Responding to Misconduct

Guidelines for Working Through a Report of Inappropriate Conduct

The philosophy of BAYS is to provide a welcoming atmosphere of good sportsmanship to encourage all to compete, learn, and enjoy the game of soccer free from harassment and abuse. In this, BAYS follows and fully supports all Mass Youth Soccer Safe Soccer policies.

BAYS prohibits athletes, coaches, spectators, or referees from engaging in verbal, physical, or sexual misconduct.  BAYS is committed to ensuring that these incidents are dealt with swiftly and appropriately. By addressing verbal, physical, and sexual misconduct , we aim to reduce offensive behavior by helping all involved understand that the impact of their words and actions leave hurtful—and often lasting—damage. Further, developing the capacity to treat others with dignity, and to hold others to account while working through challenging situations, is important in soccer and more broadly as a key tenet in everyday life.

A fast response is essential when handling all allegations of misconduct. Misconduct and discrimination can be experienced in a variety of ways. They might involve slurs about race, religion, or gender identity or negative comments about body image or abilities/disabilities. They might involve physical threats, unwanted physical contact, and/or non-consenting sexual contact.  Denigrating or disrespectful actions take many forms and require quick action by a club/organization to collect accurate information, prevent escalation of the situation, and to ensure safety and accountability.

Each BAYS member organization is responsible for promptly conducting a thorough fact finding review. Once the relevant facts are collected, BAYS will be better able to determine culpability and responsibility—and what to do next. If substantiated, suitable, age-appropriate discipline, training, or other remedial action or sanctions relating to the misconduct will be determined. It is also very important for us to ascertain quickly if additional external reporting requirements must be met. 

Listed below are some guidelines to help ensure that we maintain an environment that promotes respect, safety, and fun for all.

When examining a feedback report of inappropriate conduct, keep in mind these overarching principles, remembering at all times that we are working with children: 

  • Treat reports seriously
  • Act promptly within the first few days after receiving a report
  • Treat people fairly and listen to both sides of the incident account
  • Stay objective 
  • Keep involved parties informed
  • Maintain confidentiality to the greatest extent possible
  • Keep accurate records
  • Make decisions based only on observations and factual information gathered, not personal opinions or rumors
  • Get help from professionals if necessary
  • Ensure that sanctions, if appropriate, should be commensurate with the infraction

Step 1.  Acknowledge Receipt and Begin Internal Review and Fact Finding

  • Confirm receipt by responding to all parties on the notification email including [email protected] and the other involved Club officials

    • Reports can come in through a referee's Game Report recording an incident of alleged Verbal/Physical/Sexual misconduct or through a coach filing a Game Feedback Sportsmanship Concern.
    • Please do not share the specific contents of the report outside of the people stated on the email, unless it’s another officer of the town working on the fact finding

  • Share the name of the person who will be responsible from your club (Club President or other officer, Boys Director, Girls Director, Sportsmanship Director, or other club board member) for managing the response. This person must not be a participant or related to a participant in the cited game as that would pose a conflict.

  • A member of the BAYS Respect Committee will be in touch. To maintain privacy and confidentiality, each club will be contacted separately.

  • Each Club should also promptly confirm receipt of the reported incident to the respective families involved, including both the reporter and the alleged victim. 

    • Treat everyone—the reporter, the alleged victim, and their families with compassion, dignity, and respect in a manner in which they feel safe and heard.
    • Reaffirm the league and club’s commitment to eradicating discrimination and harassment. 
    • Confirm that the matter will be promptly reviewed and that the club will follow up with the claimant/parent or guardian and respondent at the appropriate time and with relevant findings.
    • Reports submitted by individuals other than the claimant/parent or guardian (the individual who is alleged to have experienced the misconduct) are referred to as “third-party reports” and those providing the information are “Third-Party Reporters” (or TPRs). Due to the sensitivity of the types of allegations, the resolution process is designed to be confidential, specifically to protect the privacy of the parties involved.  Accordingly, please understand that TPRs are not entitled to certain confidential information and will not be provided certain information or updates regarding cases.
    • Remember that all communications with children must be with their parents’ consent and presence. 

