Code of Conduct

In order to become more diligent and professional as a sporting club, the Gruyere District Cricket Club has adopted a Player’s Code of Conduct. This Code is one of common-sense and is designed to endorse and reinforce sportsmanship while still maintaining the sporting competiveness and great passion of the Gruyere District Cricket Club. All players who have not signed this Code of Conduct should do so before their first game of season
2010/11. The Committee hopes that the players will accept this Code and execute it in the same spirit in which it is written.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Objective
• Code of Conduct
• Racial and Religious Vilification
• Expectation of Players
• Umpiring Decisions
• Walking
• Upon being dismissed
• Post-Match Drinks
• Weekly Award Presentations
• Training Attire
• Training Expectations
• Gruyere District Cricket Club Rooms
• Player Subscriptions
• Afternoon Tea Levy
• Underage Drinking
• Player Availability
• Selection Policy
• Social Functions
• Match Days
• The Spirit of Cricket
• Use of Social Media
• Conduct Breaches

Introduction
Cricket has traditionally been one sport to maintain and promote the highest levels of conduct and sportsmanship. We all familiar with the saying “It just isn’t cricket” which implies that a certain type of behaviour is unacceptable. This document is a set of guidelines to provide all members with an understanding of the expectations the club has of each and every player and spectator. These guidelines are relevant during match days (on and off the field), training, club functions, and any other time representing Gruyere District Cricket Club.

The guidelines form part of the Player Code of Conduct (Cricket Victoria) and will be enforced by the Committee of the Gruyere District Cricket Club, and/or the Tribunal of the Yarra Valley Cricket Association, Player and Spectators can expect to receive penalties varying from a caution through to suspension, depending on the severity and the nature of the breach.

Objective
Our objective is to ensure that all players when representing Gruyere District Cricket Club, play cricket in the true spirit and traditions of the game so that the game can be enjoyed by all, including spectators, opposing players and umpires.

Code of Conduct
No person bound by this Code of Conduct shall engage in disorderly or improper conduct or behaviour. Disorderly or improper conduct or behavior includes, but is not restricted to, a person:

1, Assaulting or attempting to assault, or abusing, either orally or physically an umpire, player or spectator

2, Disputing, as distinct from questioning, an umpire’s decision, or reacting in an obviously provocative manner towards an umpire

3, Using crude or abusive language, or hand signals or other gestures

4, Engaging in any form of conduct or behavior detrimental to the spirit of the game or likely to bring the game into disrepute

5, Refusing to supply that person’s details when required by another person lodging a report

6, The captain of the team shall ensure that the players (including the person acting as 12th man) comply with the Code of Conduct. The captain of a team breaches the Code of Conduct if a player in that team engages in continuing disorderly or improper conduct or behavior

Racial or Religious Vilification
No person who is participating in a match under the jurisdiction or auspices of the Cricket Victoria or its affiliates shall engage in any conduct, act towards or speak to any other person in a manner which offends, insults, humiliates or vilifies such person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent or ethnic origin. The captain of a team shall ensure that the players (including the person acting as 12th man) comply with the above mentioned.

Gruyere District Cricket Club expects it members and spectators to also comply with the above, including but not limited to matches, training and post match functions.

Expectation of Players
The Committee of Management has set down these guidelines for all players, including spectators, representing Gruyere District Cricket Club.
Umpiring Decisions
The umpire’s decision is final and should be accepted immediately, weather batting or fielding. A bowler is entitled to ask the umpire why he turned the appeal down but should always accept the explanation, if one is given and immediately play on. The use of offensive language generally in the form of a disparaging and abusive remark to an umpire is not acceptable.

Walking
When there are no neutral umpires, a batsperson must walk if he is in no doubt that he/she has been dismissed fairly. Placing pressure on your team-mate, who is acting as umpire, can place doubt in his/her mind and lead to unnecessary friction between the two teams.

Upon being dismissed
The actions of the dismissed batsperson – in failing to leave the crease promptly on being given out and then banging his/her bat on the ground or throwing the bat on returning to the pavilion, including audible foul language is unacceptable.

Post-Match Socializing
Players are encouraged to socialize and have a friendly chat with the opposition after each match, either home or away, but should also make every effort to return to Gruyere District Cricket Club’s clubrooms in time for after-match presentations.

Weekly Award Presentations
Weekly award presentations are held at the clubrooms as soon as possible after training on a Thursday night. Awards are made to the best player/s of each team as well as the “Player of the Round”. All players should make every effort possible to remain after training and attend these presentations.

Training Attire
Tracksuit pants/shorts and an appropriate white or like coloured cricket shirt, also white runners or cricket shoes should be worn at all training sessions.

Training Expectations
All players are expected to train at least once a week. It is understood that work commitments can clash with those of Gruyere District Cricket Club, but every effort should be made to attend training. Your captain should be made aware if you are unable to attend training.

Training is to be used to improve your game and those that you are training with. The bowling of excessive deliberate short pitched deliveries and the continual ‘slogging’ of balls out of the nets will not be tolerated. Remember, the players you are training with are your teammates. No players are to leave training early with notifying the person in charge of training.

Gruyere District Cricket Club Social Rooms
These rooms are to be treated with respect at all times with no balls allowed indoors. Please ensure that all opposition players also respect our rooms.

Player Subscriptions
All subscriptions should be paid as soon as possible after the season commences.

Afternoon Tea Levy
A levy of $5AUD will be charged should any players fail to provide afternoon tea at Gruyere District Cricket Club home games.

Under-age Drinking
Players under the age of 18 are not permitted to drink alcohol at club functions, including training and match days/nights. Exceptions to this would be where a parent is present and permits his/her son/daughter to do so when they are having a meal

Players assisting under-age players to gain access to alcohol is considered by the Committee, to represent a serious breach of our Code of Conduct.

Player Availability
All players are expected to be available for all games throughout the season. Exceptions can occur, but wherever possible, plans involving weekends without cricket, should be scheduled outside the cricket season.

Selection Policy
Where a player is unavailable for selection he should not consider himself/herself a certainty to be selected as soon as he makes himself available again. It is quite possible that he/she will not be selected in any grade upon his/her return.

Social Functions
Throughout the season there are several functions organized by Gruyere District Cricket Club. Key functions include Karaoke Night and Annual Presentation Night but there are others. It is expected that players will make every effort to attend club functions, and where possible invite as many friends as possible.

Match Days
Players are to arrive at the ground of their scheduled match at least 30 minutes prior to the commencement of play unless otherwise stipulated by your team captain. When playing away a car pool will operate from Gruyere District Cricket Club oval, departure time will depend on travelling time.

The Spirit of Cricket
Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its laws but also within the spirit of the game. Any action which is seen to abuse this spirit, causes injury to the game itself. The major responsibility for ensuring the spirit of fair play, not only rest with the captains but with all players alike.

Use of Social Media

Unbecoming use of social media when representing the club – when engaging in social media where there is an association with the Club (ie, official or unofficial Yarra Valley Cricket Association facebook pages, other Club facebook pages) you are representing the Club, members are expected to behave in a manner as they were representing the Club in a similar physical forum.

 

Breaches of the Code of Conduct

In order to defuse a situation where a breach of this code of conduct has occurred, the Captain, Coach or President (or a delegated Committee of Management member in place) hold the right to immediately exclude a member in breach from a game, training or event.

Any breach of this code can be reported to any member of the Committee who in turn will advise the Club President. An independent person, from within the committee, will be appointed to investigate the breach and report to the full Committee with recommendations of an appropriate penalty should a breach be proven.

Committee of Management 2008/2009
Gruyere District Cricket Club