The Sunfish Swim and Water Polo Club, the Coaches and the Executive/Board expect that all parents abide by this code at all times: If children are to grow and develop in their sport or physical activity, an environment of positive communication and respect must exist. Parents should observe the following Code of Conduct with their child athletes.
The following code is taken from a resource manual developed for community coaches by the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport:
- I will remember that my child plays sport for his or her enjoyment, not mine.
- I will encourage my child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resort to hostility or violence.
- I will teach my child that doing one’s best is as important as winning, so that my child will never feel defeated by the outcome of a game or event.
- I will make my child feel like a winner every time by offering praise for competing fairly and trying hard.
- I will never ridicule or yell at my child for making a mistake or losing a competition.
- I will remember that children learn best by example. I will applaud good players’ performances by both my child’s team and their opponents.
- I will not force my child to participate in sports.
- I will never question the official’s judgment or honesty in public.
- I will respect coaches by voicing my concerns in private and at an appropriate time. If I cannot resolve my concerns with the coach, I will speak to the Coordinator of the appropriate Discipline or the Club President.
- I will respect and show appreciation for volunteers who give their time to provide sport activities for my child. I will voice my concerns to the Executive rather than confront other volunteers.
Note: The Code of Conduct is a Policy of the Sunfish club and all members must agree to these terms when they become registered. The club is bound by policy to enforce these terms and follow an incident procedure should they become breached by a member.
