BRFC Youth
Code of Conduct for Coaches
This Code of Conduct has been developed to reflect good and safe practice in the provision of rugby training for children and young people. It is intended to protect coaches as well as children and young people.
Primary Objective - To provide the opportunity for fun, enjoyment and skill development in the right
environment, free of fear and harassment, where everyone has the opportunity to play the game and
also always putting the welfare of each individual player first – which is far more important than winning a game.
A good coach will:
- Respect and champion the right of every individual to play rugby if they want to.
- Develop relationships with players, their parents and carers, based on openness, honesty, mutual trust and respect.
- Demonstrate proper personal behaviour and conduct at all times.
- Strive for excellence as a rugby coach through attendance at RFU coaching courses and an ongoing
commitment to keep up to date with coaching knowledge, skills and qualifications.
Good Coaching Practice means:
• Treating all children and young people equally, whether disabled or not, and with respect and dignity.
• Getting to know the players, not forgetting their parents and carers.
• Being a good role model - dressing, behaving and speaking appropriately.
• Being positive, constructive and encouraging when providing feedback to the players. Empowering the players to share in the decision making process.
• Being fair, honest and considerate to all in the sport; encouraging players to respect the opposition,
the referee, the coaching staff and to behave with dignity whether winning or losing.
• Recognising when the developmental needs and capacity of the players takes priority over training and competition
• Ensuring that no one engages in any form of abuse or inappropriate behaviour, particularly of a sexual nature.
• Being aware of the Club’s policies on the care and safety of children and young people where action is mandatory if there is any concern.
• Always putting the welfare of each individual player first – it is far more important than winning a
game.
BRIXHAM YOUTH RFC COMMITTEE
Advice on Head Injuries
Rugby Union is a contact sport and all reasonable measures are taken to minimise the risk of injury to players. If there are any potentially serious injuries, a qualified First Aider will deal with them at the time. However, the scale and nature of a head injury may not be fully apparent at the time, so this advice will be issued to the Child and their Adult Carer by the Club for their information and attention.
Your Child may have sustained a head injury today. We have checked their symptoms and they do not appear to have suffered any effects. When you get them home it is very unlikely that they will have any further problems. But if any of the following symptoms do return we suggest you take them to their nearest hospital A&E department as soon as possible:
unconsciousness, or lack of full consciousness (for example, problems keeping eyes open).
any confusion (not knowing where they are, getting things muddled up).
any drowsiness (feeling sleepy) that goes on for longer than 1 hour when they would normally be wide awake.
difficulty waking them up.
any problems understanding or speaking.
any loss of balance or problems walking.
any weakness in one or more arms or legs.
any problems with their eyesight.
very painful headache that won’t go away.
any vomiting – getting sick.
any fits (collapsing or passing out suddenly).
clear fluid coming out of their ear or nose.
new bleeding from one or both ears.
new deafness in one or both ears.
Things you shouldn’t worry about
They may experience some other symptoms over the next few days, which should disappear in the next 2 weeks. These include a mild headache, feeling sick (without vomiting), dizziness, irritability or bad temper, problems concentrating or problems with their memory, tiredness, lack of appetite or problems sleeping. If you feel very concerned about any of these symptoms in the first few days after discharge, you should take the patient to their doctor. If these problems do not go away after 2 weeks, you should take the patient to see their doctor.
Things that will help the patient get better
If the patient follows this advice it should help them get better more quickly and it may help any symptoms they have to go away.
DO have plenty of rest and avoid stressful situations.
DO NOT take sleeping pills, sedatives or tranquilisers unless prescribed by a doctor.
DO NOT play any contact sport (for example, football) for at least 3without talking to their doctor first.
Things you should do to make sure the patient is OK
DO NOT allow them to return to school until you feel they have completely recovered.
DO NOT leave the patient alone for the first 48 hours after leaving hospital.
DO make sure that there is a nearby telephone and that the patient stays within easy reach of medical help.
Long-term problems
Most patients recover quickly from their accident and experience no long-term problems. However, some patients only develop problems after a few weeks or months.
If you start to feel that things are not quite right for your child (for example, memory problems, not feeling themselves), then please contact your doctor as soon as possible so that he/she can make sure the patient is recovering properly.