Flag Star Football Foundation

Code of Conduct

(also to be e-mailed at the start of each season)

To Whom it May Concern (all of us):

A ‘Code of Conduct’ is meant to be a North Star for any organization. It is something like the “laws” the govern a given community.

For the Flag Star Football Foundation, what we’d really like to establish is a ‘Culture of Conduct.’ A community of like-minded people, pulling together to achieve a common cause. In our case, that cause is simple: Get Better. Have Fun.

The easiest way of achieving that mission is by pulling together as a team. To count on our parents, coaches, athletes, siblings, referees and administrators to bring their best self to the field each week. And to seek out the best self of others in the pursuit and cultivation of our mission.

It’s a reality of large organizations, however, that there must by rules associated with that culture. Please see below for some more hard-lined rules regarding conduct in our programs:

It is expected of every player, parent, coach and referee that we should regard each other as being ‘One Team.’ Regardless of the colors of our jerseys, we should regard each other as members of one organization, pulling together for the pursuit of one common cause.

The focus of every athlete, parent, coach and referee should be the next play. Rather than arguing calls, creating confrontation or harping on mistakes of the past, our collective consciousness should be pin-pointed on making the next play the best it can be.

We will let every person do their job. For parents, that means bringing their kids to the field on-time and cheering in a supportive manner. For kids, that means showing great respect for coaches/referees and demonstrating great effort. For coaches, it means leading our teams in a positive manner and serving as a role model for young, impressionable minds. For referees (and administrative staff), we need to provide an organized and safe environment in which our kids can compete.

Rather than list every possible transgression, we’ll instead align ourselves around a very simple rule of conduct: Don’t be a jerk. Each of us, intuitively, understands what that means. And in the case that someone is showing jerk-like behavior, that behavior should be reported directly to the league.

If One Should Find Themselves in Violation of This Code:

Then they’ll know they are human. Because each of us, from time to time, finds themselves acting in a way that doesn’t align with their values.

In this case, there needs to be a direct conversation between that individual and Carl Ehrlich, the league commissioner. These conversations -- an inevitable byproduct of sports, excitement, enthusiasm and spirit -- will be conducted with good-will and with the goal of achieving a positive, inclusive outcome.

If, however, the behavior is especially egregious or the person in question is deemed to be unfit to continue operating within our flag football community, they will be expelled from the organization as the discretion of the commissioner. For any potential issues with the conduct of the commissioner, the Board of Directors will be brought in to make an executive decision.