Okapi Wanderers Rugby Football Club Inc.
Coach and Volunteer Code of Conduct
Effective Date: October 2026
Coaches and volunteers of Okapi Wanderers Rugby Football Club Inc. play an important role in creating a safe, positive, respectful, and development-focused environment for all players.
All coaches and volunteers are expected to represent Okapi Wanderers RFC with professionalism, integrity, sportsmanship, and respect at all times.
Coaches and Volunteers Will:
1. Always show respect toward players, coaches, parents, spectators, opponents, match officials, volunteers, and Club representatives.
2. Never place winning above the safety, welfare, and development of any player, including opponents.
3. Lead by example by demonstrating fair play, integrity, respect, discipline, and sportsmanship at all times.
4. Encourage good sportsmanship from players, fellow coaches, officials, parents, and spectators.
5. Maintain an appropriate understanding of the Laws of the Game, applicable age-grade rules, and competition regulations, and help players understand those rules.
6. Remember that rugby should provide players with opportunities to learn, develop, compete, build confidence, make friendships, and have fun.
7. Never use abusive, threatening, discriminatory, degrading, or inappropriate language or behavior.
8. Never physically strike, assault, threaten, or intentionally intimidate any player, coach, official, parent, spectator, volunteer, or other individual.
9. Treat every person with dignity, fairness, and respect.
10. Address inappropriate behavior and will not knowingly ignore conduct that threatens the safety, welfare, or dignity of others.
11. Comply with all applicable Club policies regarding the use of alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, illegal drugs, controlled substances, performance-enhancing substances, and other prohibited substances.
12. Never encourage, provide, permit, or knowingly tolerate the use by youth players of anabolic agents, illegal drugs, prohibited stimulants, tobacco, vaping products, or alcohol.
13. Never knowingly jeopardize the eligibility, safety, welfare, or participation rights of a student-athlete or player.
14. Encourage Okapi Wanderers RFC players to pursue appropriate opportunities for advancement and higher-level rugby, including state, regional, national, collegiate, representative, or professional pathways, where appropriate.
15. Recognize that young players often have a greater need for positive example, encouragement, guidance, and support than criticism.
16. Conduct themselves in a positive and professional manner during practices, matches, Club events, travel, meetings, and other Club-related activities.
17. Understand that coaching includes:
- Motivating players to give their best effort;
- Helping players develop their skills and understanding of the game;
- Building confidence and resilience;
- Encouraging teamwork;
- Supporting personal development;
- Creating an environment in which players can succeed.
18. Make coaching decisions based on the best interests of the team and players, taking into consideration safety, development, effort, conduct, attendance, ability, and applicable competition requirements.
19. Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with players, particularly minors.
20. Follow all applicable safeguarding, player welfare, background-screening, communication, and youth-protection requirements established by the Club or governing bodies.
Sideline and Match Conduct
Coaches and volunteers are expected to conduct themselves in the spirit of good sportsmanship at all times.
The following conduct is unacceptable:
- Profanity or abusive language directed at another person;
- Obscene or threatening gestures;
- Arguing aggressively with referees or match officials;
- Confronting opposing coaches, players, or spectators;
- Encouraging disruptive or aggressive behavior from players or spectators;
- Entering the field without authorization;
- Inciting retaliation or confrontation;
- Conduct that undermines the safety or integrity of the match.
Coaches should communicate with match officials respectfully and in accordance with the Laws of the Game and competition procedures.
Training and Team Conduct
Aggressive confrontation, intimidation, or abusive arguments involving:
- Teammates;
- Opposing players;
- Coaches;
- Officials;
- Volunteers;
- Parents;
- Spectators
will not be tolerated during training, matches, or Club activities.
Disagreements should be handled calmly, professionally, and through the appropriate Club or competition process.
Representation of the Club
Coaches and volunteers must refrain from conduct that could reasonably:
- Damage the reputation of Okapi Wanderers RFC;
- Bring the Club or the game of rugby into disrepute;
- Endanger another person;
- Undermine the Club's values or policies;
- Violate applicable governing-body rules.
Coaches and volunteers are expected to conduct themselves appropriately when representing or associated with:
Okapi Wanderers Rugby Football Club Inc.
Florida Rugby Union
Florida Youth Rugby Union
USA Rugby
and any applicable league, competition, or governing organization.
Social Media and Communications
Coaches and volunteers must also comply with the Okapi Wanderers RFC Social Media Policy.
Club-related communications, including email, text messages, WhatsApp groups, social media, and direct messages, should remain respectful, professional, and appropriate.
Extra care must be taken when communicating with players under the age of 18, and applicable safeguarding requirements should always be followed.
Disciplinary Action
Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action and may affect an individual's ability to coach, volunteer, attend, or participate in Okapi Wanderers RFC activities.
Depending on the circumstances, disciplinary measures may include:
- Verbal warning;
- Written warning;
- Required meeting with Club leadership;
- Corrective action or behavior agreement;
- Temporary restriction from coaching or volunteer duties;
- Removal from a match, practice, event, or facility;
- Probation;
- Suspension;
- Removal from a coaching or volunteer position;
- Termination of Club membership;
- Referral to an applicable governing body;
- Referral to safeguarding authorities or law enforcement where appropriate.
Interim Suspension Pending Review
Where Club leadership reasonably believes that a coach or volunteer may have committed a serious violation of this Code, or where immediate action is reasonably necessary to protect players, members, or the Club, Okapi Wanderers RFC may place the individual on temporary interim suspension pending review by the Disciplinary Committee.
An interim suspension is a precautionary measure and does not, by itself, constitute a final determination of misconduct.
The matter should be reviewed by the Club's Disciplinary Committee as soon as reasonably practicable.
Serious matters involving player safety, abuse, violence, threats, discrimination, safeguarding concerns, or suspected unlawful conduct may also be referred to the appropriate governing body or authorities.
Okapi Wanderers Rugby Football Club Inc.
4426 Dogwood Cir
Weston, FL 33331
Email: info@okapiwanderersrugby.com
Last Updated: October 2026