PLAYERS CODE OF CONDUCT
• Play Sport for your own enjoyment and not just to please parents and coaches.
• Play by the rules.
• Never argue with an official. If you disagree, have your captain or coach approach the official during a break or after the game.
• Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials or other players, deliberately fouling or provoking an opponent and throwing equipment is not acceptable or permitted in any sport.
• Work equally hard for yourself and your team. Your team will perform better and you will also benefit.
• Be a good sport. Applaud all good performances by your team and your opponents. Congratulate both teams upon their performance regardless of the outcome of the game.
• Treat all players with respect. Do not interfere with, bully or take unfair advantage of another player.
• Co-operate with your coach, teammates and opponents. Without them there would be no game.
SPORTS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION UNIFORM REGULATIONS
To ensure that our girls look neat and tidy when they participate in t different sports activities, as well as Physical Education classes, the following dress code will have to be followed:
ALL ITEMS MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED!!
MATCH/TRAINING/PHYS-ED UNIFORM
• Skort: Dark blue skort for netball, hockey, tennis & squash games. School Crest on the skort.
• Short: Athletics and physical education, basketball, worn to all sports.
• Shirt: Regulation blue sleeveless crested games shirt for physical education as well as games and training sessions.
• Training sessions: Regulation navy-blue crested shorts and the blue crested sports shirt are used for practices of all sports, as well as physical education. (The shorts may not be worn during matches.)
• T-Shirt: Light blue crested T-shirt. This shirt can only be used for training sessions. No House shirts will be allowed at training sessions or during Phys-Ed classes.
• Swimming: non-team and Physical Education: School or Black swimming costume and red cap. No other colour cap is allowed and it is compulsory. The crested school shorts can be worn with costumes.
• Swimming team: team costume and sky blue cap and school towel with DSG printed on it. Navy blue knee-length racers with open back are allowed.
• Basketball: Senior school: The official basketball uniform ordered through the basketball co-ordinator. Senior school players must confirm their specific playing number with coaches before buying/ordering a uniform.
• Tracksuit: The regulation navy blue with light blue and white piping crested St Mary’s DSG tracksuit to be used for all sport and Physical Education.
• First Team playing uniform: The individual players will receive letters from the Sports Office to indicate that they are allowed to buy these items from the School Shop.
• Sports Warm-up Top / Hoodie: Navy blue with school crest embroidered on it. This top is only used for warm-up purposes and is used over the playing uniform but under the tracksuit top and is not to be used with the formal school uniform.
SHOES
• Regulation school tracksuit: may be worn with sports uniforms. White takkies to be worn at all times with the tracksuit and sports uniform, no slip slops are allowed with the tracksuit and sports uniform.
• Volleyball: Jumior school: Navy blue skort, short, with light blue sleeveless crested games shirt. Senior school: Navy blue skort, short or knee-length ski-pants available from school shop; with light blue sleeveless crested games shirt.
• Squash: White, light grey, gum or squash-specific shoes only.
• Netball/Tennis/Physical Education/Basketball/Running: Proper sports shoes that protect the feet from injuries, with non-marking soles. No hard-soled shoes will be allowed as they damage the courts. No thin soled fashion takkies, platform takkies or slipslops will be allowed to be worn with sports uniforms.
• Hockey: Only astro permitted hockey shoes.
• Only Swimming plain navy V-shaped slops may be worn. This can be purchased at the school shop.
• Shoelaces must be long enough to make a proper double knot in order to prevent injuries and time loss during games or training sessions.
SOCKS
• Hockey: The official light blue DSG socks to be used for all matches and training sessions.
• Basketball/Netball/Squash/Tennis/Running/Volleyball: The official white DSG sock with DSG embroidered on the socks to be used for all matches and training sessions. No multi-colour, secret or up to the knee socks will be allowed.
INTER-HOUSE COMPETITIONS
• The DSG House T-shirts and the navy DSG shorts to be worn for all Inter-house events.
UNDERWEAR – HAIR – JEWELERY - NAILS
• A supportive sports bra must be worn at all times when participating in sport and physical activities. These may not be visible through the material and need to follow the cut of the shirt.
• No jewellery allowed.
• Medic alert bracelets are allowed in training sessions/games, but must be covered with see through plaster beforehand.
• Nails must be cut short before entering the court or going on the field. No nail polish on fingers or toenails will be allowed.
• Hair must be clipped or tied back properly before the game/practice starts. Only the dark brown head band available at the School Shop can be used for sport.
• Hair braids/extensions should be able to fit under the swimming cap.
EQUIPMENT
• Equipment: When girls participate in sports such as tennis, squash, swimming and hockey where individual equipment is required, it is essential that they have their own equipment. (Excluding goalkeeper equipment)
• Squash players will need safety glasses as well as white, light, gum or squash-specific soled shoes. This is in accordance with the National/ International rules.
• Hockey players will need gum guards and the normal shin pads to protect their mouths, teeth and legs. This is for the player’s protection and is compulsory. Safety masks for defensive short corners are provided, and must be worn at all times.
• There is a specific First Team playing uniform. The individual players will receive letters from the Sports Office to indicate that they are allowed to buy these items from the School Shop.
• Anorak: The navy St Mary’s DSG anorak with light blue piping and the school crest embroidered on the left side may only be worn with the sports uniform.
• Peaks/hats: The official St Mary’s DSG peak may be used during training sessions only, except for tennis.
• Please note that there is a difference between the official sport uniform and that of the boarding house uniform. Staff and Pupils must ensure that they know the difference and wear the different uniforms in the correct way. Pupils are not allowed to use their boarder uniform for sports training sessions.
