Youth Sports Code of Conduct
Little league games are already in full swing. What should be an opportunity for young children to play may turn into an ugly confrontation between coaches, referees, parents, spectators and players. Municipalities are doing something about this by requiring that teams follow a code of conduct when using municipal facilities, rinks and playing fields. Specifically, the following behavior is prohibited: initiating or threatening fights; entering the field of play for the purpose of confronting officials; using obscene or profane language or gestures; and throwing objects into the field of play. Offenders may be banned from sports events for 12 months and are required to undergo anger management counseling. Other legislation requires criminal background checks for coaches, referees and those in similar positions partaking in youth sports events in municipal recreation facilities. If your community is interested in regulating these events, the following legislation samples might be useful to you.
Sample Ordinances:
Franklin, B. NJ: Ch. 106
Glassboro, B. NJ: Ch. 466
Washington, Twp. NJ: Ch. 281
Return to Sample Legislation Archive
Franklin, B. NJ:
Chapter 106
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Franklin 5-9-2000 by Ord. No. 4-2000. Amendments noted where applicable.]
§ 106-1. Criminal background checks required for use of Franklin Borough recreation facilities.
Prior to any club or organization being authorized to use Borough-owned recreation facilities for functions participated in by children, all adults, those persons 18 years of age or older, in any way assisting, including but not limited to coaches, assistant coaches, referees or similar positions, must provide the Franklin Borough Clerk's office with a criminal background check obtained from the New Jersey State Police. The organization sponsoring the activities shall file the application for the criminal background check with the State Police and bear any and all costs involved with obtaining the criminal background check.
§ 106-2. Disqualification.
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A person shall not be qualified to participate in any function held at any Borough-owned recreation facilities in the event the criminal background check reveals any prior convictions for crimes or offenses which negatively impact the health, safety and welfare of children. Such offenses shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Providing alcoholic beverages to minors.
(2) Sexual offenses, including but not limited to child pornography, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:24-1 et seq.
(3) Employing a child to commit a crime, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:24-9.
(4) Endangering the welfare of a child, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4.
(5) Selling firearms or other weapons to minors, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:39-9.1 et seq.
(6) Luring a child into a motor vehicle, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:13-6.
(7) Lewdness and obscenity towards children, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4, as well as lewdness, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4.
- The list of crimes and violations contained in this section is for illustrative purposes only and shall not be construed as a limitation on those criminal activities or violations that would be grounds to disqualify a person from assisting with youth-related activities using Borough-owned recreational facilities.
§ 106-3. Borough Personnel Committee to determine eligibility.
The Franklin Borough Council's Personnel Committee shall determine whether or not an individual's prior criminal history shall prevent him or her from being involved with a children's group or organization using the Borough's recreation facilities. In making such determination, the Personnel Committee shall determine whether there has been an act or violation that impacts the health, safety and welfare of children, including but not limited to those items contained in § 106-2 above.
§ 106-4. Right of appeal.
In the event the Borough Council's Personnel Committee determines that an individual is disqualified from participating in activities at Borough recreation facilities as a result of a crime or violation, the individual shall be notified by the Clerk, and the individual shall have the right to request a hearing before the full Borough Council. Such hearing shall not be open to the public in order to protect the privacy interests of the individual. At the time of the hearing, the individual shall be prepared to present any witnesses or evidence in support of his or her claim that the violation does not negatively impact his or her ability to be involved with children's activities at Borough-owned facilities. The Council shall hear the evidence and testimony as presented by the individual and shall have the opportunity to cross-examine or call witnesses of its own. The hearing may be continued from time to time in the event the Council determines additional information or testimony is needed. Upon the conclusion of any hearings, the Borough shall render its written decision within 30 days. Further appeal from the Council's decision may be made to any court of competent jurisdiction.
§ 106-5. Frequency of background checks.
All organizations that have individuals subject to this chapter shall supply background checks for all of its participants prior to the individual being able to participate at any function at a Borough-owned recreation facility to the extent covered by this chapter. Thereafter, every three years a new background check shall be submitted to the Borough Clerk.
§ 106-6. Privacy.
Any and all criminal background checks supplied to the Clerk shall be reviewed by the Borough Council or its appropriate designee and shall be filed and maintained in a secure and locked cabinet and shall not be available to the public. The Borough Clerk shall take appropriate steps to safeguard such records. The records shall be exempt from public disclosure under the common law or the New Jersey Right to Know Law. The records shall only be retained for such period of time as necessary for the Council or its designee to review the background check for compliance with this chapter. The records shall be destroyed after a candidate is deemed qualified by the Borough. In the event the Council or its designee determines an individual is disqualified, that individual's records shall not be destroyed until and unless the individual exhausts all available appeal rights.
