CULVER CITY BABE RUTH LEAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT

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1.0 Codes of Conduct
This all volunteer League is designed to provide a robust, structured, supervised, instructional and competitive baseball program for any and all youth age 13 to 18 within the designated boundaries of Culver City Babe Ruth League (CCBRL), which fosters an environment that emphasizes sportsmanship, fair play, physical and mental well-being, teamwork, baseball skills development, community involvement, volunteerism, and the development of good citizens and positive role models for the community.
The following codes of conduct will be strictly enforced throughout every CCBRL season.

1.1 PLAYERS CODE OF CONDUCT
In order to ensure that the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and mutual respect among players, managers, coaches, umpires and spectators are the primary considerations governing competition in the Culver City Babe Ruth League, the following Code of Conduct has been established and adopted.
Each player will ensure that their playing conduct is maintained at the highest level, competing fairly to the limit of his/her ability. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, the player is expected to:
• Know the rules and abide by them.
• Respect the umpires and refrain from addressing them or commenting on their decisions during the play of the game. The team's manager may address the umpires during the game but only within the provisions of the rules and in a courteous, respectful manner.
• Maintain control of his/her emotions, avoiding the use of abusive language or profanity, humiliating remarks, and/or gestures of ill temper, and physical assault upon another player, coach, manager, umpire or league official at any time.
• Respect the manager, coaches and players of the opposing team and demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of every game - be humble and generous in victory and proud and courteous in defeat.
• Follow all practice or game facility rules and regulations, respecting at all times the property of others.
• Realize, accept, and practice the principle that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability but also on the sportsmanship, courtesy and manners of each individual player.
• Refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or other illegal substances both on and off the playing field.
• Conduct themselves in a manner befitting the founding principles of CCBRL when traveling to "away" games or tournaments.

1.2 MANAGER & COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT
In order to ensure that the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and mutual respect among players, managers, coaches, umpires and spectators are the primary considerations governing competition in the Culver City Babe Ruth League, the following Code of Conduct has been established and adopted.
Each manager and coach will ensure that his/her coaching conduct is that of an adult, with the best interests of every ball player and the Culver City Babe Ruth League, continually expressed. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, each manager and coach is expected to:
• Understand that the safety of the players and the entire CCBRL community is paramount.
• Understand that they are a youth baseball coach and that this should be fun for the players, adults and all concerned.
• Know the rules and abide by them.
• Instruct team members in the rules and coach his/her team in such a way as to motivate each player to compete according to the rules at all times.
• Respect the umpires and refrain from questioning their decisions in a disrespectful or abusive manner.
• Ensure that the players and spectators follow game and practice facility rules and regulations.
• Ensure that fans of his/her team conduct themselves with sportsmanship and maturity at all times while in attendance at game/practice sites; assist the umpires in maintaining control of spectators during the games.
• Handle disputes calmly and adhere to proper procedures and if required with the proper authorities.
• Respect the manager, coaches and players of the opposing team both during the play of the game and at its conclusion, win or lose.
• Teach each player, especially through personal example, to be humble and generous in victory and proud and courteous in defeat.
• Maintain control of his/her emotions and avoid actions, language, and/or gestures that may be interpreted as hostile and humiliating.
• Never verbally demean, negatively label or ridicule anyone based on appearance, gender, weight, sexual orientation, race or any other identifying characteristic.
• Never ridicule or yell at any player or other participant for making a mistake or losing a competition.
• Let your language set the tone. Profanity is unacceptable at any time, even in conversations that you think are private but may be within earshot of players.
• Refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or other illegal substances at games, practices and all other CCBRL team events.
• Instruct team support personnel (e.g., assistant coaches, scorekeepers, team parents) in their responsibilities in accordance with established rules and procedures.
• Realize, accept, and practice the principal that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability, but also on its sportsmanship, courtesy, and manner.
• No CCBRL volunteer should be alone in the front seat of a vehicle with a child and or player who is not part of his/her family or household. Minors should not have access to volunteers’ car or personal items if they are not present.
• Avoid being alone with players in non-public settings.
• Avoid being isolated with a child, or leaving a child unsupervised. With parental permission, a coach/manager may provide transportation to and from game/practice related activities only.
• Gift giving should be limited to small baseball related items. Any gifts need to be equal amongst entire team. Buying players lavish or excessive gifts is prohibited. Do not give players money.
• Volunteers may not fraternize with players away from field unless parents are present. This includes childcare or inviting players home or to any outside activities.

