Overview

This code of conduct applies to all members, players, parents, committee members, coaches, guests and representatives of the Williams Landing Tennis Club on the court as well as on WLTC communication channels such as WhatsApp, email, social media and any other communication methods used by Williams Landing Tennis Club and its committee

General Code of Conduct

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others
2. Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealing with others
3. Be professional in, and accept responsibility for your actions
4. Make a commitment to providing quality service
5. Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example
6. Be aware of, and maintain an uncompromising adhesion to Tennis Australia standards, rules regulations and policies
7. Operate within the rules of tennis including national and international guidelines which govern Tennis Australia and the Member Associations
8. Understand your responsibility if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of this Code of Conduct
9. Do not use your involvement with Williams Landing Tennis Club Inc to promote your own beliefs, behaviours or practices where these are inconsistent with those of Tennis Australia and the Member Associations
10. Avoid unaccompanied and unobserved activities with persons under 18 years of age, wherever possible
11. Refrain from any form of abuse towards others
12. Refrain from any form of harassment towards, or discrimination of others
13. Provide a safe environment for the conduct of the activity
14. Show concern and caution towards others who may be sick or injured
15. Be a positive role model

Players Code of Conduct

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of fellow players, coaches, officials and spectators.
2. Refrain from conduct, which could be regarded as sexual or other harassment towards fellow players and coaches.
3. Respect the talent, potential and development of fellow players and competitors.
4. Care and respect the equipment provided to you as part of your program.
5. Conduct yourself in a professional manner relating to language, temper and punctuality.
6. Maintain high personal behaviour standards at all times.
7. Abide by the rules and respect the decision of the umpire, match referee or other adjudicator, making all appeals through the formal process and respecting the final decision.
8. Be honest in your attitude and preparation to training. Work equally hard for yourself and your team/crew.
9. Cooperate with coaches and staff in development of programs to adequately prepare you for competition at the highest level.

Parent / Guardian Code of Conduct

1. Treating your child the same irrespective of them winning or losing.
2. Remembering that your child plays tennis for their enjoyment not yours.
3. Trying to have fun when you are around your children at competitions. Well-directed humour can be a great de-stressor.
4. Looking relaxed, calm and positive on the sidelines.
5. Making friends with other parents at competitions.
6. Getting involved in appropriate ways if your child or the coach behaves in unacceptable ways during competitions.
7. Letting the coach do the coaching.
8. Understanding that children will benefit from a break sometimes and that involvement in other sports is okay.
9. Being there when the child performs poorly. Be an understanding listener rather than a critic, judge and/or fixer.
10. Being prepared to give your child some space so that he/she can grow and develop as an independent person.
11. Letting your child know that your love for them is not associated with their sporting performances.
12. Communicating with your child and asking them how they are really feeling about their sport and about competing in particular.
13. Occasionally letting your child compete without you being there and hovering over them.
14. Emphasising the good things your child did in preparing for and during the match/tournament.
15. Try to avoid:

• Saying, “we’re playing today”. Instead say, “you’re playing today”. Give your child credit for accepting the responsibility of performing.
• Getting too pushy or believe that you are indispensable. Let the coach do the coaching.
• Living through your child’s performances.
• Turning away when your child performs.
• Turning away when your child’s behaviour is unsportsmanlike.
• Telling your child what he/she did wrong after a tough match.
• Making enemies with your child’s opponents or family during a match/tournament.
• Making your child feel guilty by reminding them about all the time, money and sacrifices you are making for his or her sport.
• Thinking of your child’s sporting performances as an investment for which you expect a return.
• Badgering, harassing or use sarcasm to motivate your child.
• Comparing your child’s performances with those of other children.
• Forcing your child to go to training. If they are sick of training find out why and discuss it with them.

Coaches Code of Conduct

1. Treat all students with respect at all times. Be honest and consistent with them. Honour all promises and commitments, both verbal and written.
2. Provide feedback to students and other participants in a caring sensitive manner to their needs. Avoid overly negative feedback.
3. Recognise students’ rights to consult with other coaches and advisers. Cooperate fully with other specialists (e.g. Sports scientists, doctors, physiotherapists etc).
4. Treat all students fairly within the context of their sporting activities, regardless of gender, race, place of origin, athletic potential, colour, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, socio-economic status, and other condition.
5. Encourage and facilitate students’ independence and responsibility for their own behaviour, performance, decisions and actions.
6. Involve the students in decisions that affect them.
7. Determine, in consultation with students and others, what information is confidential and respect that confidentiality.
8. Encourage a climate of mutual support among your students.
9. Encourage students to respect one another and to expect respect for their worth as individuals regardless of their level of play.
10. At all times use appropriate training methods which in the long term will benefit the students and avoid those which could be harmful.
11. Ensure that the tasks/training set are suitable for age, experience, ability and physical and psychological conditions of the students.
12. Be acutely aware of the power that you as a coach develop with your students in the coaching relationship and avoid any sexual intimacy with students that could develop as a result.
13. Avoid situations with your students that could be construed as compromising.
14. Actively discourage the use of performance enhancing drugs, the use of alcohol and tobacco and illegal substance.
15. Respect the fact that your goal as a coach for the student may not always be the same as that of the student. Aim for excellence based upon realistic goals and due consideration for the student’s growth and development.
16. Recognise individual differences in students and always think of the student’s long-term best interests.
17. Set challenges for each student which are both achievable and motivating.
18. At all times act as a role model that promotes the positive aspects of sport and of tennis by maintaining the highest standards of personal conduct and projecting a favourable image of tennis and of coaching at all times.
19. Do not exploit any coaching relationship to further personal, political, or business interests at the expense of the best interest of your students.
20. Encourage students and coaches to develop and maintain integrity in their relationship with others.
21. Respect other coaches and always act in a manner characterised by courtesy and good faith.
22. When asked to coach a student, ensure that any previous coach-student relationship has been ended by the student-others in a professional manner.
23. Accept and respect the role of officials in ensuring that competitions are conducted fairly and according to established rules.
24. Know and abide by tennis rules, regulations and standards, and encourage students to do likewise. Accept both the letter and the spirit of the rules.
25. Be honest and ensure that qualifications are not misrepresented.
26. Be open to other people’s opinion and willing to continually learn and develop