Representative Netball Program

Handbook

For Players and Parents2017-18

Version history

Date By whom Amendment Details03 December 2012 Zoe Cawdron Update to selection policy19 August 2013 Janine Kirk Update to include complaints

handling process, re-arranged content and included additional information re Senior Rep – uniform, manager responsibilities

25 August 2013 Janine Kirk Re-ordered to have like information for both programs together rather than duplicating for both programs. Additional clarity given to court time, sourcing players, decision around selections

27 August 2013 Janine Kirk Further re-ordering, updates to Codes of Behaviour, inclusion of a bullying policy

January/ February 2014 Janine Kirk Updates resulting from consultation and restructuring of document.

9 May 2014 Paula Sharp Junior Rep Coordinator 2014

Amended 4.1 to clarify non-attendance at training clarification

9 May 2014 9 May 2014 Amended 4.2 to include bus travel policy as discussed at SCNA meeting.

13/06/2017 13/06/17 Full review

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Consultation

Date Who consulted with Position within the AssociationAugust 2013 Zoe Cawdron

Mandy WinterKaren Duck

Acting Coaching Co-ordinatorSCNA Executive MemberSCNA Executive Member

September 2013 SCNA Executive SCNA ExecutiveNovember 2013 Charlie McDermott

Paul FournierSenior State League PlayerState League 2013/2014 Coach

December 2013 Robyn StrangwardGeorgianna Duggan

Community memberCommunity member

9 May 2014 SCNA executive8/08/17 SCNA Executive meeting

Finalised February 2014 Approved by the 2013-14 SCNA Executive

Approved and finalised 12 May 2014 Approved by the 2014-15 SCNA Executive

Approved and finalised 8/08/17 Approved at SCNA Executive meeting

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Contents1 About our Netball Association....................................................................................................6

2 What is Representative Netball..................................................................................................6

2.1 Junior Representative Program...........................................................................................7

2.2 Senior Representative Program...........................................................................................8

2.3 Player Eligibility....................................................................................................................9

2.4 Teams.................................................................................................................................. 9

3 Management of the Representative Programs........................................................................12

3.1 SCNA Junior Representative Co-ordinator.........................................................................12

3.2 SCNA Senior Representative Co-ordinator.........................................................................12

3.3 SCNA Coaching Co-ordinator.............................................................................................12

3.4 Coaches..............................................................................................................................12

3.5 Managers...........................................................................................................................13

3.6 Additional Parent Volunteers- Carnivals............................................................................14

3.7 Primary Carer.....................................................................................................................14

4 Player Policies...........................................................................................................................14

4.1 Participation at Training.....................................................................................................14

4.2 Participation in carnivals for our Junior Representative Teams.........................................14

4.3 Selection process...............................................................................................................15

4.4 Court time..........................................................................................................................15

4.4.1 Carnivals..................................................................................................................... 15

4.4.2 Championships...........................................................................................................15

4.4.3 Seniors........................................................................................................................16

5 Injury Prevention......................................................................................................................16

5.1 Medical History..................................................................................................................16

5.2 Return after Injury............................................................................................................. 17

6 Uniforms...................................................................................................................................17

6.1 Uniform in the Junior Representative Program.................................................................17

6.2 Uniform in the Senior Representative Program.................................................................17

7 All Australia Netball Rules........................................................................................................ 17

7.1 Nails................................................................................................................................... 17

7.2 Jewellery-adornments.......................................................................................................18

7.3 Insurance........................................................................................................................... 18

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8 Parent responsibilities and behaviour......................................................................................18

8.1 Concerns............................................................................................................................ 18

8.2 Complaints Handling Process.............................................................................................19

Attachment A: Complaints Handling Policy......................................................................................20

Attachment B: Telephone conversation record of all complaints made..........................................22

Attachment C: SCNA Codes of behaviour.........................................................................................23

Attachment D: Medical History Form...............................................................................................24

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1 About our Netball AssociationSouth Canberra Netball Association (SCNA) is one of five districts that are members of the ACT Netball Association (ACTNA). The other districts are Arawang (based in Weston Creek), Tuggeranong, Belconnen and Canberra (based at Lyneham).

SCNA is an incorporated association. The Executive Members, the coaches, assistant coaches and umpires are all volunteers. Coaches, assistant coaches and umpires are paid a modest allowance to cover out of pocket expenses phone contact and travel to/from trainings.

