Code of Conduct & Court Etiquette Policy

Reedham Park Sports Club aims to provide a tennis venue that is safe, inclusive and has a positive atmosphere so that everyone is able to enjoy playing tennis at the Club. The Code of Conduct and Policy on Court Etiquette is designed to support this aim, setting out the minimum standards of behaviour which all members and their guests are expected to follow on and off the court. 

The Club will not accept any behaviour which may cause any physical or mental harm to any other members. 

Members are encouraged to share any concerns or complaints that they may have with the Chair of the General Committee or if it is a safeguarding issue with the Safeguarding Officer.  In this way they can be resolved in a fair and orderly manner.  Contact details can be found on the Reedham Park website.  The complaints policy is set out in a separate document. 

Failure to abide by our code of conduct and policy of court etiquette may lead to the offender being banned from club activities and, in extreme cases or repeated incidents, their membership of the club will be rescinded.

Standards of behaviour
Members are expected to show tolerance, courtesy, good manners, fairness and integrity in their dealings with fellow members, club officials, club members’ guests, visiting players and social visitors regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.

Off court behaviour
All Members should:

• Control their temper. Aggressive, offensive or abusive language or behaviour is not acceptable.
• Welcome all new members, players and guests to the Club. 
• Talk quietly when play is in progress.
• Not cause a nuisance/express offensive comments in communications with other members.
• 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. 
• Not promote business interests within the club grounds. Members should not place any posters or advertising material in or around the clubhouse premises without the prior permission of the General Committee.
• Respect the decisions and members of the General Committee and the Board of Directors bearing in mind that the members of these committees are volunteers.

The clubhouse
All Members should:

• Leave the clubhouse as they would hope to find it.
• Follow good housekeeping. i.e. use the bins appropriately, wash up if applicable.
• Ensure that doors to the Clubhouse and club premises are shut, the bar is locked and all lights turned off if they are the last members to leave the club.
• Respect those hiring the venue for private events and not intrude on the clubhouse during the period in which the clubhouse has been secured for a private rental.

On-court behaviour
Members are expected to act in a sporting manner, winning with grace and losing with dignity.  Members should play by the rules and enjoy their tennis.

All Members should:

• Encourage fair and safe play. 
• Never throw their racquet or hit balls in anger.
• Should not display bad sportsmanship or act in a petulant manner when losing.
• Show respect and courtesy to their partner, opponents and others around the court.
• Accept whoever they are paired with or against and never show aversion to playing with someone considered inferior.
• Offer encouragement to their playing partner not criticism.
• Welcome new members and players to the Club irrespective of their experience of their experience and ability. 
• Not create a danger to another member or player. 
• Not deliberately hit a ball hard at another player from close range in social tennis.
• Discourage disputes over calls.
• Refrain from speech or actions that may be considered a distraction or disturbance to players on court. 
• Never use an audible obscenity and/or make an obscene gesture of any kind whilst on court.
• Always switch mobile phones to silent or vibrate mode, so as to avoid creating a distraction. 

The courts

All members should:

• Always make sure no rubbish is left on the court once the game is finished.
• Unless very wet, always brush the court after you have finished playing.
• Clear any debris from the courts before playing (e.g. fallen leaves).
• Wear appropriate footwear and clothing when playing tennis.  Footwear should have non-marking soles, and proper tennis shoes are recommended. Failure to wear the correct footwear could result in injury or damage to the court. 
• Remember to use the shoe brushes provided to clean shoes on leaving the court.

The neighbours

It is important that the club remains on good terms with our neighbours. 

All members should:

• Park in a considerate manner. Do not park across our neighbours drives or so close as to make it difficult for them to enter/exit their drives. 
• Treat our neighbours with respect.

Court etiquette
Tennis etiquette covers different areas from those addressed within the rules of the game. Etiquette covers a range of actions and behaviours which are considered acceptable on and around the tennis court.

Members should:

• Recognise and acknowledge good play whether it is your own team or the opposition.
• Keep the volume of conversation to a minimum so as to avoid distracting players on other courts.
• Not walk across another court during a game.
• Wait for a break in the play, if your ball rolls onto an adjacent court, before politely requesting its return rather than retrieving it yourself.
• Not hit back a ball immediately to an adjacent court from where a ball strays, but do so when the players on that court are ready and then hit it to the server’s end of that court.
• Only call the lines on your side of the net.
• Call clearly on the basis of what you honestly believe to be correct.
• Accept if you are not certain, or did not see the ball clearly. The benefit of the doubt goes in favour of the opponent.
• Ask your opponents politely if they are certain as to the accuracy of their call only if you have serious doubt over a line call point. If the opponent is certain, move on and play the next point.  
• Announce the score audibly before each point if they are serving.

This policy can be downloaded by clicking here.