BYLA Policy on Sportsmanship and Bullying
Statement of Intent
The Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association is committed to providing a caring, friendly and physically and emotionally safe environment for all our young players so they can participate in sport in a relaxed and secure atmosphere.
Our Expectations
We expect that everyone associated with our program - parents, players and coaches - will strive to make good sportsmanship the hallmark of their participation in our program.
This means that everyone bears a responsibility and plays a role in reflecting the high ideals of sportsmanship that characterizes our program. We have established a code of conduct to help parents, players and coaches understand our expectations and their respective responsibilities. That document is available on this website. As part of our code of conduct, BYLA expressly prohibits any form of bullying or inappropriate behavior during any BYLA event.
Bullying and Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Bullying or unsporting behavior of any kind is unacceptable in the Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association and will be dealt with promptly and effectively.
Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying?
No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect.
Bullying hurts; it hurts the person being bullied; it hurts the bully, it hurts the teams and it hurts the association.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person, whether a BYLA participant or another person.
Bullying can be:
- Emotional - being unfriendly, intentionally engaging in group excluding behavior, graffiti, gestures, and name calling
- Verbal - name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors, teasing, tormenting or taunting, vulgar language
- Physical - pushing, kickng, hitting, punching, aggressive and improper use of the stick, “cheap shots” or any use of violence
- Cyberbullying - any act of bullying through the use of the internet, interactive and digital technology, including posting to Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or other social media comments equivalent to the items covered under “Verbal” and “Emotional” above
For purposes of this policy, “Bullying” means the use by one or more players of a written, verbal or electronic communication, including cyberbullying, directed at or referring to another BYLA participant or another person, or a physical act or gesture by one or more players repeatedly directed at another person participating in a BYLA event that:
1) Causes physical or emotional harm to such person or damage to such person’s property;
2) Places such person in reasonable fear of harm to himself or herself, or of damage to his or her property;
3) Creates a hostile environment during an BYLA event for such person;
4) Infringes on the rights of such person during an BYLA event; or
5) Substantially disrupts the team.
Bullying shall include, but not be limited to, a written, verbal or electronic communication or physical act or gesture based on any actual or perceived differentiating characteristics, such as playing ability, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, academic status, physical appearance, or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability, or by association with an individual or group who has or is perceived to have one or more of such characteristics.
Procedures
Reporting an incident of bullying:
1) Players should report bullying incidents which occur at a BYLA event or are about a BYLA related activity to their parents or the Coach.
2) Parents should report bullying incidents which occur at a BYLA event or are about a BYLA related activity to the Head Coach or the appropriate coordinator --Boys: Mario Ramirez and the Girls: Ashleigh Donovan.
3) Any unsportsmanlike or bullying behavior at any BYLA event witnessed by a Coach or Assistant Coach should be reported to the appropriate Coordinator.
4) The Coordinator or his or her delegate will confer with the parent(s) of the child claiming improper conduct and/or the coaches involved and will investigate the complaint in a timely manner; In serious cases, parents may be asked to come in to a meeting to discuss the problem. Serious cases may also be discussed at the Board level.
5) The BYLA Board will be guided by the objective of eliminating the offending behavior where warranted and assuring that no player, parent or coach will incur any form of retaliation for having brought forth a complaint in good faith.
6) All bullying discussions will be kept confidential among the parties described above.
Outcomes
1) The appropriate Coordinator or a member of the Board will contact the parent(s) of the alleged bully to discuss the conduct and any actions to be taken with respect to the alleged bully.
2) The bully may be asked to genuinely apologize and immediately change his/her behavior. When appropriate, the subject will be discussed without naming the participants at the team level including all coaches, players and/or parents.
3) After any incident has been investigated and dealt with, each case will be monitored to ensure repeated bullying does not take place.
4) In serious cases or repeated instances, suspension of one or more games may be imposed or, where warranted, exclusion from BYLA activities may be imposed upon determination of the Board of Directors of the BYLA.