18 Other Press Telereg Extravaganza! September 20, 1993 Coaches Code of Conduct in Effect Women Taking Acton to Prevent Harrassment of Athletes by Coaches by Elaine Leong Sexual and personal harassment is a prob- lem that affects many people. But mention the con- cept of harassment in sports, and most people draw a blank. Just as an employer can harass their em- ployees, coaches can harass their players. This ranges from inappropriate remarks to sexual as- sault. “But when’s it going to stop?” a UBC stu- dent-athlete, playing on the Thunderbird’s Wom- en’s volleyball tearrfy asked of team coach Donna Baydock. Baydock, working under the coaching committee of the Promotions Plus committee, decided she wasn’t going to take it anymore — she has written a code of conduct for coaches. Aided by Betty Lou Hayes, Athletics Di- rector at Douglas College, Patti Schlafen, head coach of Simon Fraser University’s Women’s vol- leyball team, and other members of the coaching committee, as well as the Ministy’s Coaching Ad- visory Committee, the document aims to prevent coaches from abusing their position of power over athletes. The Promotion Plus committee has been _ promoting the image of girls and women in BC sports since 1988. They have been raising aware- ness for the first two years, and consciousness-rais- ing for the past three years. For the code specifi- cally, the first two years involved the logging proc- ess, writing the drafts, and producing the final document, (which is published below). “There have been cases where [SFU] ath- letes have had to deal with sexual advances by the coaches,” stated Schlafen. “It’s absolutely disgust- ing and absolutely taboo that they should even have these problems.” The code encompasses and states firmly that behaviour such as getting sexually involved with athletes, smoking, drinking alcohol in front of the athletes, and patting the players on the behind is unacceptable. ; Complaints against any coaches will be dealt with by the Coaches Association of BC’s sub-com- mittee. Each reported incident will be investigated by the sub-committee, which will also act as a dis- ciplinary body. A case of this power abuse happened in Douglas College in the 92-93 sports season. A BCIT coach made an inappropriate comment to a Doug- las female student-athlete. Though the matter was dealt with quickly and effectively by Hayes and Jim Mitchell, BCIT’s Athletic Director, it was an issue because other coaches still didn’t know what contact (physical or verbal) was acceptable. “Coaches were allowed to say anything be- fore, because they have power over the player,” Hayes said, “but no longer will this be allowed to hap- pen. One might think that, in the Athletics De- partment, a code of conduct is not needed. It’s as- sumed by most new athletes, younger athletes (ages 6-12), and lay-people that the coaches would sim- ply behave properly. It can be quite the contrary, says Baydock. “Coaches are hired knowing nothing about what's wrong or right,” Baydock stated. “If you win, then your behaviour [whatever it is] is acceptable.” Schlafen and Baydock have experienced this type of behaviour from other coaches. These types of behaviour and conduct are not favourable or excusable, yet there is nothing that said it was wrong. But do these coaches con- sider the athletes’ feelings? How do the athletes feel about the issue? How do other coaches feel about the inappropriate actions made by some coaches? “There was nothing anywhere,” Baydock explained, “that said this behaviour was inappro- priate.” Baydock also stated that, politically, the time is right to bring this code to B.C. and hopefully to the rest of Canada as well. “It’s a hot issue right now,” Baydock said. “We've been working on this code for eight months, officially, but it's been a burning issue for five years.” Most schools have some sort of a harass- ment office. However, most athletic departments don’t, says Baydock. Most student-athletes and coaches walk into the gymnasium not knowing what harassment is. Some male high school coaches have asked if writing the code down was really necessary. With comments like this, suspicions usually arise, but the coach could be simply asking a question in which he believes that nothing like harassment or “abuse of power” will ever happen. “It [the code] will make them aware of what's unacceptable,” Baydock proclaimed. “The code is for the ones [coaches] attracted to coaching for the wrong reasons, to protect the good coaches and all the good athletes,” Schlafen stated. “There are lots of good people out there, but it’s time to say what’s appropriate or not.” It will also help professionalize coaches. “It will allow them to assist their athletes in becoming well-rounded, self-confident and productive indi- viduals,” (as quoted from the actual code). ~ Most coaches have to go through a certain amount of training before becoming a coach, but none of it involves rules of conduct. This code de- fines the behaviour that is expected by their ath- letes, the parents of the athlete(s), their peer coaches and their opponent coaches. Also, a definition of harrassment is included within the actual code. “This is something specific,” Schlafen said. “Everybody