Glassboro, B. NJ:
Chapter 466
YOUTH SPORTS CODE OF CONDUCT
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Glassboro 5-28-2002 by Ord. No. 02-12. Amendments noted where applicable.]
§ 466-1. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CODE OF CONDUCT — A written specification of the behavior of the parents, guardians, coaches and officials prepared by each sports activity which must, at a minimum, incorporate the terms of the within chapter and must be consented to in writing by the parents and legal guardians of the minor participants of each youth sports activity.
CODE OF CONDUCT COMMITTEE — Comprised of a duly elected member from each youth sports activity and two members of the Park and Recreation Commission.
YOUTH SPORTS ACTIVITY — Any sports organization pursuant to a Borough-sponsored or a nonprofit or similar charter which is affiliated with or received monetary or other support or services from the Borough of Glassboro or regularly utilizes any facilities owned, operated, or maintained by the Borough, which sports organization participates in sporting competitions involving minors.
YOUTH SPORTS EVENT — Any competition, practice or instructional event involving one or more youth sports activities.
§ 466-2. Information to be filed with Clerk.
Each youth sports activity shall annually advise the Borough Clerk of the name, address, and telephone number of its duly elected member who shall serve on the Code of Conduct Committee commensurate with his/her term of office with the youth sports activity.
§ 466-3. Adherence to code of conduct.
Every sports activity shall be required to follow the code of conduct as set forth in this chapter.
§ 466-4. Enforcement.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall be charged with enforcing the provision of this chapter establishing a youth sports code of conduct.
§ 466-5. Availability of code of conduct.
The code of conduct will be made available to all parents and guardians of each child participating in a sports activity.
§ 466-6. Prohibited acts; penalty for violations.
- Any parent, guest, spectator, coach, or official at any youth sports event who initiates a fight, scuffle, or any type of physical abuse or threats of abuse towards any player, coach, official, parent, or spectator shall be banned from attendance at all youth sports events within the Borough of Glassboro for a period not exceeding 12 months from the date of the incident.
- Any parent, guest, coach or official at any youth sports event who enters the field of play, court or rink during any youth sports event for the purpose of physically or verbally abusing or confronting coaches, players or officials shall be banned from attendance at all youth sports events within the Borough of Glassboro for a period not exceeding 12 months from the date of the incident.
- Any parent, guest, spectator, coach, or official at any youth sports event who verbally abuses officials, players, or spectators, including the use of obscene or profane language or gestures, or racial, ethnic or sexual slurs, may be reprimanded from the date of the incident and shall be subject to discipline as provided by the applicable code of conduct.
- Any parent, guest, spectator or official at any youth sports event who throws or causes to be deposited any object on the field of play, court or rink during any youth sports event may be banned from attendance at all youth events for a period of 12 months from the date of incident and shall be subject to such discipline as provided by the applicable code of conduct.
§ 466-7. Authority to remove violators from premises.
Any parent, official, coach or spectator at any youth sporting event shall be subject to the authority of all field officials, including umpires, referees, and elected league officials or coaches of the youth sport activity. This authority shall also include any youth teams practice or instructional event, and such authority shall include the authorization to direct any person or persons involved in any incident in violation of this chapter or applicable code of conduct to immediately remove themselves from the premises.
§ 466-8. Anger management counseling for violators.
- Any parent, official, coach, or spectator 18 years old or older who is banned for 12 months from a youth sports event for a violation of this code of conduct shall be required to complete anger management or an equivalent counseling program consisting of not less than 12 hours of instruction and shall provide proof of satisfactory completion to the Code of Conduct Committee.
- Any person 17 years old or younger who is banned for 12 months from a youth sports event for violation of this code of conduct shall be required to complete anger management or equivalent counseling program consisting of not less than 6 hours of instruction and shall provide proof of satisfactory completion to the Code of Conduct Committee.
§ 466-9. Code of Conduct Committee.
- The Code of Conduct Committee shall meet in January of each year to elect a Chairman and Secretary, and such other officers as the Code of Conduct Committee shall deem appropriate, and may meet as often as is necessary to conduct its business and for the purpose of enforcing this chapter.
- In order to conduct business and hearings or change or adopt new codes of conduct, a quorum of five Committee members must be present and will have all authority as set forth in this chapter.