• Sports Bags: Only St Mary’s DSG sports bags are allowed.
• No pupil is allowed to leave the school premises if not dressed in full St Mary’s DSG sport uniform.
POLICY ON SELECTION OF SPORTS TEAMS
1 Selection of teams will be on merit in the respective age groups.
2 Team sport players must attend all training sessions before a match in order to be eligible for selection for the next match.
3 Individual sport i.e. swimming team members, who train with outside coaches, must attend at least two training sessions per week with the team in order for the coach to do the necessary time trials to establish the final team for a gala. This must be discussed with the individual coaches.
4 In team sport an u14 & u15 player could be selected to play in an u16 team and an u16 player could be selected to play in a senior open team. This can only happen after consultation with the coaches of the different teams involved as well as the Sports Department.
5 In team sport an u14 & u15 player could be selected for the senior open team taking the following conditions into consideration and this will be done on an individual basis. This can only happen after consultation with the coaches of the different teams involved as well as the Head of the School and the Head of Sport.
5.1 If the standard of play of the individual player is so high that she is better than the senior player in the same position. If her standard of play is on par with that of the senior player, the senior player will have preference.
5.2 The player must also be physically, emotionally and socially strong enough to handle the extra pressures that she will be exposed to as a senior player.
5.3 The impact on the team the player is currently playing for, as well as the overall result of the school in the league, will be taken into consideration before making a final decision to move a player to a higher team.
6 In individual sport a player will be selected according to rankings.
7 Players must adhere to all the rules and regulations as set out in the Players Code of Conduct of St Mary’s DSG in order to be eligible for selection for a team. Players must also adhere to the rules set down by the individual coaches.
8 National, Provincial and school training sessions
8.1 Players must confer with coaches in person with regards to non- attendance at school training sessions/matches when participating in National and Provincial training sessions/trials.
8.2 Non-attendance of any school training session/match due to any reason as mentioned under 8.1, ill health or any other activity would have a direct influence on the performance of the school teams. Players would have missed out on set pieces or pattern training sessions that are vital to the performance of the team.
9 Injured players
Players, who are injured and attending school, must attend training sessions in order for them to observe new set plays and skills demonstrated to the teams. They must also hand in a medical certificate if they are injured or sick.
10 The school will adhere to the different rules of the individual Sports Associations that we are affiliated to.
SPECTATORS AND PARENTS CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
• Children play organized sport for fun. They are not playing for the entertainment of the spectators only, nor are they miniature professionals.
• Applaud all good performances by your team and your opponents. Congratulate both teams upon their performance regardless of the outcome of the game.
• Respect the officials’ decisions. If there is a disagreement, follow the appropriate procedure in order to question any decision on the part of the officials.
• Never ridicule or scold a child for making a mistake during a competition. Positive comments are motivational.
• Condemn the use of violence in any form, be it by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
• Show respect for your teams’ opponents. Without them there would be no game.
• Encourage players to play according to the rules and the officials’ decisions
• Demonstrate appropriate social behaviour by not using foul language, harassing players, coaches or officials.
• Encourage children to play sport.
• Focus upon the child’s efforts and performance rather than the overall outcome of the event. This assists the child in setting realistic goals related to her ability by reducing the emphasis on winning.
• Teach children that an honest effort is as important as victory, so that the result of each game is accepted without undue disappointment.
• Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a game.
• Remember children are involved in organised sports for their enjoyment, not yours.
• Remember that children learn best by example. Applaud good play generally. If you disagree with an official, raise the issue through the appropriate channels rather than question the official’s judgement and honesty in public. Remember, most officials give their time and effort for your child’s development.
• Recognise the value and importance of volunteer coaches. They give of their time and resources to provide recreational activities for the children and deserve your support.
TEACHERS CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
• Encourage children to develop basic skills in a variety of sports and discourage early specialisation in one sport or one playing position
• Create opportunities to teach appropriate sports behaviour as well as basic skills.
• Ensure that the learning of skills and free play activities have priority over highly structured competitions for very young children in early primary school
• Prepare children for Inter-House and interschool competitions by first providing instructions in the basic sport skills.
• Make children aware of the value physical fitness plays in a healthy lifestyle, as well as the recreational value of sport.
• Make a personal commitment to keep yourself informed of sound coaching principles and the principles of physical growth and development of children.
• Help children to understand the importance of playing by the rules
COACHES CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
• Be reasonable in your demands on young players’ time, energy and enthusiasm.
• Teach your players that the rules of the game are not negotiable. There can be no game without rules.
• Whenever possible, group players according to age, skills and physical maturity.
• Avoid over-playing the talented players. The ‘just average’ players need and deserve equal time.
• Remember that children play for fun and enjoyment and winning is part of their motivation. Never ridicule or yell at the children for their mistakes or losing a competition.
• Ensure that equipment and facilities meet safety standards and are appropriate to the age and ability of the players.
• The scheduling and length of practice times and competition should take into consideration the maturity level of the children.
• Ensure that all members of the team respect each other, their opponents as well as the judgement of the officials and opposing coaches.
• Follow the advice of a physician when determining when an injured player is ready to recommence play.
• Make a personal commitment to keep yourself informed of sound coaching principles and the principles of growth and the development of children.
• Be aware of the fact that physical contact with members of your team may be misinterpreted.
• Be aware of the role of a coach as an educator. Impart not only knowledge and skills, but promote desirable personal and social behaviour.