2 What is Representative Netball

As one of the five districts of the ACT, SCNA participates in all of the ACT run representative programs. ACTNA coordinates the Junior Championships (Under 11 to U15 age groups), which are generally held in August (dates may change for these without notice due to ACTNA’s commitment to - Netball Australia).

ACTNA also coordinates the next level of representative netball being the State League competition. This annual competition is split across two periods:

April to June is the Division 4, 5 & 6 competition for players aged 19 years and under

June to September is the Division 1, 2 & 3 competitions. These three divisions are considered open age groups and players 15 years and above are eligible to trial.

SCNA has a policy to only allow selected players who are 15 at the time of the competition to be considered for any of these teams. These players must display exceptional skills at the 15 age group level and must have been selected in the Div 5 or 4 team for the previous State League competition. These players will only compete in Division 3 due to their maturity and level of experience. This policy is in place to ensure the longevity of our younger players, giving them maximum opportunity to compete without injury for the greatest length of time.Any exemptions to this policy, requested by either a coach, player or netball ACT, must go to the committee as an exemption, and must be discussed at executive.

In addition to the State League and Junior Representative Programs, SCNA offers a New Zealand playing tour for the Under 15 Challenge and Representative Players in the year of the tour, and players in previous representative season.

This tour is held every two years in the April school holidays (or as close to them as possible) with trials being held for the three teams in the August –

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November of the year before. A specific NZ touring committee (from within the SCNA Executive) is established six months before selections to commence organising the tour. Should you wish to know more about this program please email the SCNA office.

As part of the Div 6 program SCNA trains a number of players as part of a development program. If players in the Div 6 team choose not to participate in the New Zealand tour, players from the development program are offered positions on the tour.

All representative netball supported by SCNA operates under the same policies and procedures regardless of age.

2.1 Junior Representative Program

SCNA recognises that junior representative players are still very young and are developing their skills and interests. Thus, the primary focus of the program at SCNA is to provide a development opportunity for junior players through training and competitive experiences. The program is aimed at players from 9 – 15 years. Players compete in their own age group (but officials within SCNA will also have the right to request players play up if it is considered in the players interest), rather than in their school year (as quite often occurs with Saturday club netball). Our focus is on successfully developing the skills of each individual and their ability to play as members of a team, rather than solely on winning.

The program involves weekly training sessions (minimum of one night per week) and participation in three to four carnivals within the ACT and interstate. While SCNA recognises that players have family commitments, attendance at carnivals is considered compulsory. Should your child be unable to attend a carnival, the coaching team should be notified at the earliest opportunity by emailing scna.jnrrep@gmail.com. Non-attendance could lead to players being removed from the team, or not playing minimum number of quarters at championships.

Accepting an offer of a place in a representative team means that the player and their family commit to attending all trainings and all carnivals, including the entire weekend of ACT Junior Championships, which are generally held in August each year. In junior sport the participation of parents is vital. If parents are not willing to commit to ensuring their child gets to training every week, on time and prepared to train (with appropriate clothing, sunscreen and a drink bottle) then the rest of the team is disadvantaged. SCNA asks that parents reinforce the need for players to commit to their team and recognise the invaluable contribution the volunteer coaches and managers make to player development.

2.2 Senior Representative Program

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This program is aimed at players from 15 years to open and has two separate phases:

June to September- Division 1, 2, 3 competitions:Division 1, 2 and 3 are open age group competitions and players 15 years and above are eligible to trial.April to June Division 4, 5, 6 competitions: Division 4/5/6 is for players under 19. Players from current under 15s will be considered. Players in the Division 4, 5 & 6 competitions are expected to play at Deakin on a Saturday or seek an exemption from the Executive. This request is in place to keep the depth in our Saturday competition and to encourage the representative players to assist others from their schools and clubs to gain some of those skills.

The Division 4, 5 & 6 program is part of the ACT Representative Pathways Program so players who wish to trial for a position in an ACT 17 or 19’s competition must be playing in one of these teams.

The second phase is the State League Division 1, 2 & 3 competitions. Players from the Division 4 & 5 teams are encouraged to trial; those in the Division 6 may be asked to trial depending on ability. This restriction is in place to minimise burnout and injury to younger players, as players in the SCNA Div 6 team are generally 15 years of age. Players may seek an exemption if there are exceptional circumstances.

The State League Division 1, 2 & 3 competitions are considered Open divisions, therefore players of any age above 15 can compete.

