WYH Emotional Abuse Policy
It is the policy of the Waltham Youth Hockey organization that there shall be no emotional abuse of any participant involved in any of its programs by an employee, volunteer, independent contractor or other participant.
Emotional abuse involves a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that has the potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to a participant. These behaviors may include verbal acts, physical acts or acts that deny attention or support.
Examples of emotional abuse prohibited by this Policy include, without limitation:
- Verbal behaviors
- Attack a participant personally by name calling, etc.
- Repeatedly and excessively yelling at a particular participant or participants in a manner that serves no productive motivational purpose
- Physically aggressive behaviors
- Throwing objects at participants
- Punching walls, windows, or other objects.
Emotional abuse does not include generally-accepted and age appropriate coaching methods of skill enhancement, physical conditioning, motivation, team building, appropriate discipline, or improving athletic performance.
A Waltham Youth Hockey member who engages in any act of emotional abuse is subject to appropriate disciplinary action by the Board including but not limited to suspension, permanent suspension, and/or referral to law enforcement authorities.
Note: Bullying, threats, harassment, and hazing, defined below, often involve some form of emotional misconduct.
Bullying, Threats and Harassment
Bullying is the use of coercion to obtain control over another person or to be habitually cruel to another person. Bullying involves an intentional, persistent or repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation, or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish, or isolate another person. Bullying can occur through written, verbal or electronically transmitted expression or by means of a physical act or gesture. Bullying behavior is prohibited in any manner in connection with any Waltham Youth Hockey sanctioned activities or events. Examples of bullying prohibited by this Policy include, without limitation physical behaviors, including punching, kicking or choking an athlete; and verbal and emotional behaviors, including, the use of electronic communications (i.e., “cyber bullying”), to harass, frighten, degrade, intimidate or humiliate. While other team members are often the perpetrators of bullying, it is a violation of this Policy if a coach or other responsible adult knows or should know of the bullying behavior but takes no action to intervene on behalf of the targeted participant(s).
To report any actual or suspected violations, you may email Lisa Marie Wise at lisamariewise@walthamyouthhockey.org or Shawn Keefe at shawnkeefe@walthamyouthhockey.org