RESPONSIBILITIES / EXPECTATIONS
Responsibilities of the Athletes:
Athletes are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:
- The team’s goals and success should always come before individual interests.
- Athletes need to be in attendance at all scheduled practices and games, including weekends and holiday breaks.
- Athletes must be receptive to coaching styles
- Team members are responsible for all issued uniforms and equipment.
- As a team member, an athlete must abide by established team rules.
- All injuries (no matter how small they may seem) must be reported to the coach and the Athletic Trainer.
- Strive for academic success in order to assure athletic eligibility.
- Take pride in being a student-athlete at Blaine High School.
Responsibilities of the Coach:
Coaches are responsible for all of the following:
- Running fair tryouts and using an effective evaluation process.
- Determining the style of play, including offensive and defensive philosophy.
- Teaching, instructing, and overseeing all practice sessions.
- Determining starting lineups and making decisions regarding playing time.
- Selecting position players.
- Establishing and enforcing team rules.
- Selecting team captains.
- Coordinating communication with players and parents with regards to games and practices.
- Provide appropriate supervision at all times (before, during, and after all games and practices).
10. Presenting themselves as appropriate role models.
11. Be willing and available to discuss player to coach or parent to
coach issues.
12. Be consistent, fair, and respectful of individual differences.
13. Develop team and individual objectives and goals.
14. Foster a healthy atmosphere for athletic competition.
15. Lead by example.
It is important to remember that participation on an athletic team is a privilege and not a right. Being a part of and maintaining one’s membership on a given team means accepting all the responsibilities of an athlete. Unlike recreational or intramural teams, equal or guaranteed playing time is not assured. Coaches will make the necessary decisions and utilize those players best suited to the conditions or demands of the particular contest on any given day.
Responsibilities of the Parent:
- Be positive with your son/daughter. Let them know that they are accomplishing something by being a part of the team.
- Do not offer excuses to them if they are not playing. Encourage them to work hard and do their best.
- Encourage athletes to follow the rules. Whether they are a first stringer or seventh stringer, players must follow rules pertaining to school and sport expectations.
- As a fan, you are entitled to cheer your head off, but don’t become belligerent. Coaches work with athletes and know their talents. Respect that!
- Insist that the athletes respect team rules, school rules, game officials, teammates, and sportsmanship. Self-respect begins with self-control.
- Encourage the athletes to improve their self-image by believing in themselves.
- Encourage your athlete to play for the love of the game.
- Remember that the coach is involved as a coach because he/she is sincerely fond of children and is an experienced professional. Coaches have different ways of dealing with people and situations. Athlete’s lives are enriched by interaction with different types of leaders.
- Remember: at a competition you, the parent, represent your town, your school, and your son/daughter. Please be a positive role model.
Post Practice – Game Responsibilities:
Athletes should not be loitering on school property after practices or games. In an effort to avoid potential risk of injury, property damage, or theft, the follow responsibilities have been established.
For the Coach:
- Call in game results
- Secure all equipment, locker rooms, and appropriate facilities
- Supervise locker rooms, lobbies and hallways until all athletes have vacated
For the Athlete:
- Arrange in advance for transportation after practices or games
- Leave school property within one half hour after the end of practices / games
- Do not leave personal property unattended or unsecured
INAPPROPRIATE COACHING BEHAVIOR
- Certain use of language
- Maliciously commenting on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical or sensory handicap.
- Swearing
- Discussing sex in any fashion
- -Including play descriptions or play calling that is sexualized in any fashion
- Offering opinions and making comments not related to coaching:
-Inappropriate jokes
-Comments reasonably capable of being misconstrued
-Comments on religion or politics
-Communication creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment
- Sexually harassing behavior
- Unwelcome sexual advances
- Requests for sexual favors
- Sexually motivated physical contact
- Offering benefits, favors or rewards in exchange for sexual contact
- Examples of sexually harassing behavior
- Staring or leering that has sexual overtones
- Suggestive gestures
- Feigned “accidental” physical contact
- Pinches, embraces, slaps, pats
- Displaying pornographic or sexually explicit behavior
- Examples of comments that are inappropriate
- Personal comments about either oneself or others, including students
- Sexually demeaning jokes, statements or comments
- Condoning or spreading sexual gossip
- Comments regarding gender
- Comments about the body (unrelated to conditioning or injury)
- Comments about sexual orientation, especially demeaning (e.g. “fag” or “queer”)
- Hazing
- “Hazing” includes any activity expected of a player joining a team that humiliates or degrades, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.
- Hazing can be physically abusive, hazardous, and/or sexually violating.
- Coaches are responsible for ensuring that hazing does not occur.