Players selected in any of the six State League teams will train weekly, either at Deakin or the AIS depending on availability of venues and participates in weekly games held at the Lyneham Netball Centre. All players are also required to participate in weekly fitness sessions and exemption from these must be made in writing to the Senior Representative Co-ordinator. Players training in the ACTNA Academy programs will be exempt from these sessions.

2.3 Player Eligibility

Junior Representative players (between 9 and 15 years of age) are required to be registered with a club or school team at SCNA for the winter competition of the previous and the current year. If a player is not registered with a SCNA Winter Competition team for the current year, but plays in another district competition or interstate (Queanbeyan), they must apply in writing to the SCNA Executive requesting an exemption and pay the SCNA Affiliation Fee.

Players in the Under 19 teams must be playing at Deakin during the winter competition. While participation in Saturday competition is compulsory, SCNA recognises Senior State League and Netball ACT Development Squad players may be overcommitted to netball. In such cases the player and/or parent may

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seek an exemption to the ruling from the Senior Representative Co-ordinator by emailing the SCNA office at scna_act@internode.on.net.

Players in our three open teams are not required to play at Deakin on a Saturday but all players are expected to ‘give’ back to the district in some way. This can be done through helping with Saturday BBQs, assisting at coaching clinics, coaching a Junior Representative Team, umpiring at Junior Representative carnivals.

2.4 Teams

At SCNA not every player will be allocated a position in a team. Players are selected on their performance at the trials – unless the player is not able to attend trials due to illness or injury, in which case alternative arrangements will be implemented to assess the individual player’s skill. In general, a maximum of 10 players per team will be selected. The number of teams is dependent on the availability of coaches and the number of players that trial. Coaches can opt to take more or less than the 10 depending on the program, e.g. due to the State League 4, 5 & 6 program being much shorter, coaches may opt to only take 9 players.

SCNA recognises that to support the development of these programs, the full number of players will be taken in each team where possible.

SCNA generally fields teams in two divisions for the Junior Representative Program:

Division 1 (Championship) – a team for players with high level netball skills, dedication and commitment to personal development and the physical size to play at this level; and

Division 2 (Challenge) – a team for players who have well developed netball skills and are considered to have the potential to develop further, but who may not have had a great level of netball experience or coaching to date.

Note: Depending on numbers and availability of coaches we sometimes offer development teams in Under 11s and 12s.

Teams in the Junior Representative Program are chosen according to the ability of players at that particular point in time. A squad is selected and players train as a squad until the completion of the first carnival (SCNA’s Carnival) or earlier Coordinators think it is appropriate. At the SCNA carnival players can be moved between teams to assist coaches determine the best combinations for the upcoming season. SCNA believes this timeframe also allows teams to develop as a team in preparation for championships in August. It must be noted that the final team allocation can be changed up to the week of championships. However, players can be moved from team to team within the age group, for example:

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if they are initially selected in Division 1, but are not performing to the expected level;

have not been committed to attending training sessions and carnivals; have suffered a serious injury or illness; if a player is in Division 2 and is required to replace a player in Division 1

that has withdrawn or is moved to the Division 2 team for any of the above reasons;

if a player in Division 2 is performing at a substantially higher level and the age coaches recommend that the player be moved to Division 1.

Any such team changes will be made based on the recommendation of the relevant age coaches in consultation with the Coaching Co-ordinator and Junior Representatives Co-ordinator.

Parents and players must understand that on occasion, players from outside the Representative Program may be brought into a team before Championships if the coaches, Junior Representative Co-ordinator and the Coaching Co-ordinator all consider it necessary. Moving players from the challenge team or players from a lower aged team may significantly weaken the respective team’s ability to compete at Championships. The decision to source players from within the Saturday competition at Deakin may be taken in the interest of all players. These players will be selected and asked to compete on the basis that they understand they will not get the majority of court time.

Players are expected to play in their age division. Occasionally when a team in the division above doesn’t have enough players, a player may be asked to play up in that division. In the Division 2 competition, combined age squads may also be formed to ensure there are sufficient coaching resources for training and carnival participation for players at this level. Some players may also play in an older division if it is deemed beneficial for their development by Coaching/Representative coordinator.

