USA Hockey Parental & Youth Sportsmanship

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Spring-Ford Ice Hockey Club
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Oaks, PA 19456-1132

 

Sportsmanship

USA Hockey highly values sportsmanship and proper codes of conduct among not only its players and coaches, but also its administrators, officials, parents and spectators. We feel that the policies and guidelines that USA Hockey has adopted regarding these issues not only provide a responsible environment for hockey at all levels, but also help safeguard against unnecessary injuries and setbacks.

Core Values

As a result, the organization has adopted seven core values, which are spelled out in the USA Hockey Annual Guide. The seven core values are:
  1. Sportsmanship: the most important value is learning a sense of fair play. Foster friendships with teammates and opponents alike.
  2. Respect for the Individual: treat all others as you expect to be treated.
  3. Integrity: this includes fostering honesty and fair play beyond mere strict interpretation of the rules.
  4. Pursuit of Excellence at the Individual, Team and Organizational Levels: all members of the organization should seek to perform each aspect of the game to the highest level of his or her ability.
  5. Enjoyment: it is important for the hockey experience to be fun, satisfying and rewarding to all participants.
  6. Loyalty: USA Hockey aspires to teach loyalty to the ideals and fellow members of the sport of hockey.
  7. Teamwork: we value the strength of learning to work together. The use of teamwork is reinforced and rewarded by success in the hockey experience.

Codes of Conduct

In addition to its core values, USA Hockey also has established a set of Codes of Conduct. These are designed to guide the organization’s members in their planning, programming and play, not only now but in the future.

Here are USA Hockey’s Codes of Conduct:

Administrators Code of Conduct:

  • Follow the rules and regulations of USA Hockey and your association to ensure that the association’s philosophy and objectives are enhanced.
  • Support programs that train and educate players, coaches, parents, officials and volunteers.
  • Promote and publicize your programs; seek out financial support when possible.
  • Communicate with parents by holding parent/player orientation meetings as well as by being available to answer questions and address problems throughout the season.
  • Work to provide programs that encompass fairness to the participants and promote fair play and sportsmanship.
  • Recruit volunteers, including coaches, who demonstrate qualities conducive to being role models to the youth in our sport.
  • Encourage coaches and officials to attend USA Hockey clinics, and advise your board members of the necessity of their training sessions.
  • Make every possible attempt to provide everyone, at all skill levels, with a place to play.
  • Read and be familiar with the contents of the USA Hockey Annual Guide and Official Playing Rules.
  • Develop other administrators to advance to positions in your association, perhaps even your own.

Coaches Code of Conduct:

  • Winning is a consideration, but not the only one, nor the most important one. Care more about the child than winning the game. Remember, players are involved in hockey for fun and enjoyment.
  • Be a positive role model to your players, display emotional maturity and be alert to the physical safety of players.
  • Be generous with your praise when it is deserved; be consistent and honest; be fair and just; do not criticize players publicly; learn to be a more effective communicator and coach; don’t yell at players.
  • Adjust to personal needs and problems of players; be a good listener; never verbally or physically abuse a player or official; give all players the opportunity to improve their skills, gain confidence and develop self-esteem; teach them the basics.
  • Organize practices that are fun and challenging for your players. Familiarize yourself with the rules, techniques and strategies of hockey; encourage all your players to be team players.
  • Maintain an open line of communication with your players’ parents. Explain the goals and objectives of your association.
  • Be concerned with the overall development of your players. Stress good health habits and clean living.
  • To play the game is great; to love the game is greater.

On-Ice Officials Code of Conduct:

  • Act in a professional and businesslike manner at all time and take your role seriously.
  • Strive to provide a safe and sportsmanlike environment in which players can properly display their hockey skills.
  • Know all playing rules, their interpretations and their proper application.
  • Remember that officials are teachers. Set a good example.
  • Make your calls with quiet confidence; never with arrogance.
  • Control games only to the extent that is necessary to provide a positive and safe experience for all participants.
  • Violence must never be tolerated.
  • Be fair and impartial at all times.
  • Answer all reasonable questions and requests.
  • Adopt a “zero tolerance” attitude toward verbal or physical abuse.
  • Never use foul or vulgar language when speaking with a player, coach or parent.
  • Use honesty and integrity when answering questions.
  • Admit your mistakes when you make them.
  • Never openly criticize a coach, player or other official.
  • Keep your emotions under control.
  • Use only USA Hockey-approved officiating techniques and policies.
  • Maintain your health through a physical conditioning program.
  • Dedicate yourself to personal improvement and maintenance of officiating skills.
  • Respect your supervisor and his/her critique of your performance.

