Wrekin & Telford Tennis Club

Code of Conduct

Wrekin and Telford Tennis Club is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of all its members. 

Wrekin and Telford Tennis Club believes that it is important that members, coaches, administrators and parents/guardians should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the safety and welfare of others.  Therefore, members are encouraged to be open at all times and to share any concerns or complaints that they may have with the Chair of the Club or other member of the management committee.

As a member of Wrekin and Telford Tennis Club you are expected to abide by the following code of conduct

• All members must play within the rules and respect officials and their decisions.
• All members must respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of age, gender, ability, race, cultural background, religious beliefs or sexual identity.

• Members should keep to agreed timings for training and competitions and inform their team captain if they are going to be late.

• Members must wear suitable kit for training and match sessions.
• Members must pay any fees for training or events promptly.
• Discourage unfair play and arguing with officials and other players from both this and other clubs.
• Use correct and proper language at all times.

Etiquette for all club sessions

British Tennis provide advice on etiquette which can be found here:

https://www.lta.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/governance-and-structure/rules-regulations/

General

• No swearing or shouting.
• Remember to always shake hands with your opponents/partners at the end of a set/match.
• Good sporting behaviour is expected of all members at all times.
• Respect line calls and agree to play a let if a call cannot be agreed upon.  Refrain from hitting balls deliberately at opponents and offer apologies for lucky ‘net’ calls, hitting people accidentally etc.
• Behaviour such as throwing down of rackets, hitting rackets hard on the ground or hitting balls hard at walls, curtains etc in anger is not acceptable.  Members are asked to report such unsporting behaviour to the committee.

Format for play at club sessions

• At club nights play shall consist of doubles matches restricted to five games.
• The order of play should be by order of arrival. 
• Singles may be played if there are 2 odd players, this is acceptable to the majority of other members present and there is a spare court.  Singles games should incorporate new arrivals as soon as possible.
• At the end of ‘sets’ members should “mix in” using spin of racket or such other system as may be introduced to ensure that those present get an equal opportunity to play with other members.
• Any concerns about the standard of play at club sessions should be referred to the committee.  Members should not address the issue directly themselves
• On club sessions other than club nights the format will be decided by the team coordinator or other member organising that session.

Guests

• In accordance with our club rules, non-members may attend 2 CLUB sessions for free before requiring to join as a tennis club member.  These are the Sunday morning outdoor sessions that are free to members.  Centre mix-in’s and Bowring Park social sessions are open to everyone (non-members included).
• Please welcome all new players regardless of ability to all sessions (club or otherwise).

Line calls

• Only call the lines on your side of the net;
• Call clearly on the basis of what you honestly believe to be correct;
• If you are not certain, or did not see the ball clearly, the ball was good and the doubt must be given in favour of the opponent;
• If occasionally you have serious doubt over a line call, ask your opponents politely if they are certain as to the accuracy of their call, and if they are, move on and play the next point;

• If there is doubt over a line call, consider offering to replay the point.

Keeping score

• The server should announce the score before each point;
• If the server forgets or does so inaudibly, the receiver should request the server to make an audible announcement of the score.

Mobile phones (during league matches)

• Mobile phone calls should not be made or received on court: leave the court to make or receive a call;
• Mobile phones taken onto court should be switched off, or put on silent or vibrate mode, so as to avoid creating a distraction.

Clothing and footwear

• Players should wear recognised sports clothing of any colour together with suitable footwear;
• Suitable footwear is required both to promote safety as unsuitable footwear can provide insufficient grip, and also to prevent damage to the courts.

COMPLAINTS AND SANCTIONS (Rules 5 and 7 of the Constitution of Wrekin & Telford Tennis Club)

• If any member(s) believes that they have experienced either a breach of the code of conduct or a serious breach of the policy on court etiquette then they should contact the Club Secretary, or Welfare office if they feel it is a safeguarding issue.
• The Conduct Committee will then arrange a meeting with that member(s) to discuss the issue. The Conduct Committee may also arrange a meeting with the person or people who are the subject of the complaint;
• In considering the complaint, The Conduct Committee will take into account any background information they consider relevant including as to the personal circumstances of the person who is the subject of the complaint, together with any external advice or guidance available to them which may be appropriate;
• When the Conduct Committee has deliberated and decided on a course of action with regards to the complaint the member will be advised that (a) no further action is being taken (complaint not upheld) or (b) the matter is being refereed to the Club’s Disciplinary Committee for further consideration.
• In the event of any complaint initially being upheld, the Disciplinary Committee will investigate and make a decision in line with Rules of Wrekin & Telford Tennis Community and may impose any one or more of the following sanctions on a member found to be in breach of this code of conduct or in serious breach of this policy on court etiquette as it considers appropriate in all the circumstances, namely:
• • A warning as to future conduct;
  • Disqualification from any event or tournament in which the breach has taken place;
  • Suspension of a member from membership;
  • Expulsion of a member from the club.
  • If the matter is a safeguarding issue, then the appropriate line of action will be taken in accordance with the clubs safeguarding policy and procedures.

                       (Please see appendix 1 of the Constitution of WTTC to view the Club’s Disciplinary Code in Full)

WTTC Committee.

January 2020.