The under 19 program is considered part of the Senior Representative Program, but players are selected in their respective team according to age and ability and remain in that team for the duration of the competition unless injury forces players to be moved between teams. Only players from Div 5 can be moved to Div 4, Players from Div 6 can be moved into Div 5, unless there is a discussion between coaches, and coordinators regarding exeptional circumstances

All team members in the Senior Representative State League Division 1, 2 & 3 competitions, are considered open age group. Players can be moved up or down throughout the competition in accordance with the rules set by ACT Netball.

Players from outside the selected teams can be brought into the team at the request of coaches, at the Senior Representative Co-ordinator and Coaching Co-ordinator’s discretion.

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In all SCNA Representative Programs, players can request an exemption to play in a higher division/age group if they believe their skill level is equal or higher than that of the older age group. The request for exemption must be made prior to the selections so the player can be viewed at both their own age group trials and the trials for the older age group or division in the case of our senior program.

The Coaching Co-ordinator in consultation with the selection panel and Players Representative (the SCNA Panel) must make the final decision and present their agreed recommendation to the SCNA Executive for noting only. The Executive understands that the decision about player skills needs to be made by those with the required skills and knowledge. The Final Recommendation is then documented and filed.

The SCNA Panel will take into consideration the following aspects when making their decision:

1. The physical size of the player2. The playing experience of the player3. Whether the player under consideration demonstrates superior skills to

players in their own age group and whether keeping them in their own age group would restrict their own personal development

4. Will the inclusion of the player in the older age group add strength and future development opportunities for the player and those around them

5. If the player was to play up for one year could they then add additional strength to their own age group the following year, or would they choose not to play in future years with their own age group

6. Has the future of the SCNA Representative Program been considered as a whole, rather than the interests of one team and one coach

When making their decision, the SCNA selection panel members are required to declare any conflict of interest, and may be asked not to participate in the final decision making to ensure transparency of the process.

3 Management of the Representative Programs

3.1 SCNA Junior Representative Co-ordinatorOne or more people can take on the role of the Representative Coordinator(s) to undertake the management of the SCNA Junior Representative Program. The Junior Representative Co-ordinator(s) are, with assistance from parents, responsible for organising the program including:

1. Collation of team details;2. Organising uniforms;3. Organise selections trials and team selections and letters;4. Coordination of a manager for each team5. Attendance at championship weekends as the SCNA official

representative; and6. Administration for carnivals, including registration, bus booking,

collation of team numbers and umpires.7. Ensuring each team has a manager

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8. Fundraising activities such as Saturday BBQ9. Updating SCNA website Junior Rep page 10. SCNA Carnival preparations and management11. Organising photos12. Organising team gifts at end of season13. Team trophies14. Allocate and supervise Presentation night Dinner

3.2 SCNA Senior Representative Co-ordinatorOne or more people may take on the role of the Representative Co-ordinator for the senior program. They are responsible for:

1. Collation of team details,2. Organising uniforms,3. Organise selections trial dates and times,4. Attendance at competition games throughout the respective seasons,

and5. Ensuring each team has a Manager. 6. Training venues-bookings 7. Reviewing teams and admin related to season8. Equipment management

Both of these roles are administratively supported by the SCNA Office Manager.

Concerns regarding administration of the Representative program should be addressed to the respective Representative Co-ordinator(s) using the complaints process outlined in this manual.

3.3 SCNA Coaching Co-ordinatorA Coaching Co-ordinator, supported by a coaching committee, oversees all coaching at SCNA. The SCNA Coaching Coordinator selects coaches for our junior Representative Teams and sets the general direction for junior coaching in our district. The Coaching Co-ordinator is present at each junior representative training session to provide advice to coaches, players and parents. Any concerns regarding the placement of players in teams and coaching issues should be directed to the respective coach or the Coaching Co-ordinator or Junior representative Co-ordinator.

1. SCNA Coaching Coordinator is also responsible for: Oversight of team selections

[2.] Recruitnment of new coaches2.[3.] Coaches agreements and payments3.[4.] Advertising coaching courses and clinics4.[5.] Mentoring young coaches

3.4 CoachesCoaches for SCNA’s Junior Representative Program are often younger adults. Where possible the Division 1 Coach for each age group will be an older more experienced coach and will therefore coordinate the coaching program for the age group in the initial stages and then hand over the coaching responsibilities

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to the respective coaches. The Division 1 Coach is required to keep a watching brief over the development of the Division 2 Team.