- The Code of Conduct Committee may establish rules and procedures as it deems appropriate for the conduct of its business and, in default thereof, shall operate pursuant to Robert's Rules of Order to the extent they are not in conflict with this chapter.
§ 466-10. Violation procedures and hearings.
- Upon determination by a majority vote of the highest-ranking official and the governing Board of the youth sports activity that a parent, guest, spectator, coach or official at any youth sports event sponsored by such youth sports has violated a provision of this chapter or the code of conduct of the youth sports activity, the Code of Conduct Committee shall forward to such violator a notice via, regular and certified mail, identifying the date, location, nature of the violation and the period of the banning or other action to be taken in response to such violation.
- Any parent, official, coach or spectator at a youth sports event who believes that there has been a violation of this chapter or the code of conduct has been violated shall forward their name, address, phone number, violation of ordinance, date, location of violation and nature of the violation to the Code of Conduct Committee. The Committee will then investigate the incident and, upon determination by majority vote of the Committee, such official shall forward to such violator a notice, via regular and certified mail, indicating the date and location and nature of the violation and the period of banning or other action to be taken in response to such violation.
- Any person receiving such notice who wishes to contest same shall appeal to the Borough of Glassboro Code of Conduct Committee within seven calendar days of the mailing of said notice by forwarding a copy of said notice with a written request for appeal, specifically setting forth the basis of such person's contest of the notice of violation, via personal delivery, fax or certified mail, to the Chairperson of the Code of Conduct Committee at the address specified and, if none, then to the Code of Conduct Committee, c/o Borough of Glassboro, 1 South Main Street, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028.
- Upon receipt of such appeal the Code of Conduct Committee shall convene within seven days and provide an opportunity for said person and any interested person or persons to appear and be heard with respect to the occurrence of any violation and action taken by the Code of Conduct Committee.
- The Code of Conduct Committee shall review statements, firsthand accounts and any other pertinent information or documentation relevant to the violation and, upon a majority vote of members of the Committee present at such hearing, may sustain, overturn, or modify the notice of violation consistent with this chapter or the code of conduct.
- Any person while appealing his/her violation of the code of conduct shall be reinstated with full rights and authority until such time that a determination and disposition of his/her appeal has been made.
- All notices of violation and banning or other actions taken shall remain in effect until overturned or modified by the Code of Conduct Committee.
- In the event any notice of violation is not appealed within seven days of such notice, said notice of violation and action taken by the official or Code of Conduct Committee, including banning from youth sports events or other action taken, shall become final.
Washington, Twp. NJ:
Chapter 281
YOUTH SPORTS CODE OF CONDUCT
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Washington as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
ARTICLE I
Code of Conduct
[Adopted 3-21-2002 by Ord. No. 4-2002]
§ 281-1. Definitions.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CODE OF CONDUCT — A written specification of the behavior of parents, guardians, coaches and officials prepared by each sports team which must at a minimum incorporate the terms of the within article and must be consented to in writing by the parents and legal guardians of the minor participants of each youth sports team.YOUTH SPORTS EVENT — Any competition, practice or instructional event involving one or more youth sports teams.
YOUTH SPORTS TEAM — Any sports organization pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter which is affiliated with or received monetary or other support or service from the Township of Washington or regularly utilizes any facilities owned, operated or maintained by the Township, which sports organizations participate in sporting competitions involving minors.
§ 281-2. Following Code of Conduct.
Every sports team shall be required to follow the Code of Conduct as set forth in this article.
§ 281-3. Availability of Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct will be made available to all parents and guardians of each child participating in a sport team.
§ 281-4. Fights, scuffles, etc.
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach or official at any youth sports event who initiates a fight, scuffle, or any type of physical abuse or threats of abuse towards any player, coach, official, parent or spectator shall be banned from attendance at all youth sports events within the Township of Washington for a period not exceeding 12 months from the date of the incident.
§ 281-5. Entering field of play.
Any parent, guest, coach, or official at any youth sporting event who enters the field of play, court or rink during any youth sporting event for the purpose of physically or verbally abusing or confronting coaches, players or officials shall be banned from attendance at all youth sports events within the Township of Washington for a period not exceeding 12 months from the date of the accident.
§ 281-6. Obscene or profane language, etc.
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach or official at any youth sports event who verbally abuses officials, players or spectators, including the use of obscene or profane language or gestures or racial, ethnic or sexual slurs, may be banned from all youth sports events for a period not exceeding 12 months from the date of the incident and shall be subject to such discipline as provided for by the applicable team's Code of Conduct.
§ 281-7. Throwing objects on field of play.
