Good Sports is dedicated to providing the best club environment possible for all users. It covers aspects such as alcohol, drugs, smoking and mental health.

Rationale

Providing a safe, healthy and welcoming environment for all users makes for a strong sporting club. With a program covering alcohol consumption, smoking management, drug use and mental health, Good Sports helps our club not only meet legal requirements and duty of care obligations, but also be a positive and robust asset for our community.

​

Relevance

Where appropriate, this policy applies to all members, players, coaches, staff, officials, administrators, parents, supporters, spectators and visitors.

​

Purpose

This policy provides guidelines on our intentions and actions in relation to a responsible approach to the consumption and promotion of alcohol, along with outlining our position on tobacco and drugs, to minimise associated health risks for all club users. It represents our commitment to our legal requirements, duty of care obligations and ethical stance in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all those associated with our club.

​

Principles

• To meet our duty of care in relation to the health and safety of our members, volunteers and visitors who attend any club games, special events, functions and other activities where alcohol may be consumed.

• To understands the risks associated with alcohol, drug and tobacco consumption and our role in minimising this risk.

• To uphold the reputation of our club, our sponsors and partners.

• To comply, and exceed where practicable, all applicable legislation, regulations and codes of practice.

• To continually strive to improve our Good Sports performance.

​

Measures & Actions

Alcohol

• Our club recognisees that not all members drink alcohol, and is committed to promoting water as the drink of choice, as consumption of healthy food and drink can contribute to good health and well-being and also supports good performance on the court.

• Excessive or rapid consumption of alcohol is not encouraged. This means we do not conduct drinking competitions.

• Our club will encourage safe celebrations and events by not conducting 'all you can drink' functions.

• Our club will encourage safe celebrations and events by not providing alcohol-only drink vouchers for functions.

• When promoting events the club will adopt the practices of safe celebrations by:

- Not overemphasising the availability of alcohol or referring to the amount of alcohol available
- Not encouraging rapid drinking or excessive drinking
- Giving equal reference to the availability of non-alcoholic drinks
- Displaying a clear start and finish time for the function

- Including a safe transport message, where possible and relevant.​​

• Our club will avoid providing awards (e.g. at end of season presentations) and fundraising prizes that have an emphasis on alcohol as a reward.

• Our club does not advertise, promote, serve or consume alcohol at junior games, events, functions or activities.

• Alcohol brands and products will not be advertised by the club.

• Our club does not advertise, promote, serve or consume alcohol at junior games, events, functions or activities.

• Whilst engaging in club activities, members, volunteers and visitors will not post images on social media of themselves or others drinking alcohol irresponsibly at club-related activities.

Drugs

• Our club clearly sets out the responsibilities the club committee and individuals have for handling illegal drugs in the club setting.

Tobacco

• Our club requires the following areas of the club’s (facility/sporting ground) to be smoke free:

- All indoor areas
- All outdoor playing/training areas
- All spectator areas (standing and seated, covered and uncovered)
- All canteen, catering, eating and drinking areas.

• Smoke free areas will be signed (where possible).

• Cigarettes, e-cigarettes and any other tobacco products will not be sold at any time at or by our club.

• Many young people hold parents, teammates and coaches in high esteem and smoking around them sends the message that smoking is okay. Therefore we expect that coaches, players, officials and volunteers will refrain from smoking while involved in an official capacity for the club, on and off the field. To foster our club’s reputation as a healthy environment, no images of club volunteers, members, officials, coaches and players smoking at club-related activities will be placed on social media.

• Our club will promote resources for members wishing to quit, including the national Quitline (13 78 48, quitnow.gov.au), where appropriate.

​

Implementation​

A risk management approach will be taken in planning events and activities involving the consumption of alcohol. Such events and activities will be conducted and managed in a manner consistent with liquor licensing legislation and this policy. Alcohol use can lead to risk taking, unsafe, unacceptable and/or illegal behaviour. Excessive consumption of alcohol will not be an excuse for unacceptable behaviour, particularly behaviour that endangers others or breaches the law, this policy or any other policy of the club.

• Whilst engaging in club activities, members, volunteers and visitors:

- Will accept responsibility for their own behaviour, and take a responsible approach and use good judgment when alcohol is available
- Will encourage and assist others to use good judgment when alcohol is available
- Will not compete, train, coach or officiate if affected by alcohol
- Will not provide, encourage or allow people aged under 18 years to consume alcohol
- Will not participate, pressure anyone or encourage excessive or rapid consumption of alcohol (including drinking competitions)
- Will not provide alcohol only as an award to a player or official for any reason
- Will not post images on social media of themselves or others drinking alcohol irresponsibly at club-related activities.

• Club committee members will uphold this policy and any non-compliance, particularly in regard to Licencing Laws, will be handled according to the following process:

- Explanation of the policy to the person/people concerned, including identification of the section of policy not being complied with
- Continued non-compliance with the policy should be handled by at least two committee members who will use their discretion as to the action taken, which may include asking the person/ people to leave the facilities or function.

• All contact with the media related to an alcohol or drug-related allegation or incident within its jurisdiction will be managed by the club’s official spokesperson.

• Our club has an action plan/incident management process in place that covers our reaction and response to alcohol related incidents, illegal drugs found on club premises and mental health incidents.

​

Leadership & Education

• Our club will:

- Ensure this policy is easily accessible and will promote it via our website
- Educate members, volunteers and visitors about our policy and the benefits of having such a policy
- Pursue non-alcohol sponsorship and revenue sources
- Actively demonstrate its attitude relating to the responsible use of alcohol and promote positive messages through its social media platforms

- Promote mental health materials from reputable mental health organisations within the club.

- Provides an opportunity for coaches, officials, members and volunteers to be educated about mental health in a club setting.
- Actively participate in the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Good Sports program with an ongoing priority to maintain the highest Good Sports accreditation

- Display Good Sports merchandise at our club.

• Whilst engaging in club activities, members, volunteers and visitors will not compete, train, coach or officiate if affected by alcohol.

• Ensure that all administrators and staff are fully aware of our Good Sports Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it.

• Ensure that all members and users are fully aware of our Good Sports Policy and are encouraged to implement and improve it.

​

Status & Review

This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains relevant to club operations and reflects both community expectations and legal requirements.