Code of Conduct

Youth Sports Guide for Parents, Players, and Coaches

Welcome to the Sport Mode One (SM1) Youth Sports Guide for Parents, Players, and Coaches. Please read the following guidelines thoroughly and contact the Youth Sports Office with questions by email at sayhi@sportmodeone.com. Every parent, player, and coach must review and abide by the SM1 Program Code of Conduct. SM1’s Code of Conduct aims to provide overall guidance and direction to participants.

Parent Expectations & Code of Conduct Requirements:

Parents will be expected to get their son/daughter to practice/games on time.
Support your son/daughter by attending games whenever possible. Embrace that this is your child’s journey, not yours. Put your focus on being a supportive & encouraging parent.
Ensure your child attends all practices; proactively communicate to your coach when unable to attend a practice or game.
Be supportive of the coaches & all other players; exhibit a positive attitude around the players & other parents.
Be respectful of officials & other teams’ fans; display good sportsmanship.
- As a program, we have zero tolerance for abusive language, vulgarity & constant negative remarks to game officials, opposing team parents, players, or fans.
- Our Coaches are instructed to ask our SM1 fans to stop this during games & report any persistent behavior of this nature to the SM1 Program Directors.
Refrain from coaching from the stands/sidelines at practice & games. This is the coaches’ job, not their parents’, in the SM1 Program. Cheer all you want, but please do not coach them from the stands.
Please encourage your child to communicate concerns or questions directly with their coach. This will help the coach understand & communicate directly with the player vs. through a 3^rd party.
3 Practice Rule: Until you, as a parent, have attended 3 practices, please do not call the coach complaining about playing time, etc. Until you’ve attended 3 practices to see your son/daughter’s effort & attitude in practice, teamwork, etc., coaches will not tolerate having discussions of this nature—no videotaping of practices without consent of the coach prior.
Communicate with the coach appropriately; discuss your concerns off the court & in private. Practice the “24-Hour Rule”: Wait 24 hours before contacting the coach regarding something; it will allow time to think about the situation before addressing it, taking the emotion out of it. If you feel the coach does not hear you after taking this approach, please get in touch with the SM1 Program Directors.
Please do not undermine your child’s coach on the car ride home, dinner table, etc. Subtle, passive-aggressive comments like: “Your coach doesn’t know what he is doing” or “I can’t believe you don’t play more” do not comfort your child (whether that is your intention or not). This enables your child to have a bad attitude & to make excuses, both of which are unacceptable.
Hold your child accountable to the player’s expectations at all times. It is the goal of SM1 to improve your child as an athlete but also to aid in developing them into confident, proud, respectful & good citizens.
Remember that the sport your child plays is fun & parents should strive to keep it that way.
Remember that you always represent your family, community & the SM1 family.
Parents will refrain from any negative talk toward the team, Program, coaches, or leadership that could impact the chemistry of the team or Program. If parents have an issue, it should come to the program leadership and not turn into gossip.

SM1 Philosophy Regarding Teams & Playing time:

Team Selection:

SM1 is a competitive and developmental program; we expect each player to approach each season ready to work and compete at a high level.
We are not interested in having as many teams as possible; we will always prioritize quality over quantity.
Roster spots are earned each season through our evaluation process. We do not hold traditional tryouts, so we use our evaluation process to determine teams each season. We prioritize developing with the boys and girls we coach, and this process allows us to create continuity and connection.
Once we complete registration, we do evaluations to ensure teams are balanced and competitive.
Metrics we use for team selection include (order of importance) Fit, Skill, Opportunity to Develop, and Friend Request.

Playing Time:

Playing time is dictated by the player’s effort, attitude & attendance.
We will not reward players who don’t have the team’s best interest in mind at all times.
Coaches do their best to even out the playing time, but playing time can fluctuate game-to-game based on the player’s expectations & factors.

Violation of Guidelines/Expectations:

All SM1 Parents and spectators will be held accountable to the above guidelines & expectations.
Any suspected violation may & should be reported to the SM1 Program Directors.
Individuals violating any of the expectations & guidelines may be asked to leave practice, games, or the Program. The SM1 Program comes first; no one person or player is bigger than the entire Program.
If problems persist throughout the year, additional action may be taken to remove the Parent or Player from the SM1 Program. We are proud that this has not been an issue before & the goal of this document is to keep it that way.

Player Expectations & Code of Conduct Requirements:

I accept responsibility for my behavior on and off the court or field of play. In addition, I understand that what I do and say affects my teammates, school, and other people, either positively or negatively.
I lead courageously and live with integrity by speaking up against injustice and on behalf of others, even if it is hard or unpopular.
I act with respect toward myself and the people around me, including my parents, my coaches, my teammates, my teachers, my opponents, and the spectators.
I act with empathy. I try to understand what is going on in the hearts and minds of others and what is causing those feelings so that I can be supportive and encouraging. I ask, “How can I help you?”
I always serve as a role model, speaking politely and courteously toward coaches, teammates, opponents, officials, and spectators. I understand it is a privilege to represent my family, school, and community as a student-athlete.
I give 100 percent effort to practices, games, and events. That effort demonstrates my commitment to the team and respect for my coaches and teammates.
I display good sportsmanship. I acknowledge and applaud the efforts of others. I encourage my teammates with positive statements. I refrain from boasting to my teammates and “trash-talking” to members of other teams. I accept defeat graciously by congratulating my opponents on a game well played.
Because I represent my family, school, and team, I abide by the school, team, and coaches’ policies, rules, and guidelines.

Coach Expectations & Code of Conduct Requirements:

To maintain an SM1 Coach License or otherwise risk forfeiture, I agree to the SM1 Coaches Code of Conduct, which states as follows.

I will:

Conduct myself satisfactorily relating to emotions, language, attitude, and actions.
Act at all times to protect the principles of fun, safety, and development of all athletes
Demonstrate respect for the ability of opponents as well as for the judgment of referees, officials, and opposing coaches
Display control and professionalism at all times under any circumstance
Respect the rights, dignity, and worth of every person, including opponents, other coaches, officials, administrators, parents, athletes, and spectators
Refrain from physical contact with athletes except where necessary for the development of the athletes’ skill(s) or athletic ability
Be aware and understand the role and influence of a coach as an educator, imparting knowledge of skill as well as proper personal, academic, and social behavior
Be reasonable in my demands on athletes’ time, energy, and enthusiasm
Provide an opportunity for all athletes to play the sport
Ensure that equipment and facilities meet safety standards and are appropriate to the level of the athletes
Seek to learn the latest coaching practices that take into account the principles of growth and development of athletes