The coaches for each team and the Coaching Co-ordinator, in conjunction with the Junior Representative Co-ordinator, make the decisions about individual team placement. Parents are reminded that they are not permitted to try and influence the decisions of the coaches in any way. They are not to communicate with the coaches about team selection or skill level. If a parent has a concern with any aspect of the Representative Program they must follow the complaints handling procedure outlined further in this manual.

In the Senior Representative Program coaches are all adults with considerable coaching experience. All issues by players must be addressed to the respective coach in the first instance. Where the player does not feel this is possible they are to approach the Senior Representative Co-ordinator, Coaching coordinator or Players Representative from the SCNA Executive.

Parents must follow the Complaints Handling Process outlined on page 17 of this manual.

Where possible all Representative Teams at SCNA will have two coaches, a head coach and an assistant coach. As part of this consideration the age and experience of coaches is taken into consideration, to get the best out of each team and player.

3.5 ManagersAll Representative Teams at SCNA MUST HAVE a manager (most of these are a parent of a player within the respective team). For the Junior Representative Teams the manager’s main tasks are to assist the coach in the supervision of the team at carnivals and to attend to scoring matters at all games, carnivals and championships.

The manager organises the team, ensures the scoresheet is completed appropriately and supports the coach as necessary. The manager will also manage other administrative matters as required, including disseminating any information forwarded by the Representative Co-ordinator to all parents/players, preparation of the kit bags, as well as supervising the player’s between games.

In the senior program, managers must complete score sheets, organise scoring benches and ensure the team has a primary carer. The manager also manages the communications between the players and the coaches.

Parents are asked to volunteer for the position of manager and if possible to share the tasks of scoring.

3.6 Additional Parent Volunteers- CarnivalsTo enable carnivals to operate smoothly, additional assistance is required. Having a parent who can support the Manager should player injury occur, is

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very important. The additional parent can then take on the role of scorer or support person for the coach while the manager deals with the injury. If transport allows parents are welcome to travel on the buses with teams or travel to the venue by themselves.

3.7 Primary CarerEach team in State League is required to have a primary carer. This person is responsible for managing injuries during game times and is the only person allowed on court during a game, once time as been called by an umpire.

4 Player Policies

4.1 Participation at Training

Training as a team is important. Our coaches prepare comprehensive training plans for their teams and the absence of players from training is detrimental to the skill development outcomes of the entire team. Players and/or parents are required to notify the coach before the training session should the player be unable to attend training for any reason. This is a requirement in all levels of the SCNA Representative Program. Contact should be made with the coach directly and emailed to the SCNA scna.jnrrep@gmail.com (juniors)

Please ensure you and your child/player treat our coaches with respect and value the time they donate to benefit each player. Advise your coach of any absences, have your child arrive at training on time and well prepared (with appropriate clothing, footwear and a drink bottle), and collect your child promptly at the conclusion of training.

4.2 Participation in carnivals for our Junior Representative Teams

All players must complete their Registration prior to participation in our first carnival. All Representative fees must be paid before a player can participate in a carnival. All players are required to travel by bus to and from the carnivals. Any request for exemption must be made in writing to the Junior Representative Coordinator 2 weeks prior to the carnival, to allow allocation of numbers on buses. SCNA will assess any reasons for not travelling on the bus and make a judgement accordingly, as it is SCNAs preference for players to travel on the bus. Coaches and Managers (or a representative) are also expected to travel by bus to and from the carnivals. Players are required to be in full SCNA uniform for all carnivals. At carnivals players represent the district of SCNA and they are expected to behave appropriately. Poor behaviour on and off the court will result in a player’s position in the team being reviewed by SCNA Junior Representative Coordinators.

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4.3 Selection process

SCNA Officials will be represented on all player selection panels. Generally panels will include the coach, SCNA Coaching Co-ordinator, an independent member of the association and where possible, the player representative (seniors).

Where possible 3-5 selectors (2-3 in juniors) will be allocated to each team selection, but if that is not possible a minimum or two selectors will conduct the selection process.

Where possible all players are expected to attend selections. If a player is unable to attend selections, for a valid reason, and prior notification has been received by SCNA, previous playing experience will be considered.

4.4 Court time4.4.1 CarnivalsAt Junior Representative Carnivals SCNA attempts to give reasonably equal court time throughout the day to each player. This is dependent on the number of players that play each position, as well as player behaviour and attitude at the carnival. Training attendance is crucial to playing time, as players develop and learn at training, and it is detrimental to team development to have players attend.