Parents Code of Conduct:

  • Do not force your children to participate in sports, but support their desires to play their chosen sport. Children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment. Make it fun.
  • Encourage your child to play by the rules. Remember, children learn best by example, so applaud the good plays of both teams.
  • Do not embarrass your child by yelling at players, coaches or officials. By showing a positive attitude toward the game and all of its participants, your child will benefit.
  • Emphasize skill development and practices and how they benefit your young athlete. De-emphasize games and competition in the lower age groups.
  • Know and study the rules of the game, and support the officials on and off the ice. This approach will help in the development and support of the game. Any criticism of the officials only hurts the game.
  • Applaud a good effort in both victory and defeat, and enforce the positive points of the game. Never yell at or physically abuse your child after a game or practice - it is destructive. Work toward removing the physical and verbal abuse in youth sports.
  • Recognize the importance of volunteer coaches. They are important to the development of your child and the sport. Communicate with them and support them.
  • If you enjoy the game, learn all you can about hockey - and volunteer.

Players Code of Conduct:

  • Play for fun.
  • Work hard to improve your skills.
  • Be a team player - get along with your teammates.
  • Learn teamwork, sportsmanship and discipline.
  • Be on time for practices and games.
  • Learn the rules and play by them. Always be a good sport.
  • Respect your coach, your teammates, your parents, opponents and officials.
  • Never argue with an official’s decision.

Spectators Code of Conduct:

  • Display good sportsmanship. Always respect players, coaches and officials.
  • Act appropriately; do not taunt or disturb other fans; enjoy the game together.
  • Cheer good plays of all participants; avoid booing opponents.
  • Cheer in a positive manner and encourage fair play; profanity and objectionable cheers or gestures are offensive.
  • Help provide a safe and fun environment; throwing and items on the ice surface can cause injury to players and officials.
  • Do not lean over or pound on the glass; the glass surrounding the ice surface if part of the playing area.
  • Support the referees and coaches by trusting their judgment and integrity.
  • Be responsible for your own safety - be alert to prevent accidents from flying pucks and other avoidable situations.
  • Respect locker rooms as private areas for players, coaches and officials.
  • Be supportive after the game - win or lose. Recognize good effort, teamwork and sportsmanship.

Local Organizations

Many local organizations and associations have taken USA Hockey’s policies and guidelines regarding sportsmanship and molded them into their own guidelines. A good example of this is the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), which has published a sport handbook in an effort to promote the quality of amateur hockey in the state. Like USA Hockey’s guidelines, the MIAA’s handbook spells out the proper way that players, referees, off-ice game officials, spectators, and site managers should conduct themselves before, during, and after games and practices.

Policies

The organization also has a series of policies that help protect all members against unsportsmanlike play, sexual and physical abuse, suspicious volunteers, and mood-altering substances. These policies point out what is constituted an infraction under these guidelines and how the individuals involved are to be punished.

Zero Tolerance Policy

A key policy of USA Hockey is the Zero Tolerance Policy. The policy, which has been spread through the use of posters, spells out what makes up unsportsmanlike behavior and what type of penalty should be handed out as a result. For players, a minor (two-minute) penalty shall be assessed whenever a player:
  1. Openly disputes or argues any decision by an official.
  2. Uses obscene or vulgar language at any time, even if it isn’t directed at a particular person.
  3. Visually demonstrates any sign of dissatisfaction with an official’s decision. A misconduct and, if necessary, a game misconduct penalty should result if the player continues such action.
A minor penalty shall be assessed whenever a coach:
  • Openly disputes or argues any decision by an official.
  • Uses obscene or vulgar language in a boisterous manner at any time.
  • Visually displays any sign of dissatisfaction with an official’s decision with the intent of inciting the officials, players or spectators. A game misconduct penalty shall be assessed any time a coach persists in any of these actions.
While officials cannot receive penalties for inappropriate behavior, they are required to conduct themselves in a businesslike, sportsmanlike, impartial and constructive manner at all times. Officials must remember they are ambassadors of the game and must always conduct themselves with this responsibility in mind.

Officials also have the responsibility to stop a game whenever parents or spectators displaying inappropriate behavior interfere with other spectators or the game. Officials will identify all violators to the coaches, who will then remove them from the spectator’s viewing and game area. Once removed, play will then resume. Officials also have the right to assess a minor penalty against the team whose fans display inappropriate behavior.

Such disruptive behavior by parents and spectators includes, but is not limited to:
  1. Use of obscene or vulgar language in a boisterous manner at any time,
  2. Taunting of players, coaches, officials or other spectators, and
  3. Throwing of any object in the spectators viewing area, player’s bench, penalty box or ice surface, directed in any manner as to create a safety hazard.