Parent/Guardian Code Of Conduct

The goal of youth sports is to be a fun and positive experience for the children. In companionship with fun and a positive experience, Weatherford Baseball and Softball Association strongly believes the essential elements of character-building and ethics in sports are embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core principles: 

Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Good Citizenship.

Actions by parents, fans and coaches, whether verbal or nonverbal, can have a lasting emotional effect on children and therefore WBSA, like other youth baseball leagues, is instituting codes of conduct for parents/guardians as well as coaches. As a parent or guardian of a player in WBSA, your actions reflect not only on you, but your child, his/her team, and the organization that mandate appropriate parental behavior that embody the positive experience and goals of WBSA stated above.

Accordingly, as a parent or guardian of a WBSA player, you agree to abide by and follow the rules and guidelines below:

• You (and your guests, including but not limited to grandparents of the player) will be a positive role model for my child and encourage sportsmanship by showing respect and courtesy, and demonstrate positive support for all players, coaches, officials and spectators at every game, practice, or event.
• You understand that the use of foul language towards anyone (coaches, teammates, officials, opponents, or spectators) will not be tolerated. You will not engage in any language or actions with the intent to initiate, hurt, intimidate, or humiliate any player, coach, official or spectator. These acts shall be considered harassment and will result in your immediate removal from the practice, game, or event, and you understand that, depending on the severity of the circumstance(s), additional discipline may be issued by the Board of WBSA at their sole discretion.
• You will not complain or become confrontational about calls made by the officials, and you will respect the umpires and their decisions at all times.
• You will not post on any social media site with the intent to initiate, hurt, intimidate, or humiliate any player, coach, official or spectator. The posting of negative, demeaning, or derogatory comments will not be tolerated. These acts shall be considered harassment and may result in your immediate removal from WBSA. As a parent, you understand that you are accountable for the actions of your child on social media sites. You will stress to your child the importance of proper conduct on these sites and provide parental oversight to prevent any type of cyber-bullying by your child.
• You (and your guests) will not engage in any kind of unsportsmanlike conduct with any official, coach, player, or parent such as booing, taunting, or using profane language or gestures. You will maintain self-control at games, practices, and other WBSA events.
• You will not encourage any behaviors or practices that would endanger the health and well-being of the athletes.
• You will encourage your child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence. You will demand that your child treat all players, coaches, officials, and spectators with respect.
• You will never ridicule or yell at your child or other participants for making a mistake or losing a game.
• You will not disrupt practices. You will never record practices via audio or video means. You will not interfere in any way at team practice, including that you will not enter the field, practice area or the dugout during practice. You understand this Code of Conduct applies during practices. If you violate the Code of Conduct during a practice, you understand that you will be prohibited from attending any further practices.

PLAYING TIME

• You understand coaches determine playing time, bench time, and infield play time. You understand coaches are encouraged, but not required, to allow players of all abilities to try different playing positions.
  • If you have an issue with your child’s playing time or playing positions, you will wait 24 hours after the most recent game before providing feedback or discussing your concerns with your child’s coach(es).
  • You understand that the Directors of WBSA will not field complaints about playing time; You understand that your only avenue to address playing time is to discuss it with your child’s coach(es).
• You understand that in Weatherford Elite Select Ball, playing time is not equal, and that not every player will get to pitch. 
• You understand that some players may have more plate appearances, innings pitched, and positions played than other players.
• You understand that if your child breaks a team rule that has been articulated by the head coach, he/she may play less as a result of disciplinary measures.

• You will support the coaches by allowing them to do their job by not coaching your child or other players during games and practices. You will not openly question or confront coaches before, during or after games or practices. You will take the time to speak with coaches about any concerns calmly, privately and at an agreed upon time and place.
• You will not enter the dugout** or participate in conversations with the team during a game. You will ensure that your child is prepared with everything he needs prior to the game.
  • **You will only enter the dugout to tend to your injured child when you are invited to do so by one of your child’s coaches.
• You will promote the emotional and physical well-being of the athletes ahead of any personal desire you have for your child or his/her team to win.
• You will inform the coach of any disability, illness or injury that may affect the safety of your child or the safety of others.
• If you have concerns about anything that is happening on your child’s team, you understand that you must first address your concerns with your child’s head coach, and that if you are not comfortable addressing your concern with your child’s head coach, you will address your concern with one of the assistant coaches. You understand that except in cases of emergency  or at the sole discretion of the Commissioners when extenuating circumstances exist, neither the Weatherford Elite Travel Directors, nor the Board of WBSA, will step in until the situation has been brought to, and discussed with, at least one coach on my child’s team.

You realize that if you violate this Code of Conduct, you may be subject to disciplinary action that could result in one or more of, but not limited to, the following:

• Verbal warning by Head Coach, and/or Weatherford Elite Directors, and/or the WBSA Board of Directors
• Written Warning by WBSA Board of Directors
• Parental Game suspension, including a multiple-game suspension, with written documentation of incident kept on file by WBSA.
• Parental Season suspension
• Parental Suspension from all future WBSA games (Home or Away), Practices and Events
• Removal of child from Weatherford Elite and or WBSA
• 
  

WBSA reserves the right to impose the appropriate discipline depending on the facts of each situation and the nature of the offense. You understand this Code of Conduct does not create any contractual right, including that this disciplinary action section does not guarantee any right of warning or progressive discipline.

Weatherford Elite

Weatherford Elite Directors

WBSA Board of Directors