4.4.2 ChampionshipsDuring the ACT Championship Carnival, court time for the Division 1 and Division 2 teams are different.

In Division 1 players will be given a minimum ¼ of a game for every team entered in their division (eg. 5 teams in division = 5 quarters). This is in accordance with the ACT Representative policy. Participation is to be spread across the competition (excluding semis and finals), i.e. not achieved in one and one-quarter games. For semi-finals and finals, these rules do not apply and the coach may select the best combination of players for those games, irrespective of individual player court time.

In the Division 2 teams, players will be given, as near as practicable, reasonably equal court time taking into account player numbers and positions within the team.

Parents of players in the Division 1 team are asked to discuss playing time with their child prior to the championships to ensure that players understand they may not play more than 5 quarters over the 2 days.

Players and parents are reminded that the coaches are there to develop the entire team and not individuals, therefore players may be played in a position they don’t consider their favourite if the coach feels this is in the interests of

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both the player and the team. For example, during selections the coaches and selectors may have felt that one or two shooters would make excellent centre court players. Therefore they would be developed along those lines. Both players and parents need to be aware that some players may not play in their first preferred position if the coach deems this not to be their strongest position. We do encourage parents to talk to the coach to clarify any concerns they may have or to raise these concerns with the coaching or representative co-ordinator. All conversation that relate to a child within the SCNA Junior Representative Program will be done in confidence and away from all players and spectators.

4.4.3 SeniorsPlayers in our State League Div 1-6 are not awarded equal court time at any time. Each competition has a minimum number of quarters each player must play to qualify for finals. This is determined by ACT Netball not SCNA. Each coach has the full support of the SCNA Executive to award court time based on the following principles:

team requirements how much effort the individual has put into the program the attitude of the player during trainings and games training attendance

Players and their parents need to note that at times they may sit off for an entire game. ACT Netball will determine the minimum number of quarters a player must have participated in to participate in finals, or if they are required to stay permanently up a division or down a division, these rules are outlined in the rules for the respective competition.

5 Injury PreventionThe potential for injury is part of participation in any sport. To reduce the risk of injury :

Players are required to arrive at training 5 minutes before start time to allow for a full warm up.

Ensure that they warm up prior to games and cool down after games. This is essential for the reduction of stress and strain injuries for all ages.

Wear appropriate and supportive footwear to reduce the risk of ankle and knee injuries. Use supportive strapping if required-this is to be done prior to training, with a players own equipment.

Ensure all coaching staff and managers of the team are aware of any feedback from Physiotherapists and that medical clearance is received prior to competing.

5.1 Medical History

It is the player’s responsibility to ensure all coaching staff are fully informed of all injuries a player has and when requested must provide medical

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documentation to explain the extent of the injury, player limitations and the anticipated recovery period.

All of this information will assist the coaching team ensure the safety of the player and ensure the team has sufficient players to be competitive and remain competitive throughout the season.

5.2 Return after InjuryMedical clearance is required after a serious injury. A modified training program and a graduated return to competition may be considered appropriate. The coach has the obligation to seek medical advice if they have concerns about the fitness of a player to perform safely

6 Uniforms

6.1 Uniform in the Junior Representative ProgramAll players are required to wear the SCNA uniform.

All Teams: SCNA straight bodysuit

All players in this program are also expected to have the training shirt and shorts which must be worn at trainings. SCNA socks are also compulsory for all games. Players are also expected to have a SCNA tracksuit, which must be worn at Championships and to all carnivals.

The SCNA has an optional items for purchase.

6.2 Uniform in the Senior Representative ProgramAll players are required to wear the SCNA uniform – currently this is the SCNA A Line dress and SCNA socks. SCNA shorts are also available but are not compulsory. Each player joining the program will be issued with a warm up top at no charge for the first time. Should they require a second one, the player will be required to pay for it. The Hoodie is encouraged for these teams but is not compulsory.

7 All Australia Netball Rules.

7.1 NailsFingernails including false nails must be cut below the tip of the finger. You may not take the court with longer nails. Umpires will check nail length prior to the commencement of the game to ensure they are short and smooth. Rings must also be removed. Taping is not an acceptable alternative.

7.2 Jewellery-adornmentsEarrings, nose rings etc. must be removed prior to the commencement of the game. They can injure others or may be accidentally ripped out during play.

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Rings on Medical alert bracelets may be worn but they must be taped over. SCNA requests that parents not allow their daughter to have their ears pierced just prior to or during the netball season.

