Big White Racers

Also operating as the Kelowna Ski Club

Athlete and Parent Code of Conduct 2010 – 2011

As a member of BC Alpine, the Big White Racers is subject to the rules and regulations of that organization.  BC Alpine has a clearly defined Code of Conduct which is recognized and upheld by this club.

The BWR Athlete and Parent Code of Conduct holds all ski racing athletes accountable for the highest standard of behaviour in training and competition in keeping with the BC Alpine spirit. All ski racing competitors are ambassadors for the Big White Racers whether they are on the home mountain, within the Zone, or skiing at the Provincial and National Levels.

The BWR organization expects all its members to abide by the BC Alpine Code of Conduct as well as our own organization's Code of Conduct.  Infractions of the Codes of Conduct by any member of the club will be subject to disciplinary action.  This may include the immediate suspension from all club activities by the supervising coach until the BWR Discipline Committee reviews and decides upon the matter.  The coach has the discretion to decide when an athlete may or may not train or race.

The BWR shall be responsible for implementing the BC Alpine Member Conduct, Dispute Resolution, and Appeals Policy.  In appropriate circumstances BC Alpine will determine whether BC Alpine should assist or be responsible for an issue if requested by the club.

Rationale and Objectives for the Code of Conduct:

- To ensure the safety and well-being of every participant.

- To respect that all participants have the right to receive the best program possible without interference as a result of the inappropriate conduct of others.

- The BWR is a highly visible organization.  Positive public perception is important to the club and the club's sponsors.

1. Expectations for Athletes

The athlete, by signing this agreement, has agreed to:

1.1 Sportsmanship

• consider the importance of his/her role in creating a positive image of the ski club.
• act in ways that bring respect to the athlete, his/her coaches, team, and the BC Alpine organization.
• know that the first line of communication for athletes and parents is with the athlete's coach.
• use acceptable language at all times, and speak positively of others.
• cooperate with coaches, officials, volunteers and fellow athletes.
• older athletes be a role model for younger athletes.

1.2 School and Academics

• be fully responsible for maintaining his/her highest potential academic achievement.
• keep affected teachers informed of absences and plans to make up coursework.

1.3 Training and Competition

• train regularly, consistently giving his/her maximum effort during training and competitions.
• set measurable goals and work with coaches to achieve the goals.
• listen to and show respect for his/her coaches and all officials.

1.4 Responsibility for Actions

• obey all BC Alpine Code of Conduct requirements.
• refrain from any of the following practices or behaviours which are considered to be major infractions: using alcohol, drugs, tobacco or any illicit substances; engaging in sexual conduct or misconduct; explicit swearing; harassment; hazing; bullying; theft; vandalism; engaging in unsafe and unsanctioned activities; engaging in any criminal or illicit behaviour.
• report immediately to a coach when there is a situation in which someone has been hurt or could potentially be hurt.

1.5 Agreement

• read, understand and sign the Athlete Code of Conduct.
• obey the Athlete Codes of Conduct.
• understand that failure to obey the Codes of Conduct may lead to loss of the privilege of ski racing and potentially the loss of membership in the club.

Failure to comply with the expectations in sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 would, in most cases, be considered a minor infraction, to be dealt with at the lowest level possible.  In cases where early and swift intervention does not resolve the problem, and the behaviour becomes a repeat behaviour, then this may constitute a major infraction (see section 1.4). Levels of behaviour and consequences are laid out in section 4.

