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Disciplinary Policy

04/15/2015, 9:45pm CDT
By Webmaster

Details of the SAA's expectations and disciplinary procedures.

SAA Disciplinary Policy - Approved 3/21/2016

Misconduct, which includes, but is not limited to, “Unsportsmanlike Conduct” and the “Disregard for the Rules/Policies/Procedures” by any SAA participant, member, or game official will be subject to Disciplinary Action by the appropriate individual Sport Board along with possible additional discipline from the Executive Members:

Unsportsmanlike conduct:

This includes, but is not limited to the use of profanity toward another person during or resulting from any S.A.A. activity including but not limited to practices, pregame warm-ups, games or postgame activities, etc.; throwing equipment in a display of emotion during any of the aforesaid times; verbal or physical abuse of another person during any of the aforesaid times; abusive conduct, harassment or intimidation directed at a game official; the use of alcohol during an SAA practice or game; any type of similar, unspecified conduct.

Disregard for the Rules/Policies/Procedures: 

This includes conduct portraying a disregard for the rules, policies, and/or procedures of the sport or of SAA in general.  This also includes:

●Appropriate supervision of players during games and practices

●Adherence to the SAA Weather Policy

●Conduct Detrimental to SAA and/or its members

●Adherence to board member duties and responsibilities

The sport board shall set the disciplinary action for violation of any, but not limited to, of the above categories.  Up to a 2-game suspension can be rendered without the privilege of a disciplinary hearing.  

In all cases, any incident involving the above, but not limited to, categories of conduct shall immediately be reported orally to the head commissioner for that sport.  ALL incident reports MUST be submitted to the disciplinary V.P. within 48 hours of incident, using the incident report form, detailing the incident. If the Disciplinary VP finds that the incident involves criminal allegations, legal implications, or is severe enough to set precedence for all of SAA, he/she may call for the incident to be immediately escalated to the Executive Board.

Unprofessional conduct by an SAA game official shall be immediately reported to the person in charge of the game officials for that specific sport, who shall in turn report such complaint to the sport Head Commissioner.

For all incident reports filed, the head commissioner shall first determine if further action is necessary, above and beyond the maximum two game suspension.  This determination shall occur within 72-hours of the incident report being filed.

Prior to notifying the parties involved, the sport shall obtain approval (e.g. via email) from the Disciplinary VP. The SAA Board of Directors reserves the right to review any and all decisions made by the sport and take further action provided the parties involved have not already been informed. There may be exceptions made to this procedure in the event of EXTREME cases such as, but not limited to, physical abuse, alcohol, etc. The Executive members put their faith in the sport commissioners to view all incidents objectively and impose the proper discipline action regardless of their affiliation with the parties involved.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all SAA members.

DEFINITIONS

SAA - Schaumburg Athletic Association  

RESPONSIBILITY

Head Commissioner

Head Commissioners are responsible for their sport board members, managers, and coaches. 

Executive Board

The S.A.A. Executive Board shall handle any incident involving a Head Commissioner and that sport’s board shall take no disciplinary action.  The S.A.A. Executive Officers shall follow the same procedures and have the same authority regarding an incident involving a Head Commissioner, as a sport’s board has regarding any incident involving a non-commissioner.  Also if the incident involves a sport board member, at the request of the sport’s Head Commissioner, the incident review procedure and any discipline handed out, can be elevated to the Executive Board members.

PROCEDURE

If it is determined, that further action beyond a 2 game suspension is necessary, remember this must be determined within 72 hours of the incident report being filed; the Head Commissioner shall notify the person(s) involved they are suspended pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing.  This suspension shall include attendance at any SAA event, including all practices and games.  72-Hour notice of the hearing shall be given.  The Head Commissioner will contact the sport disciplinary committee, if one exists, the other members of that sport board, the President of SAA, and a disciplinary hearing shall be scheduled.  All subjects of the disciplinary hearing shall receive notice of said hearing in writing and shall have the right to present witnesses and statements on their behalf. 

The official statement of a game official, if applicable, and statements of persons regarding the conduct in question, and any relevant statement by the sport commissioner shall also be presented at said hearing.  The hearing board has the right to set a reasonable time limit for each statement presented.  The hearing shall be conducted within 15 days of the above notice given to all subjects of the hearing.  A written record shall be kept of all disciplinary proceedings and decisions.  No verbatim recording or transcript of the proceedings shall be allowed.

The disciplinary hearing may result in any of the following decisions:

1.No further action

2.Written reprimand

3.Suspension for any time period deemed appropriate except that a finding of abusive physical contact shall require a minimum of a one year suspension

4.Expulsion from the sport

A find of abusive physical contact shall be reviewed by the Executive Board and may result in a suspension from all SAA activities in all sports, including games, practices, all-stars, traveling teams, etc.  After review, the party in question will be contacted in writing of any further suspension for other SAA activities.

All expulsions shall be reviewed by the Executive Board, after which the Executive Board may expel the person from all of SAA.  If an appeal is submitted, the Sport’s Board decision shall remain in effect until the Executive Board’s appeal ruling.

Disciplines may carry over into the next season.  The decision of the hearing board or committee shall be by majority vote.

The hearing board or committee shall within 3 business days of the hearing issue a written decision as to further disciplinary action, if any.  Said decision shall be delivered to the Head Commissioner, the party/parties involved, and the SAA President.  The disciplinary file shall also be delivered to the SAA President.

Appeals: An appeal of a decision of a sport board disciplinary hearing to the SAA Executive Board will be considered only under the following circumstances:

1.The decision was expulsion from the sport

2.The basis for the appeal is that the sport board violated the SAA Disciplinary Policy at the disciplinary hearing

In order for the Executive Board to consider a request for an appeal, a Notice of Appeal must be delivered to the SAA President within 30 days of the sport board ruling.  The Notice of Appeal must include all reasons why the Executive Board should consider the appeal.  These reasons must be limited to the two above listed circumstances.  Upon receipt of the Notice of Appeal, the SAA President shall present it to the Executive Board for review.  If 2/3 of the Executive Board votes that the reasons for the requested appeal meets the above criteria, the President shall appoint a three-member Executive Board Panel to conduct the appeal hearing.  A majority decision of that panel will be final.  The panel may rule for vindication, uphold the league ruling, or render any other decision the panel sees fit.  The panel will notify the parties involved and the Head Commissioner of the sport within 3 days of its decision.

Any S.A.A. member or participant may also report incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct, disregard for the rules, policies, or procedures to a commissioner for review by the sport board.  The procedures outlined above shall be followed for such reports. However an official incident may only be filed by one of that sports boards members.

WARNING:  THE AFORESAID HEARING SHALL BE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEARING.  NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.  ALL DECISIONS OF THE S.A.A. EXECUTIVE BOARD WILL BE FINAL AND WILL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.

Tag(s): Bylaws & Policies