7.3 InsuranceIn order to be eligible to make a claim on our insurance, all injuries, no matter how minor, that occur during training, carnivals at or away from South Canberra must be recorded immediately in the injury book, which is held in the office. If your injury occurs away from SCNA notify the office as soon as possible upon your return and note the injury in the respective districts injury log book, eg if your injury occurs at Lyneham you must note the injury in the Lyneham injury book and contact the SCNA office.

Insurance claims must be coordinated through the SCNA office

8 Parent responsibilities and behaviour

Parents are expected to support their child, the team, the coaching staff and SCNA officials at all times.

Parents are not to approach any of the above named person in an aggressive or threatening manner. A player and parent code of behaviour is at Attachment B, both Player and Parent/s are required to read this document prior to participating in any of the SCNA Representative Programs.

SCNA will not tolerate verbal, emotional or physical abuse which is intended to hurt, frighten or threaten someone else and considers these behaviours a form of bullying. Bullying can be planned and organised or it may be an unconscious act by an individual. Regardless, this is not considered acceptable by the members and executive of SCNA and action will be taken in accordance with the SCNA Constitution.

8.1 Concerns

If you have a coaching or team concern, please approach the coach directly (in the absence of players). Most issues can be dealt with immediately. Sometimes the coach may need to delay the discussion until they have sufficient time or they may need to consult with the Representative or Coaching Co-ordinator before getting back to you. Should your concern not be resolved with the coach or you feel unable to raise the matter with the coach, please speak with the Coaching Co-ordinator or the Junior Representative Co-ordinator. The Executive of SCNA are the formal bodies to deal with your concern should it not be addressed at an informal level.

8.2 Complaints Handling Process

Any concerns about the Representative program, such as team placement, selection, coaches’ behaviour etc, should be directed to the Coaching Co-

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ordinator and respective Representative Co-ordinator. Please call the SCNA office on 6282 2763 and leave a message or email scna_act@internode.on.net if you have any concerns) or contact the co-ordinator directly via SCNA email.

SCNA would encourage all complaints to be put in writing and sent to the SCNA office, but does understand that at times a conversation is easily to start the process. All conversations will be documented to ensure records are accurate and issues can be followed up.

There are seven stages in the SCNA Complaints Handling process:

1. All complaints will be acknowledged promptly through the SCNA email. 2. The complaint will be forwarded to the responsible SCNA Executive

member immediately (if it was not directed to them in the first instance) and the President. The President will contact the respective Executive member and remain in consultation until resolution of the issue is reached.

3. If investigation is required, it will be planned, this means the person the complaint has been assigned to must keep the President inform at all times and update the executive at their next meeting. All documentation relating to the issue must be retained and filed at SCNA, this includes all email and letter correspondence, all telephone conversations need to be documented as per the template below (part of Attachment A).

4. The investigation should resolve factual issues and consider options for complaint resolution.

5. The response to the complainant should be clear and informative and always be provided in writing after clearance from the President at least one other Executive member if not the full Executive.

6. If the complainant is not satisfied with the response, internal review of the decision should be offered where by the President must review the information, decision and outcome.

7. All policies will be reviewed and updated as required.

Attachment A provides a full outline of each of the steps involved in the Complaints Handling Process

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Attachment A: Complaints Handling Policy

1. Acknowledgement of the complaintAll complaints received by SCNA must be replied to within 5 working days during the main playing season (February – November), otherwise this time may take as long as 4 weeks if the Association is in the shut-down period (December – January).

All replies to complaints must be in writing unless no email or physical address is provided, then a phone call can be made acknowledging the complaint and advising the complainant of how long a response may take. If a phone call is required, the SCNA staff member must request an email or physical address to use for further correspondence and all conversations must be documented in the template in Attachment A.

2. Assessment and assigning priorityThe nature of the complaint may differ greatly and needs to be directed to the correct person. In the first instance the SCNA Office Manager will assign the complaint in accordance with the type of complaint it is and copy the President in on all complaints. Contact between these two executive members will then determine if others (including an external person) need to be involved as well and who is best to respond or investigate the complaint.

At no time is one member of the SCNA Executive to approach the complainant on their own, a second person not involved in the complaint must be present.

3. PlanningAs the person responsible for investigating the complaint moves forward the Executive and in particular the President must be kept informed. All information about the complainant and the issue must be provided to the assigned person. A deadline for response must be set.