1.3 SPECTATORS CODE OF CONDUCT
In order to ensure that the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and mutual respect among players, managers, coaches, umpires and spectators are the primary considerations governing competition in the Culver City Babe Ruth League, the following Code of Conduct has been established and adopted.
Each spectator will ensure that his/her conduct at all games and practices is that of a mature adult with the best interests of every ball player and the Culver City Babe Ruth League, continually expressed. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, every spectator is expected to:
• Respect the rules of the game.
• Respect the umpires, managers, coaches and players and refrain from questioning their decisions or from addressing them in a loud, disrespectful or abusive manner.
• Respect other parents, spectators and CCBRL Board members.
• Cheer for their team in a positive, supportive manner and refrain from making hostile, negative, or abusive remarks about the opposing team.
• Refrain from using profanity at all times.
• Adhere to all practice/game facility rules and regulations.
• Demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of a game, win or lose.
• Realize, accept, and practice the principal that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability, but also on the sportsmanship, courtesy, and citizenship of its fans.
• Refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or other illegal substances at games, practices and all other CCBRL team events.

1.4 RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCT.
Each team is responsible to see that their managers, coaches, players and spectators abide by the respective CODE of CONDUCT. All managers, coaches, players and parents or guardians of players will be provided copies of the appropriate CODE of CONDUCT Acknowledgment forms prior to the start of the season.

1.5 CODE OF CONDUCT REQUIREMENTS.
CODE of CONDUCT for spectators and players should be thoroughly discussed at a pre-season joint meeting between managers, coaches, players and parent/guardians of players. All sponsors, coaches, parents/guardians and players are required to sign this CODE of CONDUCT indicating they understand and accept their responsibilities as stated in the code. This form, with the required signatures, is to be filed with CCBRL.

1.6 IMPROPER CONDUCT ADJUDICATED BY CCBRL BOARD.
Conduct of sponsors, managers, coaches, players or spectators detrimental and contrary to the CCBRL CODE of CONDUCT may result in suspension from further participation for whatever period of time deemed reasonable and appropriate by the CCBRL Board of Directors or Board appointed Code of Conduct Committee.

1.7 IMPROPER CONDUCT PENALTIES.
Improper conduct on the part of managers, coaches, players or spectators may result in expulsion from the game/practice facility, or in extreme cases, forfeiture of the game. The CCBRL Board, or Board appointed Code of Conduct Committee, reserves the authority to discipline managers, coaches, players or spectators during the course of the season for conduct deemed detrimental to the good order of the League. Such actions may include warning, suspension or termination.

1.8 OFFENSIVE ACTIONS
DEFINITIONS OF OFFENSIVE ACTIONS.
No manager, coach, player, parent/guardian or spectator is to:
• Refuse to abide by an umpire's decision; or
• Be guilty of objectionable demonstration by throwing equipment or any other forceful action; or
• Be guilty of heaping verbal abuse upon an umpire for any real or imaginary wrong decision or judgment; or
• Be guilty of an abusive verbal attack upon a player, an opposing manager, coach, umpire or spectator; or
• At any time, lay hands upon, push, shove or strike an umpire, manager, coach, player or spectator; or
• Be guilty of a verbal and or physical attack as an aggressor upon any player, opposing manager, coach, umpire, Parent/Guardian, spectator, CCBRL official.
1.9 PENALTIES FOR OFFENSIVE ACTIONS / EJECTION FROM GAMES.
All ejections will be considered CODE of CONDUCT violations, and the manager, coach or player is automatically suspended for at least ONE (1) game. The CCBRL Board, or Board appointed Code of Conduct Committee, will define any further appropriate penalties and must approve permission for any suspended player, manager or coach to participate in games subsequent to the incident for which they were ejected. All rulings of the Board or its Code of Conduct Committee will be expedient, provided that both team managers and the umpire association reports the facts relative to the ejection promptly. A player or manager ejected from a game should be notified at the time as to the cause of the ejection; both managers are still required to notify the League President when an ejection occurs. A written report by the ejecting umpire explaining the reason(s) for the ejection should be made in all situations involving ejection. Any manager, coach, player, team representative, or parent / guardian striking or shoving an umpire will be suspended from attending any CCBRL activity for the remainder of the season.

1.10 SUBMISSION OF APPEALS.
A written appeal may be made to the Culver City Babe Ruth League President within TWENTY-FOUR (24) hours of the penalty decision. The decision of the League's Board of Directors or Board appointed Code of Conduct Committee will be final.

1.11 CODE OF CONDUCT COMMITTEE JURISDICTION.
When penalties for rule violations are not specified, they will be decided by the CCBRL Board or appointed Code of Conduct Committee with approval from the full CCBRL Board of Directors.

I agree that if I fail to abide by the aforementioned Code of Conduct, I will be subject to disciplinary action that could include, but is not limited to the following:• Verbal warning by Umpire, Coach, and/or League Official
• Written warning
• Game forfeit
• Game suspension(s) with written documentation of incident kept on file by CCBRL
• Season suspension



Signature Print Name

Date Role (Player/Coach/Parent/Other)