Rules of Conduct & Standards of Leadership for Coaches

Remember your primary goals are to build character and self-esteem and promote teamwork and leadership while teaching the fundamental rules and having fun. Everything you say and do should be consistent with the six core ethical values comprising good character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

Trustworthiness

• Always act so as to encourage and justify trust. Teach your players the meaning and importance of trustworthiness.
• Be honest and demand honesty. Do not engage in or permit dishonesty by lying, deception or omission.
• Teach and model the importance of integrity by doing the right thing and making the right call even when the cost is high. Admit your mistakes openly and honestly as a demonstration of integrity.
• Keep commitments. Do what you say you will do when you said you would do it to impress on your players the values of promise keeping and reliability. If you are unable to keep a commitment, apologize to those who where depending on you.

Respect

• Treat players, referees/umpires/officials and parents with respect, courtesy and consideration. Avoid and prevent put-downs, insults, name-calling, yelling and other verbal or nonverbal conduct likely to offend, hurt or simply set a bad example.
• Do not challenge a judgment call of a referee/official/umpire nor confront a referee/official/umpire about a call after a game. If you think a referee/official/umpire misunderstands a rule, seek to educate not humiliate the referee/official/umpire or contact the appropriate person in charge of the league.
• Assure that your team always treats opponents, teammates and others with respect and courtesy. Promote politeness and use of please, thank you and excuse me.
• Seek to control the conduct of the parents, spectators and players to prevent negative cheers, name-calling or insults inconsistent with a positive atmosphere of character development.
• Assure that your player’s experience is one of fun and enjoyment. Correct and instruct players in constructive ways. Be generous with your praise when it is deserved.  Tell players when they have done something well.
• Don’t demean, ridicule or embarrass players for mistakes or yell at a players or the team for any reason.
• Be on time. Remember players and parents are relying on you to start and end according to schedule.
• Treat all players as individuals recognizing and appreciating their diversity in skills, gender, ethnicity and race. Never permit statements or acts of prejudice.
• Listen to your players. Respect their opinions and answer their questions without being defensive or arbitrary.

Responsibility

• Be a positive model for your players in all matters, including a demonstration of sportsmanship at all times.
• Always exercise and demand self-control. Do not lose your temper. Don’t throw things, scream, or otherwise demonstrate uncontrolled anger.
• Teach and model self-discipline and a sense of duty to meet obligations even when it is difficult or unpleasant.
• Teach and model the idea of pursuing excellence measured by doing one’s best, not by winning. Teach players to win and lose with grace, that character is measured by how you played the game and that they can always hold their heads up high when they have done their best.
• Inform yourself about sound coaching principles and strive to improve your own performance as a coach and a mentor of character. Attend coaching and referee clinics when you can and use books and videotapes available to you.
• Learn all the official rules of the sport you are coaching as well as policies and regulations. Assure that your players know and understand the rules.
• Teach and model accountability by accepting responsibility for your choices of both action and inaction.

Fairness

• Teach and model fair play. Make sure your team plays honestly.
• Teach and model fair-mindedness by being open to ideas, suggestions and opinions of others. Make all decisions fairly and treat all players with impartiality.
• Be reasonable in your performance expectations and demands on the time and energy of your players and their parents.

Caring

• Teach and model kindness and compassion for others. Teach and demand teamwork and discourage selfishness.

Citizenship

• Teach and model the importance of obeying laws and rules as an obligation of citizenship. Teach how unfair it is for some people to play by the rules while others don’t.
• Teach and model the respect for the environment and the obligation to contribute to the greater good.