PARENT / GUARDIAN CODE OF CONDUCT

The goal of youth sports is to be a fun and positive experience for the children. In companionship with fun and a positive experience, Northbrook Baseball strongly believes the essential elements of character-building and ethics in sports are embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core principles: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Good Citizenship.

Actions by parents, fans and coaches, whether verbal or nonverbal, can have a lasting emotional effect on children and therefore Northbrook Baseball, like other youth baseball leagues, is instituting codes of conduct for parents/guardians as well as coaches. As a parent or guardian of a player in Northbrook Baseball, your actions reflect not only on you, but your child, his/her team, and the organization that mandate appropriate parental behavior that embody the positive experience and goals of Northbrook Baseball stated above.

Accordingly, as a parent or guardian of a Northbrook Baseball player, you agree to abide by and follow the rules and guidelines below:

• • You (and your guests, including but not limited to grandparents of the player) will be a positive role model for my child and encourage sportsmanship by showing respect and courtesy, and demonstrate positive support for all players, coaches, officials and spectators at every game, practice, or event.
  • You understand that the use of foul language towards anyone (coaches, teammates, officials, opponents, or spectators) will not be tolerated. You will not engage in any language or actions with the intent to initiate, hurt, intimidate, or humiliate any player, coach, official or spectator. These acts shall be considered harassment and will result in your immediate removal from the practice, game, or event, and you understand that, depending on the severity of the
    circumstance(s), additional discipline may be issued by the Commissioner of Northbrook Baseball in his/her sole discretion.
  • You will not complain or become confrontational about calls made by the officials, and you will respect the umpires and their decisions at all times.
  • You will not post on any social media site with the intent to initiate, hurt, intimidate, or humiliate any player, coach, official or spectator. The posting of negative, demeaning, or derogatory comments will not be tolerated. These acts shall be considered harassment and may result in your immediate removal from Northbrook Baseball. As a parent, you understand that you are accountable for the actions of your child on social media sites. You will stress to your
    child the importance of proper conduct on these sites and provide parental oversight to prevent any type of cyber-bullying by your child.
  • You (and your guests) will not engage in any kind of unsportsmanlike conduct with any official, coach, player, or parent such as booing, taunting, or using profane language or gestures. You will maintain self-control at games, practices, and other Northbrook Baseball events.
  • You will not encourage any behaviors or practices that would endanger the health and well-being of the athletes.
  • You will encourage your child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence. You will demand that your child treat all players, coaches, officials, and spectators with respect.
  • You will never ridicule or yell at your child or other participants for making a mistake or losing a game.
  • You will not disrupt practices. You will never record practices via audio or video means. You will not interfere in any way at team practice, including that you will not enter the field, practice area or the dugout during practice. You understand this Code of Conduct applies during practices. If you violate the Code of Conduct during a practice, you understand that you will be prohibited from attending any further practices.

PLAYING TIME

A) House and House+

• • You understand that in Northbrook’s Open Registration Baseball (i.e., House and House+), rules are designed such that playing time is fair and equitable to all players. You understand coaches are providing playing time, bench time, and infield play time rules and guidance at different levels. You understand coaches are encouraged to allow players of all abilities to try different playing positions.
    • If you have an issue with your child’s playing time or playing positions, you will wait 24 hours after the most recent game before providing feedback or discussing your concerns with your child’s coach(es).
    • You understand that the Directors of Northbrook Baseball will not field complaints about playing time; You understand that your only avenue to address playing time is to discuss it with your child’s coach(es).

B) GBN Feeder

• • You understand that in GBN Feeder Baseball, playing time is not equal, and that not every player will get to pitch. In GBN Feeder Baseball, you understand that some players may have more plate appearances, innings pitched, and positions played than other players. In GBN Feeder Baseball from the ages of 9u through 13u, you understand that your child is only guaranteed to play 3 defensive innings in a 6-inning game, and 4 defensive innings in a 7-inning game, and that neither of these minimum number of innings are guaranteed to be in the infield or at pitcher (and you understand that in a mercy-rule or rain shortened game, playing time will likely be less than as stated above). For age 14u GBN Feeder Baseball, you understand that there is no minimum playing time, and that playing time is entirely at the discretion of the head coach.
  • In GBN Feeder Baseball, you understand that beyond the minimum innings set forth in the preceding paragraph, playing time is at the discretion of the head coach. Further, you understand that if your child breaks a team rule that has been articulated by the head coach, he may play less than set forth above as a result of disciplinary measures.
    • If you have an issue with your child’s playing time, you are required to wait 24 hours after the most recent game before discussing your concerns with my child’s coach(es).
    • You understand that neither the GBN Feeder Travel Director, nor the Directors of Northbrook Baseball, will field complaints about playing time beyond the minimums set forth above; You understand that your only avenue to address playing time beyond the minimums set forth above is to discuss it with your child’s coach(es).
  • You will support the coaches by allowing them to do their job by not coaching your child or other players during games and practices. You will not openly question or confront coaches before, during or after games or practices. You will take the time to speak with coaches about any concerns calmly, privately and at an agreed upon time and place.
  • You will not enter the dugout** or participate in conversations with the team during a game. You will ensure that your child is prepared with everything he needs prior to the game.
    • **You will only enter the dugout to tend to your injured child when you are invited to do so by one of your child’s coaches.
  • You will promote the emotional and physical well-being of the athletes ahead of any personal desire you have for your child or his/her team to win.
  • You will inform the coach of any disability, illness or injury that may affect the safety of your child or the safety of others.
  • If you have concerns about anything that is happening on your child’s team, you understand that you must first address your concerns with your child’s head coach, and that if you are not comfortable addressing your concern with your child’s head coach, you will address your concern with one of the assistant coaches. You understand that except in cases of emergency  or at the sole discretion of the Commissioner when extenuating circumstances exist, neither the GBN Feeder Travel Director, nor the Directors of Northbrook Baseball, will step in until the situation has been brought to, and discussed with, at least one coach on my child’s team.

You realize that if you violate this Code of Conduct, you may be subject to disciplinary action that could result in one or more of, but not limited to, the following:

• • Verbal warning by Head Coach, amd/or GBN Feeder Travel Director, and/or Northbrook Baseball Board of Directors
  • Written Warning by Northbrook Baseball Board of Directors
  • Parental Game suspension, including a multiple-game suspension, with written documentation of incident kept on file by Northbrook Baseball.
  • Parental Season suspension
  • Parental Suspension from all future Northbrook Baseball games (Home or Away), Practices and Events
  • Removal of child from Northbrook Baseball

Northbrook Baseball reserves the right to impose the appropriate discipline depending on the facts of each situation and the nature of the offense. You understand this Code of Conduct does not create any contractual right, including that this disciplinary action section does not guarantee any right of warning or progressive discipline.

Dated: January 2025