Yarmouth Colts Soccer Club Coaches Code of Ethics
adapted from Soccer Maine’s Coach Code of Ethics

Firstly, we thank you for volunteering your time and energy as a Yarmouth Colts Soccer Club coach. We know the joys that come with coaching our children and their peers. We also know that coaching young players is a privilege that carries with it great responsibility. We aim to make sure that you feel supported and equipped with coaching resources, training aids and access to coaching curriculums.  We also strive to make certain that the Yarmouth Colts players experience the fun of youth soccer while building core skills as individual players and discovering the merits of being a strong team player and emulating the tenets of the Colts Way. 

To have successful players on and off the field, we have expectations of our volunteer coaches. By accepting a coaching position with Yarmouth Colts, you are agreeing to adhere and uphold Coach Code of Ethics. A coach shall always demonstrate the highest ethical character and should serve as a role model for the players on his or her team. There is an added complexity of being a coach and a parent to the player on a team. A coach must always remember the influence that he or she has over young athletes. The game is for the players.

If at any time Yarmouth Colts determines that a coach has failed to fulfill the below expectations and standards, there may be cause to discipline, suspend, or remove the coach. Yarmouth Colts has enacted a Coaches Committee to allow for assessment of these expectations. The Coach Committee is YC President, Vice President, Director of Coaching, additional Board member, and non-Colts/non-coaching volunteer(s). 

1. Soccer is the players’ game. The paramount concern of coaches is the holistic development, welfare, enjoyment and safety of their players. A coach should never place winning above character or good treatment of athletes. A coach should deal honestly and fairly with players with regard to team selection and balanced teams and equal playing time which are active at U9-U12. 
2. Coaches bear responsibility for teaching their players to strive for success while playing fairly with the highest levels of sportsmanship, observing the laws and the spirit of the game.
3. Coaches shall treat officials with respect, and shall teach their players to do the same.
4. Our opponents are worthy of being treated with respect. Coaches will model such respect for opponents and expect their players to do likewise.
5. In both victory and defeat, the behavior of a coach shall model the highest level of sportsmanship.
6. Coaches shall adhere to the highest standards and the regulations of the institutions they represent: Yarmouth Colts, Soccer Maine, US Youth Soccer Association, and US Soccer Federation. The position of head coach assumes knowledge of the rules of the game, of registration and rostering requirements, of tournament rules and other requirements of Soccer Maine and affiliated clubs and organizations. The coaching staff is responsible for compliance with all rules.
7. Coaches shall treat all players with kindness and respect while opposing all types of discrimination, including, but not limited to, racism and sexism.
8. Coaches should take a role in educating their players about sports nutrition and fitness, and healthy choices. The coaches should avoid the use of alcohol or tobacco products when in contact with players or at other times while in official capacity as coach.
9. Coaches shall refrain from all manner of personal abuse and harassment of others, whether verbal, physical, emotional or sexual, and shall oppose such abuse and harassment at all levels of soccer. Coaches will uphold their SafeSport education to maintain safe and respectful sporting environments at all times.
10. Coaches shall seek to honor those who uphold the highest standards and principles of soccer and shall use appropriate protocol to oppose and eliminate all behavior that brings disrepute to the sport – violence, abuse, dishonesty, disrespect and violations of the laws of the game and rules governing competition.