[Ord. No. 05-12 § I]
CODE OF CONDUCT
Shall mean a written specification of the behavior of parents,
guardians, coaches, and officials adopted and implemented by each
youth sports organization which must at a minimum incorporate this
chapter, which must be agreed to in writing by the parents or legal
guardians of the minor participants of each youth sports team and/or
organization, prior to such minor participants' participation
in the youth sports activity.
PARTICIPATING LEAGUE
Shall mean any sports organization having games organized
between one (1) or more youth sports teams, whether affiliated within
or without the Township of Neptune, which has its own rules, regulations
and/or Code of Conduct pursuant to its organizing charter. Examples
of participating leagues are Pop Warner Football, Little League, AAU
Basketball, and Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association.
YOUTH SPORTS EVENT
Shall mean any competition, practice, clinic, or instructional
event involving one (1) or more youth sports teams or organization.
YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION
Shall mean any sports association or club which is affiliated
with, or received monetary or other support from, Neptune Township
or the Neptune Township Recreation Department, or regularly utilizes
any facilities owned, operated, or maintained by Neptune Township,
and which has minors participating in the sporting activities conducted
by such association or club. Sometimes "youth sports organization"
may also be referred to as "sports organization" or "sports team."
[Ord. No. 05-12 § II]
Every youth sports organization shall be required to adopt and
implement a Code of Conduct incorporating, at a minimum, the provisions
of this chapter.
[Ord. No. 05-12 § III]
The parents or guardians of each child participating in a youth
sports organization shall be required by such organization to sign
an agreement acknowledging that they have received and read the youth
sports organization's Code of Conduct and that they agree to
be bound thereby. The form of acknowledgment shall be as indicated
on the attached form designated as Schedule A. The Township Committee encourages each parent or guardian
to review the Code of Conduct with the child participant, as it is
expected that the child participant shall also abide by the Code of
Conduct.
[Ord. No. 05-12 § IV]
Any parent, guardian or other citizen who desires to coach or
instruct any youth sport governed by this chapter shall be required
by the youth sports organization to execute an agreement acknowledging
receipt of the sports organization's Code of Conduct and agreeing
to be bound thereby. The form of acknowledgment shall be as indicated
on the attached form as Schedule B.
[Ord. No. 05-12 § V]
Any parent, guest, spectator, coach, participant or official
at any youth sports event shall violate the provisions of this chapter
if such person:
a. Verbally abuses officials, players, coaches or spectators, including,
but not limited to, the use of obscene or profane language or gestures,
or racial, ethnic, or sexual slurs;
b. Enters the field of play, court, rink, or other playing surface during
any youth sporting event for the purpose of physically or verbally
abusing or confronting coaches, players or officials;
c. Initiates a fight, scuffle, or any type of physical abuse or threat
of physical abuse toward any player, coach, official, parent, guest
or spectator; or
d. Throws or causes to be deposited any object on the field of play,
court, rink or other playing surface during any youth sports event.
Any person violating this chapter may be banned from attendance
at all youth sports events for a period to be determined by the youth
sports organization, but for a first violation not more than twelve
(12) months from the date of the incident. If it is determined that
such person has a subsequent offense for violating this chapter, such
person shall be banned from attendance at all youth sports events
within Neptune Township for at least twelve (12) months, up to and
including permanent banishment from all youth sports events, from
the date of each subsequent incident. Such time period may be determined
by the youth sports organization. Any individual violating this chapter
may also be subject to any other discipline as provided for by the
applicable youth sports organization's bylaws, organizing documents,
rules, regulations or Code of Conduct, or by any participating leagues'
Code of Conduct or rules and regulations.
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In addition, for any violation of this chapter, the youth sports
organization may also require that such person attend anger management
counseling before the violator is permitted to attend any youth sports
events, but penalties of twelve (12) months or more shall require
that such person attend at least twelve (12) hours of anger management
counseling. The youth sports organization may require additional hours
of anger management counseling, in its discretion. The chapter violator
shall pay for the cost of anger management counseling.
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[Ord. No. 05-12 § VI]
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 of the youth sports
organization, or the teams sponsoring the youth sporting event, or
in the absence of such persons at a practice or instructional event,
to the authority of the coach or coaches on the premises. Such authority
shall include the authorization to direct any person or persons involved
in any incident in violation of this chapter or the applicable sports
organization's Code of Conduct to immediately remove themselves
from the premises.
[Ord. No. 05-12 § VII]
The Township of Neptune hereby establishes a Code of Conduct
Committee, which shall be authorized to review any appeals for penalties
imposed by any youth sports organization for violations of this chapter.
The Code of Conduct Committee shall be made up of at least three (3)
but not more than seven (7) persons, who shall be appointed by the
Neptune Township Recreation Committee. Members of the Committee must
be Neptune Township residents or employed by the Township of Neptune.
A Committee quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the
Committee, and decisions by the Committee must be supported by greater
than a majority of the quorum present to hear appeals. The Committee
may also consist of up to two (2) alternate members in the event of
any conflict of interest or unavailability of a Committee member.
[Ord. No. 05-12 § IX]
Nothing in this chapter shall prevent any person from filing
any municipal, criminal or civil action against any individual for
a violation of this chapter, nor shall it impair the ability of any
participating league from imposing any penalties it shall deem appropriate.
Such penalties imposed by the participating league may be considered
by the sports organization's Code of Conduct Committee or the
Neptune Township Code of Conduct Committee when imposing any penalty
under this chapter.