- Hazing can include:
a. Restrictions on personal hygiene
- Yelling at, swearing at, or insulting players/rookies
- Forcing players to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire
- Ordering personal servitude
- Alcohol use, including binge drinking and drinking games
- Sexual abuse, sexual stimulation or sexual assault
- Physical abuse or assault
- Acting in a manner that creates the perception of inappropriate Behavior
- Touch capable of being perceived as sexual
- Fostering a relationship outside of the coaching activity
- Having secluded contact with a student
- Attending non-school related activities with a student
- Fostering a relationship outside of the coaching activity:
- Employment, especially at the coach’s residence (babysitting, etc.)
- Acting as a confidant or “mentor”
- Meeting a student alone or isolating a student
- Traveling together, or giving a student/player a ride home alone (except in an emergency)
- Giving a particular student/player gifts
- Hosting students at sleepovers
- Counseling students on personal issues
- Drinking or using tobacco with students/players
- Providing or recommending drugs, vitamins or supplements to athletes
- Wearing clothing that is too revealing or does not meet school dress codes
- Illegal behavior in the law
a. Sexual misconduct with students (WAC 180-87-08); “unprofessional conduct” includes:
i. -Any sexual advance, verbal or physical
- -Sexual intercourse (as defined in RCW 9A.44.010)
- -Indecent exposure (as defined in RCW 9A.88.010)
- -Sexual contact. Such as the intentional touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a student except to the extent necessary to attend to hygienic or health needs of the student
- Illegal behavior in the law
a. Furnishing drugs or alcohol to students (WAC 180-87-085 and RCW 66.44.270)
b. Sexual exploitation of a minor (RCW 9.68A.040)
-Compelling a minor by threat or force to engage in sexually explicit conduct to be photographed
or performed
c. Communication with a minor for immoral purposes (RCW 9.68A.090)
-Any spoken word or conduct with a minor for the purpose of sexual misconduct
d. Malicious harassment (RCW 9.68A.080)
-Maliciously and intentionally committing physical injury or property damage or threatening a
person (or his/her property) with harm because of his/her race, color, religion, ancestry, national
origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical or sensory handicap
e. Discrimination (RCW 49.60)
-Denial or limitation of accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges based on race, creed,
color, national origin, sex, martial status, age or disability
f. Sexual discrimination (20 USC Section 1681)
-Discrimination due to gender
-Includes “hostile environment”
-Sexual discrimination or harassment derived from sexual stereotyping is actionable
g. Harassment, Bullying & Intimidation (RCW 28A.300.285)
-District policy prohibits harassment, intimidation or bullying of any student based on
discrimination categories
-Includes intentional written, verbal or physical acts that:
-Cause physical harm or property damage
-Substantially interfere with a student’s education
-Create an intimidating or threatening environment
-Disrupt the orderly operation of the school
- What illegal behavior may look like
- Harassment, bullying & intimidation can include:
-slurs * rumors * jokes
-innuendos * demeaning comments * drawings
-cartoons * pranks * gestures
-threats * physical attacks * hazing
-nicknames * name-calling * deliberate ostracism
-stereotypes * taunts * teasing
-gossiping * photographs * email messages
- If severe, pervasive or objectively offensive
- Developing an inappropriate or romantic relationship with a minor
- Touching of a sexual nature
-Full body hugs
-Kissing
-Back rubs/massages (unless a Certified Athletic Trainer)
- Note: Touching hands and shoulders are acceptable (if not prolonged)
- Touching of a violent nature, including:
-Hitting
-Squeezing
-Pinching
-Shoving
-Flicking, tapping or slapping
- Continuing any sort of touching when a student is uncomfortable
- Unlawful Imprisonment (RCW 9A.40.040) - A person is guilty of unlawful imprisonment if he knowingly restrains another person.
-Restraining a student in any fashion - by duct tape, zip tie, rope or handcuffs.
-Isolating a student, including locking them in a room, locker, closet or compartment.
- Inappropriate touching is assault. Remember: any touch that a student feels is offensive may be criminal.
- Be especially cautious with members of the opposite sex
- Allowing conduct of concern to continue
a. Between students under your supervision or involving a peer and a student
- If you see conduct of concern, address it
- If you hear of conduct of concern, investigate it further and determine whether the situation needs to be addressed; involve administration when needed
- A good standard to follow is that, if you have to ask if it’s inappropriate, it probably is
- “Tradition” of it happening in the past does not matter
- If in doubt, call the athletic director or school principal
- In any situation where you have concerns about any possible inappropriate conduct, document it IN WRITING and deliver it IMMEDIATELY to the district administrator or employee charged with investigating such issues
- In addressing behavior that is of concern:
- Examine what behaviors might blur the distinction between your role as a coaching professional and a more intimate and potentially inappropriate personal relationship
- You are, first and foremost, a coach charged with a student’s care and protection