Code of Conduct for Members and Their Guests
Reedham Park Tennis Club is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of all its members and believes that it is important that everyone should, always, show respect and understanding for the safety and welfare of others.
Do:
- Act in a sportsman manner by acknowledging good play or shots by your partner or opponent/s.
- Play by the rules and be fair in all line calls.
- Wear suitable tennis attire and importantly wear tennis shoes with light coloured/non marking soles.
- Treat all players as they would like to be treated themselves. You must not ridicule, interfere with, bully or take unfair advantage of another player.
- Accept whoever you are paired with or against in games, be tolerant and understanding and never show aversion to playing with someone considered inferior.
- Set an example when playing with or against junior or younger players and respond with restraint to petulance or ill-tempered behaviour.
- Control your temper. Verbal abuse or deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent is not acceptable behaviour
- Co-operate with your coach, partner, and opponent/s. Without them there would be no competition.
- Be a fair winner and good loser.
- Respect all decisions of the General Committee) and the Board of Directors and always comply with the club constitution and rules.
- Be cautious when referring to the club or any of its members in social media and never use social media in a manner that will bring the club or its members into disrepute.
Don’t:
- Cause a nuisance in communications with other members.
- Place any posters or advertising material in or around the clubhouse premises without the prior permission of the General Committee.
- Promote business interests within the club grounds.
- Throw your racquet or hit balls in anger or display bad sportsmanship or act in a petulant manner when losing.
- Play on the courts when the conditions are unsafe e.g., icy.
- Swear or use bad language. Never argue with a partner or opponent.
- Be aggressive.
- Display intimidating behaviour.
- Question another person’s integrity over line calls or actions.
- Cause danger to other players through your play.
- Bring the club into disrepute.
Failure to abide by our code of conduct will lead to the offender being banned from club activities and, in extreme cases or repeated incidents, their membership of the club will be rescinded.
Where a dispute or disagreement cannot be resolved between the parties to the satisfaction of the individual or individuals concerned the matter should be referred in writing to the General Committee. Where a member of the General Committee is a party to that dispute or disagreement that member will be excluded from the decision making process. The General Committee may arrange a hearing during which both parties may present their cases. The General Committee will consider the evidence and will make known to the parties their decision. They will be under no obligation to explain to any party the basis of their decision and, for the avoidance of doubt, the decision of the General Committee will be final. The General Committee may, in some cases, refer the dispute or disagreement to the Board of Directors.
Click here to download a copy of this policy.