PARTICIPANT/SPECTATOR BEHAVIOR POLICY

The Carolina Region endorses the principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance and the Honor the Game philosophy. To this end, we have adopted a Participant/Spectator Behavior Policy for unsportsmanlike conduct by all attendees at Carolina Region sanctioned events.

It is understood that in the "heat of the moment", immediate reactions to a specific play or outcome during competition is natural. However, verbal or physical (either simulated or actual) assaults on tournament directors, officials, coaches, players, or spectators will not be tolerated. Examples of inappropriate behavior that may result in implementation of this policy include, but are not limited to:

1. Making inappropriate comments to officials (adult or junior) over faults called or not called.
2. Making inappropriate comments to line judges about calls made.
3. Making inappropriate remarks to participants on the court.
4. Approaching the scorers table or referee stand during play to complain about what is shown on the scoreboard or faults called or not called.
5. Expressing extensive disagreements with Tournament Directors or Officials concerning tournament procedures, formats, playoff seeding, or any tournament matter. Ideally, only the Head Coach should approach the Tournament Director to discuss tournament administration matters during an event. This is so the Tournament Director can concentrate on running the event and not answering general questions from spectators or repeatedly explaining decisions based on policies that have been publicized in Carolina Region materials on the website. Spectators and other participants should run their questions through their Head Coach, who will often know the answers anyway. The decision of the Tournament Director, after consulting the Tournament Director Handbook and/or Region Staff, is final and not subject to question from coaches or spectators.

At every tournament coaches/captains' meeting, the attendees will be reminded that the Tournament Director has the power to expel any unruly spectator, coach, player, or participant from the facility (typically after a verbal or written warning has been issued, but a warning is not required if actions are severe enough). Tournament Directors will be provided with a warning card to "Honor the Game" that they and the officials can hand out to participants if their behavior is in danger of reaching the level of possible sanctions. If a warning does not cause the behavior to change, a tournament director may choose to have the participant expelled.

EXPULSIONS:

Some actions by participants and spectators will require an automatic expulsion from the facility and possible further sanction by the Carolina Region for Code of Conduct violations:

• Physical (simulated or actual) assaults against any participant
• Second warnings for inappropriate comments to officials, tournament directors, participants, or spectators

The expulsion decision is entirely at the Tournament Director's discretion, although s/he may choose to engage the Head Official, facility supervisor, or Region Staff in managing spectator behavior and making a decision. In the event that a person that has been expelled from a facility but refuses to leave, proper authorities may be called in to mediate the situation (trespassing).

REPORTING INCIDENTS:

CONSEQUENCES:

1. Acknowledge review of the incident with no further action.
2. Issue a formal notice of reprimand to the expelled player, coach, or spectator (copy to the team representative).
3. Suspend the expelled participant from a subsequent tournament.
4. Declare a "repeat offender" ineligible to attend sanctioned events for the remainder of the current season or for the entire following season.
5. Penalize teams or clubs for unruly spectator behavior in an equitable manner fitting the circumstances, which could include but is not limited to:
1. Denial of entry into the next tournament,
2. Revocation of eligibility to compete for the remainder of the season,
3. Other penalty deemed appropriate by the applicable division's Advisory Council.