Any parent, guest, spectator, or official at any youth sports event who throws or causes to be deposited any object on the field of play, court or rink during any youth sports event may be banned from attendance at all youth sports events for a period of 12 months from the date of the incident and shall be subject to such discipline as provided for by the application sports team's Code of Conduct.
§ 281-8. Anger management program.
Any person banned for 12 months from youth sports events for a violation of the Code of Conduct prior to being allowed to resume attendance at any youth sports event shall be required to complete anger management or equivalent counseling program consisting of no less than 12 hours or instruction and shall provide proof of satisfactory completion to the Code of Conduct Committee. Any banning for less than 12 months may include up to 12 hours of anger management.
§ 281-9. Authority of field officials, etc.
Any parent, official, coach or spectator at any youth sporting event shall be subject to the authority of all field officials, including umpires and referees, and elected league officials of the youth sport team or teams sponsoring the youth sports event in the absence of such persons at a youth sports team's practice or instructional event to the authority of the ranking youth sports team coach on the premises. Such authority shall include the authorization to direct any person or persons involved in any incident in violation of this article or the applicable sports team's Code of Conduct to immediately remove themselves from the premises.
§ 281-10. Violation procedures and hearings.
- Upon a determination by a majority vote of the highest ranking officials and the governing board of a youth sports team that a parent, guest, spectator, coach or official at any youth sports event sponsored by such youth sports team has violated a provision of this article or the Code of Conduct of the youth sports team, such official shall forward to such violator a notice via regular and certified mail indicating the date and location and nature of the violation and period of banning or other action to be taken in response to such violation.
- Any person receiving such a notice who wishes to contest same shall appeal to the Township of Washington Code of Conduct Committee within seven calendar days of the mailing of said notice by forwarding a copy of said notice with a written request for appeal specifically setting forth the basis of such persons contest of the notice of violation via personal delivery or certified mail to the Chairperson of the Code of Conduct Committee at 523 Egg Harbor Road, Sewell, New Jersey 08080.
- Upon receipt of such appeal, the Code of Conduct Committee shall convene within 10 days and provide an opportunity for said person and any interested person to appear and be heard with respect to the occurrence of any violation and the action taken by the youth sports team.
- The Code of Conduct Committee shall be authorized to hear testimony under oath, review affidavits and such other and further information or documentation relevant to the violation and, upon a majority vote of the members of the Committee present at such hearing, may sustain, overturn or modify the youth sports team's notice of violation and the period of banning or other action taken in response to such violation consistent with this article or the youth sports team bylaws or Code of Conduct.
- All notices of violation and bannings shall remain in effect until overturned or modified by the Code of Conduct Committee.
- In the event any notice of violation is not appealed within 10 days of such notice, said notice of violation and the action taken by the youth sports team official, including banning from youth sports events, shall become final.
ARTICLE II
Code of Conduct Committee
[Adopted 3-21-2002 by Ord. No. 5-2002]
§ 281-11. Definitions.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
YOUTH SPORTS TEAM — Shall refer to any sports organization organized pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter which is affiliated with or receives economic or other support from the Township of Washington or regularly utilizes any facilities or premises owned, operated or maintained by the Township of Washington, which sport organization participates in sporting competitions involving minors.
§ 281-12. Composition of Committee.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall be comprised of a duly elected member from each youth sports team.
§ 281-13. Notification of Clerk of team member.
Each youth sports team shall annually advise the Township Clerk of the name, address and telephone number of its duly elected member who shall serve on the Code of Conduct Committee commensurate with his/her term of office with youth sports team.
§ 281-14. Change in member.
Each youth sports team shall notify the Township Clerk in writing promptly upon any change of the identity of the youth sports team's duly elected member.
§ 281-15. Enforcement by Committee.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall be charged with enforcing the provision of the ordinance establishing a Youth Sports Code of Conduct, Ordinance No. 4-2002.
§ 281-16. Election of officers; meetings.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall meet in January of each year to elect a Chairman, Secretary and such other officers as the Code of Conduct Committee shall deem appropriate, and may meet as often as is necessary to conduct its business and for the purpose of enforcing the ordinance establishing a Youth Sports Code of Conduct, Ordinance No. 4-2002.
§ 281-17. Rules and procedures.
The Code of Conduct Committee may establish rules and procedures as it deems appropriate for the conduct of its business and, in default thereof, shall operate pursuant to Roberts Rules of Order to the extent they are not in conflict with the within article or the ordinance establishing a Youth Sports Code of Conduct, Ordinance No. 4-2002.