seems to understand what harrassment means, but there are lots of different interpreta- tions for it. It is imperative to have it.” Most interpretations of harrassment bring the law and police force into it; however, that may not always be the case. The code includes defini- tions from other people; how they see harrassment depending on their background and gender. Through this code of ethics, coaches will learn how to be good role models. “We need to keep the playing area safe,” Schlafen noted, “and appropriate for the condition- ing and age of the player.” In keeping the area safe, coaches must not, at any time, become intimately and/or sexually in- volved with the athletes and must never condone the use of drugs. Already, some of the British Columbia Col- leges Athletics Associations (BCCAA) colleges are putting forward the code of conduct towards the coaching staff. Hayes of Douglas College says she will be introducing the code this coming season. The Coaching Association of BC is making the agree- ment of the code mandatory for membership. The Rowing Association has also adopted the code. “Through the Coaching Association, the . Code of Conduct will be put to use. It’s a start,” Schlafen noted. However, another two years of implemen- tation and awareness is needed to introduce the code. COACHES HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO: coaching. recruiting athletes. discourage their use by athletes. Coaches Code of Conduct efinition of harrassment is on the following page) 1) Treat everyone fairly within the context of their activity, regardless of gender, place of origin, colour, sexual orientation, religion, political belief or economic status. 2) Direct comments and criticism at the performance rather than the athlete. 3) Consistently display high personal standards and project a favorable image of their sport and a) Refrain from public criticism of fellow coaches, especially when speaking to the media or b) Abstain from the use of tobacco products while in the presence of her/his athletes and c) Abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages while working with athletes. The athlete/coach relationship is a privileged one. Coaches play a critical role in the personal as well as athletic development of their athletes. They must understand and respect the inherent power imbalance that exists in this relationship and must be extremely careful not to abuse it. Coaches must also recognize that they are conduits through which the values and goals of a sport organization are channeled. Thus how an athlete regards his/her sport is often dependent on the behavoir of the coach. The following Code of Conduct has been developed to aid coaches in achieving a level of behaviour which allow them to assist their athletes in becoming well-rounded, self confident and productive human beings. 7) Regularly seek ways of increasing professional development and self-awareness. 8) Treat opponents and officials with due respect, both in victory and defeat and encourage athletes to act accordingly. Actively encourage athletes to uphold the rules of their sport and the spirit of such rules. 9) In the case of minors, communicate and co-operate with the athletes’ parents or legal guardians, involving them in management decisions pertaining to their child’s development. 10) In an educational institution, be aware of the academic pressures placed on the student-athletes and conduct practices and games in a manner so as to allow academic success. COACHES MUST: 1) Ensure the safety of the athletes with whom they work. 2) At no time become intimately and/or sexually involved with their athletes. This includes re quests for sexual favors, or threat of reprisal for the rejection of such requests. d) Discourage the use of alcohol in conjunction with athletic events or victory celebrations at the playing sites. 3) Respect the athletes’ dignity; verbal or physical behaviours that constitute harassment or abuse ; a are unacceptable (definition of harrassment is attached). : e) Refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harrassing or otherwise offensive language in the ; ‘ conduct of his/her duties. 4) Never advocate or condone the use of drugs, or other banned performance enhancing sub stances. 4) Ensure that the activity being undertaken is suitable for the age, experience, ability, and fitness level of the athletes and educate athletes as to their responsibilities in contributing to a safe 5) Never provide under age athletes with alcohol. environment. { I have read and understand the above statements and agree to conduct myself in a manner that demon- ele S) Communicate and co-operate with registered medical practitioners in the diagnoses, _ treat strates the standards established in the Coaching Code of Conduct and Coaching Code of Ethics. ment and management of their athletes’ medical and psychological problems. Consider the athlete’s future health and well-being as foremost when making decisions regarding an injured athlete’s ability to continue playing Date: 6) Recognize and accept when to refer athletes to other coaches or sports specialists; allow ath- Name: letes’ goals to take precedence over their own. Witness: a a