Governance Update

Hi Parents, Carers and Spectators

Welcome to the 2021 footy season!  I’m communicating with you about 2 very important issues – the Club’s code of conduct relating to acceptable behaviour and the Club’s code of conduct relating to child safety.

Acceptable behaviour

When you registered your child to play for the Club, you signed up to abide by our code of conduct relating to acceptable behaviour.  This codes relates to standards of acceptable behaviour of parents, carers and spectators at training sessions, matches and any other Club events.  I want to remind you what you signed up to and let you know that the Club takes any breaches of this code seriously.  It’s your responsibility to ensure your family and friends attending events are made aware of and adhere to this code too.

You agree to:

1. Remember your there for the players to enjoy the game

2. Encourage participation, but don’t force it

3. Teach that enjoyment is more important than winning

4. Never ridicule mistakes or losses – supporters are there to support not downgrade

5. Lead by example and respect all players, coaches, umpires and spectators – physical or verbal abuse has zero tolerance

6. Recognise all volunteers who are giving up their valuable time

7. Never publicly criticise umpires – raise personal concerns with club officials in private

8. Don’t use ugly remarks based on race, religion, gender or ability – you’ll let down your family and yourself if you do – and many comments are actually now illegal

9. If the team manager allocates a match day role to you, you’ll fulfil that role or arrange for another person to fulfil it for you

By registering your child to play for the Club, you agree to abide by this code, support the Club in enforcing this code and authorise the Club to take any necessary disciplinary actions, including suspending or banning a player, parent, carer or spectator for repeated or serious breaches.

Child safety

The Club is committed to providing a safe, supportive and inclusive environment where kids can feel safe and have fun playing footy.  To that end, the Club has developed a number of policies and procedures relating to child safety, including the child safe policy, child safe code of conduct and incident reporting procedure. As a participant in the Club, I want you to be aware of these policies and procedures and how they operate.  In particular, I expect each of you to follow the code of conduct relating to child safety in all your contact with the Club.  If you have an issue or concern relating to child safety, please contact me.

Amber Mills
Child Safety Officer
M: 0411 313 498
E: childsafetyofficer@smdsc.com.au