them in a loud, disrespectful, or abusive manner. Respect their authority during games.

4. Inform the coach of any physical disability or ailment that may affect the safety of your child or the safety of others.

5. Cheer for your child's team in a positive manner, refraining at all times from making negative or abusive remarks about the opposing team. Maintain control of your emotions and avoid actions, language, and/or gestures that may be interpreted as hostile and humiliating.

6. Ensure that your child is at all games and practices at the required time or provide the coach with an appropriate excuse beforehand.

7. Demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of a game, win or lose.

8. Teach and practice good sportsmanship and fair play by personally demonstrating commitment to these virtues.

9. support the coaches and refrain from excessive “sideline coaching” from the stands.

10. DO NOT encourage your child, or any other person, to engage in unsportsmanlike behavior with any coach, player, official, or any other attendee.

11. Promote the concept that soccer is merely a game, and that players and coaches on other teams are opponents, not enemies.

If parents or their guests fail to abide by the aforementioned rules and guidelines, will be subject to disciplinary action that could include, but is not limited to the following: 

• Verbal warning by official, head coach, and/or head of league organization. 

• Written warning. 

• Parental game suspension with written documentation of incident kept on file by organizations involved. 

• Game forfeit through the official or coach. 

• Parental season(s) suspension.

We ask that all families review this policy with their children. Together we can ensure that all our children and participants have a better understanding of this issue and can help make youth sports more accepting and enjoyable for everyone.

BDU prohibits and will not tolerate acts of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (including cyber-bullying). Harassment, intimidation, and bullying are defined by any gesture or action, any written or verbal act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents that:

• is reasonably perceived as being motivated by race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory disabilities, or by any other distinguishing characteristic; and which

• takes place in relation to any BDU program function or team; and that

• a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, would have an effect of physically or emotionally harming a player or damaging a player’s property, or placing a player in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or

• has the effect of insulting or demeaning any player or group of players; or

• creates a hostile environment for the player by interfering with a player’s participation or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the player.

 Notification of any alleged harassment, intimidation or bullying shall be made to the affiliated coach, or BDU administration representative. The procedure for addressing this issue will be as follows:

1.        If the coach of the alleged offender or victim is notified, the coach is obligated to report the allegation to the President of BDU soccer.

2.        The BDU President or delegate will gather all pertinent information in a fair, respectful, and confidential manner regarding the alleged harassment, intimidation or bullying and forward that information to the President of BDU.

3.        The President and the Board will evaluate the situation and render a decision in the matter. This could result in any of the disciplinary actions listed above.

4.        After a decision has been made, the player and/or parent will be notified of the administration’s position in writing and the appropriate action will be followed.

5.        If the accused player or parent wishes to appeal the decision, a formal request must be made in writing by the parent of the subject player to the BDU mailing address within 14 days of the date of the decision.

6.        If an appeal is received within 14 days of the date of the issuance of the decision, the matter will be scheduled for hearing by the BDU Board who will notify the parties of the date, time, and location of the hearing. The parents and/or player will be given the opportunity to present evidence at the hearing in support of any appeal.

7.        After reviewing the case, the BDU Board will issue a decision. The decision of the Board is final.

Physical Abuse 

Physical abuse is defined by BDU as unwelcome touching, striking or the threat to do so, both verbal and nonverbal; BDU will not tolerate this conduct. Any physical abuse of a referee by any coach, player or spectator, or by any person present at the match against any other person at the BDU event, whether occurring preceding, during or following a game, will result in an immediate ban of the offending person from future BDU events and the incident will be referred to the OHTSL office along with the local authorities for consideration of further disciplinary action. Any person approaching the referee proceeding, during or following a game will be considered as threatening physical abuse and subject to above penalties. Any spectator who enters the coaches side of the pitch during a game will be considered as threatening physical abuse and subject to above penalties. 

Verbal Abuse 

Verbal Abuse is defined by BDU as a verbal attack of a sustained, excessive, obscene or offensive nature. It is not intended to include mere dialogue or questions by or among coaches and/or referees. 

The coach's role is one of teaching soccer skills and sportsmanship to the players, as well as being a role model for the player, and their actions must be beyond reproach. The coach is responsible for communicating practice and game times to the players and parents. The coach is also responsible for monitoring the behavior of the players and parents during practice and games. All coaches within the soccer program will promote good sportsmanship among players, foster team camaraderie, and help participants have fun while teaching players the technical skills of soccer. Each coach agrees to the above code of conduct, will abide by them and acknowledges that coaching in the soccer program is a privilege and not a right. In addition, each Coach will ensure:

1. Know the official Laws of the Game of soccer and the rules of the respective league, and abide by them.

2. Instruct player and parents in the rules and motivate each player to compete according to the rules at all times.

3. Respect the game officials at all times. Refrain from questioning their decisions or challenging their authority.

4. Ensure that fans of the team exhibit sportsmanship and maturity at all times and assist league and game officials in maintaining control of spectators during games.

5. Respect the coaches and players of the opposing team before, during, and after the game.

6. Teach each player, especially through personal example, to be humble and generous in victory and proud and courteous in defeat.

7. Teach and practice good sportsmanship and fair play by personally demonstrating commitment to these virtues.

8. Promote the concept that soccer is merely a game, and that players and coaches on other teams are opponents, not enemies.