Step 2.  Each Club Should Conduct and Complete an Internal Review and Fact Finding Process 

  • Ask for individual feedback and observations from the other ADULTS from your own club who were present at the incident or game. Take detailed notes by individual, but be careful to maintain privacy. Do NOT copy and paste the exact content of the feedback report and send it out.
    You may want to consult with:

    • Coaches
    • Assistant coaches
    • Adult referees or referee mentors if present
    • Adult spectators
  • Ask open-ended, not leading questions, for example “Can you tell me what you saw and heard during the game?” and “Can you describe the overall environment of the game from your perspective?” “Did you hear or see anything out of the ordinary at the game?”
  • Know you will receive multiple and even conflicting versions of the event
    • Do NOT dismiss that it happened, even if others did not hear it
  • Secure parental consent to speak to the players who may be involved 
    • Then set up a meeting/call to discuss with both the parent and the child together
  • Do NOT contact members/players of the other involved club
  • Consult with your Club leadership and board 

Step 3.  Summarize Review Findings and Share with [email protected]

  • Within 48 hours, provide a status update to BAYS with key findings.
  • Clubs should independently report to [email protected] on the separate email stream established and not reply ALL to the original email notification.
  • Determine if a responsible party can be identified or that it is not possible to identify a specific responsible person(s) or potentially to even independently corroborate that the alleged incident happened.
    • Full contact information (name, email, phone, address) for an identified responsible party must be provided as that is required by Mass Youth Soccer for their system.

Step 4.  Put a Safety Plan in Place while Review is Ongoing

  • If the team with the alleged violation is scheduled to play its next game before the review is completed, ensure that a Club Official attends the cited team's next game (home or away) to provide oversight.

Step 5.  The BAYS Respect Committee Determines Disciplinary Action Needed

BAYS will use the linked guidance documents to determine next steps for alleged Verbal/Physical or Sexual Misconduct, alleged Language Incidents or Discriminatory Language or if the incident is determined to be a violation of the player, coach, or spectator Code of Conduct, the sanctions may be applied per MR 11.

  • BAYS will determine the severity of the misconduct and if additional external reporting requirements must be met.

Suggestions for Preventative Actions

  • Focus spotlight on creating a positive game environment for all
    • Encourage support for all teammates and respect for all opponents
    • Coaches should foster inclusivity and shared team goals
  • Encourage all coaches to hold a preseason expectation-setting meeting with their team players and parents
    • Confirm that all are aware of the MA Youth Soccer Player, Parent, and Coach Codes of Conduct: https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/codes-of-conduct/ 
      • Consider distributing hard copy versions as appropriate
    • Share these Tips for Creating a Positive Team Environment
    • Discuss acceptable and unacceptable behavior with athletes at the start of each season, and periodically throughout, to hold athletes accountable for their behavior.
    • Encouraging reporting: If inappropriate, harmful language is heard, anyone who hears it should speak up so that it can be addressed appropriately
    • Review LOTG regarding fouls and misconduct:
      • Swearing, especially directed at someone specifically, is a straight red card
      • Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or action(s), especially directed at someone specifically, is a straight red card
      • Flagrant taunting, demeaning, or other derogatory language directed toward an opponent or the referee could be a yellow card or a red card depending on the severity of the incident.
  • Have your Referee Assignors encourage referees to immediately address unsportsmanlike behavior, like taunting, trash talking, name calling, etc. which often can escalate quickly if left uncalled.
    • Early game management is key! 
      • Even just holding up the game to speak to players signals to all that referees are watching, aware, and going to take action
      • Showing cards also helps maintain control
    • Yellow cards have minimal lasting consequences for the players, yet can significantly curb undesirable behavior on the field