As we get the new season under way, we want to take a moment before the first whistle to remind everyone across the club of the high standards we hold ourselves to at GHA, both on and off the pitch.
This applies to all of us: every age group, every squad, minis through to the Premiership, and every player, coach, volunteer, parent and supporter on the touchline. GHA is one club. The same values and the same welcome apply to everyone, and how any one of us behaves reflects on the club as a whole.
A simple match day reminder… PITCH
The SRU sums it up well, and it’s worth all of us carrying it into every training night and match day:
- P = Positive: encourage effort and learning
- I = Influence: remember that others follow your example
- T = Tone: stay calm in what you say and how you say it
- C = Challenge: address inappropriate behaviour constructively
- H = Honour: respect the game, the opposition and match officials
What we expect from everyone
Respect sits at the heart of it – towards teammates, coaches, referees and touchline officials, opponents and visiting clubs, and everyone who volunteers their time to keep GHA running. We ask every member to support positively, applaud good play from both teams, accept officials’ decisions with good grace, and celebrate effort as much as results. Our youth players learn most from the behaviour they see around them, so the example we set as adults matters more than any result.
Parents and carers: please stay off the field of play
We want to be especially clear on this one. The field of play is for players, coaches and match officials only. Please do not enter the pitch during training or matches, including to attend to your own child, unless you are specifically asked to by a coach or first-aider. This protects player welfare and safety, keeps our medical and coaching staff able to do their jobs, and respects match officials and the run of play. If you have a concern, please raise it with a coach at the appropriate moment rather than from, or on, the pitch.
Online and on social media
Please remember: if you reference GHA or activity at the club online, you may be seen as representing us so your conduct online should reflect the same standards we hold on the pitch. In practice that means don’t post anything abusive, threatening, discriminatory or offensive; don’t publicly criticise or target players, coaches, officials or anyone else connected with the club; and don’t share confidential club information or air disputes through WhatsApp or social channels. Bear in mind that false or harmful statements about individuals or organisations can carry legal liability under Scottish defamation law.
A specific safeguarding point for all adults: please do not engage in private or one-to-one messaging with under-18s on personal accounts. Communication with young players should be open and transparent, through official or group channels, with parents/guardians included for younger age groups.
If you see or experience anything of concern online – safeguarding, bullying, harassment or misuse of social media – please report it promptly to the Club Child Protection Officer, the Director of Youth Rugby (junior matters), the Director of Rugby (senior matters), or myself as Club President/Board representative. The full Social Media Policy sets out the detail.
Bringing the club into disrepute
Conduct that brings GHA into disrepute – on the pitch, on the touchline or online – is taken seriously and may be dealt with under the club’s codes of conduct and Social Media Policy. We’d far rather never need to; the vast majority of our members are a credit to the club every single week, and this is simply a reminder of the high standards we all sign up to.
The codes of conduct
The full Player, Parent and Coach Codes of Conduct and our Social Media Policy live in The GHA Way handbook at theghaway.com, alongside guidance on welfare, matchdays and much more. If you’re ever unsure about anything, speak to your Lead Coach.
Here’s to a great season, played and supported the GHA way.
One club. Players first. Nobody left to work it out alone.
Jonathan Kelly
President, GHA Rugby Club
E-mail: [email protected]
