[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Stafford 8-5-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-87. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The written specification of the behavior of the parents,
guardians, coaches and officials as adopted by the Stafford Township
governing body and incorporated into the Stafford Township Code.
Comprised of a representative from each Stafford Township
youth sports league, including: 1) Little League baseball, 2) girl's
softball, 3) soccer, 4) Pop Warner football/cheerleading, 5) basketball,
6) lacrosse, 7) wrestling, and 8) roller hockey, and 9) the Director
of Recreation, 10) one of the community policing officers, and 11)
the Township Administrator.
Any youth sports organization operating in Stafford Township
that utilizes Township-owned fields or facilities.
Any competition, practice, tryouts or instructional event
involving one or more youth sports activities.
Each youth sports activity shall annually advise
the Township Clerk of the name, address, and telephone number of its
respective recommendation as to the designated member who shall serve
on the Code of Conduct Committee, subject to confirmation by the governing
body.
Every youth sports activity shall be required
to follow the Code of Conduct as set forth in this chapter.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall be charged
with enforcing the provisions of the Code of Conduct as contained
in this chapter.
Each youth sports activity shall make the Code
of Conduct available to all parents and guardians of each child participating
in a youth sports event.
A.
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach, participant or
official at any youth sports event who initiates a fight, scuffle,
or any type of physical abuse or threat of physical abuse toward any
player, coach, official, parent, or spectator shall be banned from
attendance at all youth sports events within the Township of Stafford
for a period not to exceed 36 months from the date of the incident.
B.
Any parent, guest, spectator, 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 any coach, player or official shall be banned
from attendance at all youth sports events within the Township of
Stafford for a period not to exceed 36 months from the date of the
incident.
C.
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach or official at
any youth sports event who verbally abuses any official, player, or
spectator, including the use of obscene or profane language, obscene
or profane gestures, ethnic or racial slurs, may be reprimanded from
the date of the incident and shall be banned from attendance at all
youth sports events within the Township of Stafford for a period not
to exceed 24 months from the date of the incident.
D.
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach 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
shall be banned from attendance at all youth sports events within
the Township of Stafford for a period not to exceed 24 months from
the date of the incident.
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach or official
at any youth sports event shall be subject to the authority of all
field officials, including umpires, referees and elected league officials
of the youth sports activity. This authority shall also include any
youth team practices or instructional events, and such authority shall
include 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.
A.
Any parent, official, coach or spectator 18 years
old or older who is banned for 12 months from a youth sports event
for violation of the 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.
B.
Any person 17 years old or younger who is banned for
12 months from a youth sports event for violation of the Code of Conduct
shall be required to complete anger management or equivalent counseling
program consisting of not less than six hours of instruction and shall
provide proof of satisfactory completion to the Code of Conduct Committee.
A.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall annually elect
a Chairman and a Secretary.
B.
In order to conduct business and hearings, a quorum
of six members must be present.
C.
The Code of Conduct Committee may establish rules
and procedures it deems appropriate for the conduct of its business
and shall conduct business pursuant to Robert's Rules of Order.
A.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall conduct hearings
on alleged violations of the Code of Conduct pursuant to matters referred
to the Committee in the following manner:
(1)
Following a vote where at least a majority of the
governing board members of any Stafford Township youth sports organization
have voted in the affirmative to refer a violation of any provision
of the Code of Conduct to the Committee for a hearing and a decision.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall forward a notice to the alleged
violator(s) by way of certified mail and regular mail setting forth
the alleged violation, including the date, time, location, and nature
of the violation, and further notifying the alleged violator(s) of
the date of a hearing.
(2)
Any parent, official, coach or spectator at a youth
sports event who reasonably believes that he/she has witnessed a violation
of the Code of Conduct may file a written notice with the Code of
Conduct Committee which shall include a description of the event,
including the date, time, location, nature of what occurred and whether
or not there were any witnesses to the event. The Committee will then
investigate the incident, and if a majority of the Committee votes
in the affirmative to hear the matter, then the Code of Conduct Committee
shall forward a notice to the alleged violator(s) by way of certified
mail and regular mail setting forth the alleged violation, including
the date, time, location, and nature of the violation, and further
notifying the alleged violator(s) of the date of a hearing.
B.
Any person receiving notice and wishing to contest
the charges shall file a notice of appeal to the Township of Stafford
Code of Conduct Committee within seven calendar days of the mailing
of said notice by forwarding a notice of appeal, including the basis
for filing of an appeal. The written notice must be filed with the
Director of Recreation at 260 East Bay Avenue, Manahawkin, NJ 08050,
either by way of certified mail or by personal delivery. Failure to
file a notice of appeal will close the matter, and the action taken
by the Code of Conduct Committee shall be deemed to be final.
C.
Upon receipt of a notice of 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.
D.
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 the Code of Conduct.
E.
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. Failure to appear before the Code of Conduct Committee,
however, will result in immediate denial of the appeal request.
F.
All notices of violation and sanctions shall remain
in effect until they are overturned or modified by the Code of Conduct
Committee.
G.
In light of the fact that serving as a volunteer coach
or official or coming to watch a youth sports event or activity constitutes
a "privilege" and does not involve legal rights, any individual who
has been charged with a violation of the Code of Conduct shall represent
themselves in defending or explaining his or her actions. If any individual
seeks legal representation, the Code of Conduct Committee shall then
utilize the services of the Township Attorney's Office to assist the
Committee in conducting the hearing and rendering a written decision.
