CC United Soccer Club Policies

CC United exists to inspire local sports—one player, one team, one game at a time. As a non-profit club, our mission is to unite players, families, and our community through personalized play and positive connections—for a lifelong love of soccer. Every coach at our club plays a critical role in bringing this mission to life by fostering an environment rooted in encouragement, respect, and development, both on and off the field.  

To achieve this, our coaches must embody in all interactions our club’s values and are expected to:  

• Champion our community first  
• Commit to competitive development, and 
• Unite through integrity and heart 

Finally, our vision serves as a roadmap for coaching at our club, ensuring that every decision made on the pitch and with our teams aligns with our desire to offer soccer for all through a best-in-class community club that sets the standard for non-profit sports, CC United is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and development-focused environment for every participant.  

To uphold these commitments, CC United enforces clear coaching standards. Any behavior inconsistent with the club’s mission, vision, values, policies, or the standards of our governing leagues will be addressed through our formal disciplinary process." 

This document outlines the process the Club may follow when addressing concerns related to coach behavior, whether on and off the field. The intent is to provide a fair, consistent, and documented framework while preserving the Club’s discretion to act in the best interest of its players and program.  

CC United generally follows a “Three Strike” framework; however, disciplinary action is not required to progress sequentially, and the Club reserves the right to impose any level of discipline—including immediate suspension or removal—based on the nature and severity of conduct. The Club retains sole discretion to determine whether conduct violates these expectations based on the totality of circumstances, regardless of whether the conduct is specifically listed above.  

Reports may be submitted to any member of the Board of Directors, the Director of Coaching (DOC), or the Executive Director (ED).  

Coach Conduct Expectations and Prohibited Conduct  

All coaches affiliated with CC United are expected to act in a manner that promotes player safety, sportsmanship, respect, professionalism, and positive development at all times.  

The following conduct is strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate suspension or permanent removal as a coach. This list is illustrative and not exhaustive:  

• Any form of verbal, emotional, physical, or psychological abuse, harassment, intimidation, or coercion of players, officials, parents, spectators, or other coaches  
• Use of threatening, profane, discriminatory, demeaning, or inappropriate language or behavior, whether verbal, written, electronic, or via social media  
• Unsportsmanlike or disruptive conduct, including repeated or escalating disputes with referees, opposing teams, parents, or Club representatives  
• Inappropriate physical contact, aggressive behavior, retaliation, or conduct that creates a risk of harm  
• Bullying, favoritism, retaliation, or targeting of players or families  
• Failure to comply with Club policies, codes of conduct, league rules, or governing body requirements  
• Off-field conduct that adversely reflects on the Club or compromises the trust, safety, or well-being of participants  
• Any behavior that endangers, or has the potential to endanger, the physical or emotional safety of a player  

Disciplinary Process  

Step 1: First Reported Incident  

Upon receipt of a complaint, the Club will conduct a timely and reasonable review, which may include fact-gathering and interviews as deemed appropriate.  

The Director of Coaching will notify and meet with the Coach in Question within a reasonable timeframe, generally within seven (7) business days when practicable. This meeting is intended to communicate the concern, clarify expectations, and determine appropriate corrective action.  

Potential outcomes may include, but are not limited to:  

• Verbal or written warning  
• Formal documentation of expectations  
• Probationary period with monitoring  

The matter and outcome will be documented and retained by the Club.  

Step 2: Subsequent Incident  

If additional concerns are reported, the CC United Board of Directors will be engaged, including the President and Vice President, with additional Board participation at the President’s discretion. There is no time limitation on prior incidents.  

During review, the Club may impose interim restrictions, including a temporary cooling-off period or suspension from coaching activities, pending resolution.  

Following review, the Club may require one or more of the following, as appropriate:  

• Completion of targeted training or education  
• Temporary or permanent suspension of coaching duties  
• Coaching shadowing or observation  
• Additional monitoring or probation  
• Removal from coaching responsibilities  

Completion of any required corrective actions may be a condition of continued participation but does not guarantee reinstatement.  

Step 3: Removal or Suspension  

Based on the severity, frequency, or nature of the conduct, the Club may remove a coach from all duties. Removal may be temporary or permanent and may occur at any stage of the disciplinary process.  

This action is intended to protect the safety, integrity, and best interests of the players and the Club.  

Authority and Discretion  

Nothing in this document limits the authority of CC United, the Executive Director, Director of Coaching, or the Board of Directors to take immediate action when warranted. Disciplinary decisions are made at the sole discretion of the Club and are not subject to appeal unless expressly permitted by the Board.  

