As part of Elite Soccer Academy emphasis on athlete safety, communications involving our youth athletes should be appropriate, productive, and transparent. Effective communications concerning travel, practice or games scheduled & administrative issues among administrators, coaches, athletes & their families are critical. However, the use of mobile devices, web-based applications, social media & other forms of electronic communications increases the possibility for improprieties and misunderstandings. The improper use of mobile and electronic communications can result in misconduct & is strictly prohibited by Elite Soccer Academy.
Elite Soccer Academy policies state that any participant involved in any of its club’s programs as a coach, employee, volunteer, or adult participant shall adhere to this policy for electronic communications & social media. All electronic communication between coaches (and other employees, volunteers, or adult participants) & athletes must be for the purpose of communicating information about team activities. Coaches & athletes must follow the commonsense guidelines regarding the volume & time of day of any allowed electronic communication. All content of electronic communication should be readily available to share with the public or families of the athlete or coach.
Coaches (and other employees, volunteers, or adult participants) must copy parent(s) or guardian(s) on all electronic & mobile communications to minor athletes unless the parent(s) or guardian(s) have previously approved (in writing) direct communications between the coach 7 the athlete. To ease communications, coaches may set up e-mail & texting groups with parent(s) or guardian(s) & athletes & make this group communication a norm for the team. Coaches must include parents in all email and text messaging groups.
Should a coach inadvertently send an athlete an electronic or mobile communication without including the parent(s) or guardian(s), acknowledge the oversight to the parents & forward the communication to the parent(s) or guardian(s) as soon as possible.
Coaches should not hesitate to speak with a parent or guardian if a coach receives electronic & mobile communications from an athlete that make the coach uncomfortable.
Facebook, MySpace, Blogs, and Similar Sites
All posts, messages, text, or media of any kind between a coach (or employee, volunteer, or adult participant) & athletes must be professional & communicate information about team activities or for team- oriented motivational purposes.
Direct messaging or private messaging between a coach & a minor athlete is prohibited (another responsible adult must be copied on the message). If a coach opens a team Facebook page or Blog of any sort the club manager must be contacted & given access to view the page at their discretion. Team pages or blogs may not be used to bully, speak negatively of a player or family of a player, or discuss discipline issues.
All posts between a coach (or employee, volunteer, or adult participant) & athletes must be for the purpose of communicating information about team activities. Direct messaging or private messaging between a coach & a minor athlete is prohibited (another responsible adult must be copied or the message).
Although discouraged as a primary form of communication, texting is allowed between coaches & athletes. All texts between coaches & athletes must be professional and for the purpose of communicating information about team activities. Texting should not occur after 9 pm unless in emergencies. Text messages from coaches to a minor athlete must include a copy to such athlete’s parent(s) or guardian(s) unless the parent(s) or guardian(s) have previously approved in writing direct communication between the coach & the athlete.
Social media & electronic communications can be used to commit abuse and misconduct (e.g., emotional, sexual, bullying, harassment, and hazing). Such communications by coaches, employees, volunteers, adult participants, or athletes will not be tolerated and are strictly prohibited by Elite Soccer Academy.
Anyone who violates this Electronic Communications & Social Media Policy is subject to appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement authorities. Violations of this Policy should be reported to Elite Soccer Academy Leadership Team.
