Code of Conduct

All individuals involved in tennis will:

• respect the rights, dignity and worth of every individual athlete as a human being regardless of gender, disability, ethnic origin or religion;
• be fair, considerate and honest with others; and
• not engage in offensive or insulting behaviour towards the Club, or any individual acting for or on behalf of the Club, at any time or place.

A participant (player) will:

• conduct themselves in a sportsperson-like manner and respect fellow players, coaches, managers, staff, officials, and the achievements of opponents;
• not bully or take an unfair advantage of another competitor;
• not engage in offensive or insulting behaviour towards fellow players or club members;
• always use the appropriate rules and guidelines to resolve a dispute; and
• always wear the appropriate tennis attire, including tennis shoes and a top, whilst playing at the Club.

A coach will:

• respect the talent, developmental stage and goals of each participant to help them reach their playing goals;
• maintain high standards of integrity, operating within the rules of tennis and in the spirit of fair play, while encouraging participants to do the same;
• not disclose any personal information relating to participants without written prior consent;
• be a positive role model for the sport and participants and act in a way that projects a positive image of coaching whereby all participants receive equitable attention;
• be fair, considerate, and honest with athletes, encouraging and promoting a healthy lifestyle, refraining from smoking and drinking alcohol around participants;
• display high standards in language, manner, punctuality, preparation and presentation;
• be professional and accept responsibility for their actions;
• refrain from initiating a sexual or inappropriate relationship with any participant and also discourage any attempt by a participant to initiate a sexual relationship, explaining the ethical basis of the refusal;
• accurately represent personal coaching qualifications, experience, competence, affiliations and police vetting outcomes;
• refrain from criticism of other coaches;
• make a commitment to providing a quality service to their athletes seeking continual improvement through ongoing coach education, and other personal and professional development opportunities; and
• provide a safe environment for training and competition, protecting their participants from any form of personal, verbal, or physical abuse.

An Administrator or Committee Member will:

• be professional in all actions – ensure language, presentation, manner and punctuality reflect high standards;
• resolve conflicts fairly and promptly through established procedures;
• maintain strict impartiality; and
• maintain a safe environment for others.

A Parent/Guardian will:

• remember that children participate in sport for their own enjoyment;
• encourage children to participate, but will not force them;
• focus on the child’s efforts and performance rather than winning or losing;
• encourage children always to compete according to the rules and to settle disagreements without resorting to hostility or violence;
• never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a competition;
• remember that children learn best by example;
• support all efforts to remove personal, verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities;
• respect the decisions of officials and coaches and teach children to do likewise; and
• show appreciation for coaches, officials and administrators.

A team manager will:

• be responsible for the overall welfare and wellbeing of team members and officials when travelling with a team;
• maintain a ‘duty of care’ towards team members and be accountable for the management of the team; and
• foster a collaborative approach to the management of the team.