2. Expectations for Parents

Parents, by signing this agreement, have agreed to:

• be supportive advocates for their son or daughter as an athlete participating in the ski program
• monitor their conveyed expectations of their son or daughter’s performance and recognize the adverse affect that an athlete may experience if he or she is not able to meet the parents’ expectations
• communicate with coaches as required on all aspects of the ski training program
• commit to the specified fundraising activities that are a requirement of a ski club family
• support team and program sponsors where possible
• follow through on mandatory volunteerism at their son or daughter’s races at home, and when possible, at host clubs’ events
• ensure that their son or daughter arrives for training on time, physically and mentally prepared
• ensure satisfactory nutrition, hydration and clothing of the athlete
• be a positive influence in the club, by setting the example for the athletes
• be supportive of coaches’ and officials’ decisions in public settings
• be supportive of the athletes
• be mindful not to interfere with the teams of volunteers and officials taking care of all aspects of a race on race day

3. Disciplinary Process and Due Process

Disciplinary decisions with respect to major infractions or violations of this Code of Conduct shall be made by the BWR Discipline Committee, or in cases of very severe behaviour, by the BC Alpine Discipline Review Committee.  As stated in the introductory section, a supervising coach may, in necessary circumstances, suspend an athlete until such time as the discipline committee can address the matter in a most timely fashion.

The BWR Discipline Committee shall be made up of 3 or 5 parent representatives appointed by the President of BWR at the beginning of each season, and 1 member of the Executive. The body of 3 or 5 has voting status.  One of these appointed members will serve in the role of Discipline Advisor, to lead the committee, and will fulfill duties as outlined below.  When the Discipline Advisor is unable to fulfill his or her obligations, a designate from the Discipline Committee will take over the responsibility.  The Executive representative is a non-voting member of the Discipline Committee, and serves only to liaise between the Discipline Committee and the BWR Executive.

To avoid conflict of interest, if a violation report includes the name of a son or daughter of a Discipline Committee member, that member shall remove him or herself from the investigation/decision-making process, and shall request that the President of the BWR Executive appoint a temporary stand-in.  If a discipline committee member finds him or herself in a potential conflict of interest situation as a result of a family or friendship connection with the athlete or adult in question, he or she shall likewise excuse him or herself from the process.

The BWR will operate on a standard of proof called "Balance of Probabilities". In contrast to the criminal court's requirement for proof "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt", Balance of Probabilities would require that the Discipline Committee take into account all available information and determine the most likely explanation of the behaviour or incident, and assign to that a suitable consequence. Discipline with due process must be followed.

3.1 Reporting

• a report of a serious violation of the Ski Club or BC Alpine's Code of Conduct comes forward to a coach or an official or a parent volunteer.
• the person holding this information contacts the coach, who then contacts the Discipline Advisor as soon as it is possible.
• the Discipline Advisor or designate notifies the necessary parties (i.e., the parents of the athlete, the Discipline Committee) of the investigation and proceeds to investigate.

3.2 Investigating

• the parents of an athlete under investigation and the Discipline Committee are notified in a timely fashion of the investigation.
• the Discipline Advisor or designate conducts a full investigation and brings the resulting information to the Discipline Committee.
• the investigation includes the gathering of all pertinent and necessary information from the parties involved in, affected by, and/or witness to the violation.  Accurate notes must be taken and must include notations of dates and times.  The notes taken and the information exchanged are considered confidential and shall not be shared beyond those directly responsible for the investigation and decision process.
• a timely and final decision on charges and consequences or sanctions is made by the Committee.
• records are kept of telephone exchanges, and in-person discussions.

3.3 Decision-Making and Follow-up

After investigating the reported behaviour, the Discipline Committee may issue a written Violation Notice to the skier and his/her family, including the outline and timeline of a consequence.  Depending on the frequency and/or the severity of behaviour, and taking into account the context of the situation, consequences may include, but are not limited to:

-       loss of privilege to participate in ski racing for a defined time frame (for example, two weeks, including any scheduled races)

-       loss of privilege to participate for the remainder of a season, or

-       indefinite loss of privilege to ski race, along with a loss of membership in the club.

Final decisions of the BWR Discipline Committee may be appealed to the Big White Racers Executive.  The Executive may choose to take the matter to BC Alpine for review.

Discipline Committee record keeping processes are currently under review by the Executive of the Big White Racers.