Coach Acknowledgment  

I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to comply with the CC United Coaching Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Process. I understand that coaching with CC United is a privilege and a responsibility, and that I am expected to uphold the Club’s purpose, mission, vision, and values by championing our community, committing to positive development, and leading with integrity and heart. I further understand that disciplinary action, including suspension or removal, may occur at the sole discretion of the Club.  

Definitions  

Club: CC United  

Coach in Question: Any coach against whom a report or complaint has been submitted  

Training Program: An online or in-person educational requirement assigned by the Club to address conduct-related concerns. Completion may be required as a condition of continued involvement  

CC United is committed to developing well-rounded youth through positive sportsmanship and skill development. Our Player Code of Conduct (PCOC)  aligns with our CCU Values  as part of our goal to help guide players to be role models on and off the field. 

Whether on the field for practice, games, or representing CC United in community events, players must adhere to these guidelines: 

• Respect all individuals, including officials, coaches, teammates, opponents, and fans, without regard to race, sex, creed, or ability. 
• Encourage fair play with  teammates, respect opponents, and acknowledge good plays from everyone. 
• Maintain positive conduct at all times. Players must avoid profanity, abusive language, and any form of bullying, whether online or offline. Any violence, threats, or inappropriate behavior is strictly prohibited. 
• Follow all rules and policies of our club, league, and specific events. 
• Prioritize health and safety. Players must commit to a drug-free, alcohol-free, and tobacco-free environment in all club-related activities. They should also ensure a safe playing environment for everyone. 
• Take responsibility and self-accountability in dealings with coaches and club officials. 

Incident Reporting & Disciplinary Process 

The Club takes incident reporting seriously and investigates as quickly and confidentially as possible. It is the responsibility of the coach(es) to address any misconduct they observe or are informed about promptly and respectfully. Parents are encouraged to report any inappropriate player behavior to the coaches immediately. Alternatively, parents/guardians may alert the club of an incident by email to codeofconduct@ccunitedsoccer.com. 

Investigations are initiated within seven days of the reported incident. Coaches and/or Board Members will engage all relevant parties, collect written statements, and assess the validity and severity of the claims. 

If players are found to have violated the PCOC guidelines, the following disciplinary process applies:

• First Violation Offense - Awareness and Discussion: Coaches, staff, and board members will discuss the violation with the player and their parents or guardians, emphasizing the behavior's impact on the team and community. This discussion is aimed at understanding and correcting behavior. Documentation may be added to the player(’s) records.
• Second Violation Offense - Action : Players may face a suspension of ten consecutive days from team activities or miss three games/practices, based on the decision of the coaches and Board of Directors. This action will be recorded in Playmetrics.
• Third Violation Offense: The player will be expelled from the Club, ending their participation in all future activities.

It's important to note that the above steps are not necessarily sequential - depending on the severity of the offense, the disciplinary action may skip steps or proceed directly to the final step. The Director of Coaching in conjunction with the Board will have discretion in determining the appropriate action for each case.

In extreme cases, the Board may decide to remove a player immediately for severe misbehavior. Such decisions are final and cannot be appealed. Criminal violations of the PCOC will be referred to legal authorities.

This Code of Conduct aims to maintain a positive, respectful, inclusive, and safe environment, crucial for everyone to enjoy soccer.

This policy has been developed to address the increased incidences of referee abuse in youth sports, both physical and verbal, which includes public dissent of a referee.

To be clear, CC United has a zero-tolerance policy of verbal abuse or negative criticism of referees from any spectator at CCU events. 

CC United Policy:

Spectators may not verbally or physically abuse a referee before, during, or after a game. This includes expressing disagreement or dissatisfaction (including gestures expressing disagreement) with the referees’ decisions.

This policy is not intended to imply that referees are always “right”. Referees will make mistakes in officiating, particularly in the younger divisions where they are learning how to referee. Due to a persistent shortage of referees, a referee may be asked to fill in at a higher-level game than they are comfortable officiating. Younger referees must have positive on-field experiences in order to continue to grow as an official and return each year.

CC United coaches have a process to report any concerns about the officiating of a game. Any feedback will then be given through a properly trained referee mentor.

Policy Violation Reporting

Any violation of this policy can be reported directly to the club by emailing sportsmanship@ccunitedsoccer.com. CC United will investigate the incident and the reporter will remain anonymous. 

Disciplinary Actions:

The CC United Board may impose disciplinary actions on any spectator in violation of the policy.

Disciplinary actions include, but are not limited to, warnings, suspension from attending one or more games, suspension from the season, or a permanent ban from any CCU event. All violations are unacceptable, but any abuse of a youth referee will be looked at more seriously.

We expect all spectators to demonstrate positive sideline behavior and to be role models for our players on the field. Please sit back and enjoy the game.