4. InvestigationWhen investigating, the person doing the investigation must consider the following three principles:

Impartiality Confidentiality Transparency

5. ResponseOnce a decision/outcome is reached the complainant should be provided with an overview of the investigation within the agreed timeframe. The outcome needs to be provided in a clear, articulate and non-threatening or aggressive manner, keeping all information factual. All emotive language must be removed from any correspondence. Information needs to be provided in writing where possible, giving the complainant the opportunity to question the outcome and seek further clarification.

If a face to face meeting is organised the SCNA representative in consultation with the President determines if a second person needs to be present during the meeting. If it is determined that two SCNA representatives should participate the complainant will also be offered the opportunity to have a second person present on their behalf.

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6. Follow upAllow the complainant the opportunity to seek further clarification or the opportunity to speak directly with the President of SCNA should they not consider the outcome is appropriate or provides a resolution to their complaint.

7. Review of PoliciesAfter each complaint the SCNA Executive should consider the policy documents it has in place and amend as required to minimise further issues of the same nature arising.

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Attachment B: Telephone conversation record of all complaints made

Date: ______________________ Time: _________________________________________

Who was the conversation between: ______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Short note providing an overview of the details of the conversation: _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Email address for further correspondence: _____________________

Physical address for further correspondence: ___________________

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SCNA Codes of behaviour Players' code of behaviour

Players will wear the full SCNA uniform to all competitions. All players will behave in a polite and sportsman like manner at all times while representing SCNA. All players are to play by the rules and within the spirit of Netball. Co-operate with their coach and team-mates. Work equally hard for themselves and for their team. Never argue with an official. If you disagree, request your team captain, coach or manager approach

the official during a break or after the competition. Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials or other players, deliberately distracting or provoking

an opponent is neither acceptable nor permitted. Treat all players, including your own team members, as you would like to be treated. Do not

interfere with, bully, or take unfair advantage of another player.

Parents' and Spectators’ code of behaviour Remember that children play sport for their enjoyment, not yours. Focus on the child's efforts and performance, rather than winning or losing. Never ridicule or scold a child for making a mistake, all comments made by parents must be

supportive and encouraging. Remember that children learn best by example. Applaud good performances and efforts from each

team. Congratulate all participants upon their performance regardless of the game's outcome. Do not walk up and down the sidelines, or stand on the baseline. Parents must remain in one section

of the sideline and away from the team and coaching staff. Do not use derogatory or foul language and do not harass players, coaches or officials. Encourage players to follow the rules and officials' decisions. Regardless of whether you agree or not

with a decision made by an official of SCNA you must respect the officials' decisions and teach children to do likewise. There is a complaints handling process you can follow should you wish to.

Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse by spectators, coaches, officials or players from netball.

Show appreciation for volunteer coaches, officials and administrators. Without them, your child could not participate.

Please note that any matters arising under the codes of behaviour will be referred to the SCNA disciplinary committee for further action in accordance with the SCNA Constitution.

I understand that;

Attendance Attendance to all sessions is compulsory. If you are unable to attend, please notify SCNA by email.

ExemptionsIf you require an exemption from a training session (such as planned holiday), it must be forwarded in writing to SCNA prior to the training session.

Preparation for TrainingPlayers should attend prepared

bring a bag with drink bottle, any medical equipment required, and sweat towel. arrive 5-10 minutes prior to commencement attend your court promptly

Behaviour Players and parents need to behave in accordance with SCNAs Code of Behaviour Players and parents are expected to be respectful to other players and coaches, and attentive to all sessions.

I have read and understood the SCNA Code of Behaviour

Player Name and Signature Parents Name and Signature

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Medical Information Form (if required)

Personal details

Parent Name:

Contact Numbers:

Emergency contact

Name:

Tel:

Relationship:

Medicare number:

Sports injury detailsPlease list any current injuries:

Any recurring injuries:

Do you suffer from recurring pain in any joint when playing sport? Yes / No (please circle)If yes, please provide details:

Do you require specific taping/padding for a previous injury? Yes / No (please circle). This is not provided by the Club.If yes, please provide details:

To the best of my knowledge, all information contained on this form is correct (if under 18 please have a parent or guardian sign) (must be provided after seeking medical advice due to an injury prior to commencing in the program or post commencement to ensure all officials are fully informed)

Name: Signature and date:

H: M:

H: M:

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