Little League believes all participants in Little League baseball deserve to be treated with respect. Players and game officials are learning the game. Coaches and managers are volunteers. To create an environment that allows all participants to learn and grow, Little League Alberta will advocate and enforce a Zero Tolerance Policy with respect to abuse of any participant, coach, manager, official, player or parent/fan.
Abuse will be defined as any form of physical, emotional and/or sexual mistreatment or lack of care which causes physical injury or emotional damage to a child. A common characteristic of all forms of abuse against children and youth is an abuse of power or authority and/or breach of trust. In Alberta a person is considered a child up to the age of 18 years.
Emotional abuse is a chronic attack on a child’s self-esteem; it is psychologically destructive behavior by a person in a position of power, authority or trust. It can take the form of name-calling, threatening, ridiculing, berating, intimidating, isolating, hazing or ignoring the child’s needs. Physical abuse is when a person in a position of power or trust purposefully injures or threatens to injure a child or youth. This may take the form of slapping, hitting, shaking, kicking, pulling hair or ears, throwing, shoving, grabbing, hazing or excessive exercise as a form of punishment. The Little League Alberta Zero Tolerance Policy will include any abuse against adults including that which may cause emotional distress for our players, officials and fans.
Any ejection for abuse will automatically result in a 3-game suspension, with the game in question counted as the first game. In the event the abuse comes from outside the playing field, a written complaint must be formally lodged with Little League Alberta. The complaint may be lodged by any player, coach, game official, or observer and must be signed by a tournament official plus another witness. Tournament official will mean: District Administrator, League President, or a board member of the league/district designated Diamond Director. The offending party will be immediately banned from the next two games, with the game in question counting as the first game.
Any confrontation that escalates to physical violence — defined as “intentional physical contact with force” — will result in a suspension, the minimum being a one-year suspension from all Little League parks within the boundaries of Little League Alberta, to a maximum lifetime suspension. Physical violence shall include but not be limited to pushing, punching, tripping, kicking or hitting with any object including a person’s hand or any part of their body.
For all Little League Alberta sanctioned events, the President/CEO of Little League Alberta and/or a designate will deal with immediate disciplinary matters in accordance with this policy. Should the accused desire to appeal, they are required to do so within 48 hours of receiving a discipline notice. The Discipline Committee will convene and deal with the allegation according to the Disciplinary Action Policy.
Any person subjected to a suspension is entitled to an appeal hearing before a committee convened to rule on the validity of the complaint. At such a committee meeting the ejected party shall have the right to hear all charges, read any written complaints and defend his/her position to the committee. If any individual cannot attend the hearing, that individual may designate someone to speak on their behalf or provide a written statement to the committee. Should any individual pass on attending or participating in the opportunity to defend him/herself, the committee reserves the right to rule based on the material before them. The committee retains the right to impose sanctions for the good of Little League Alberta, including its players, coaches, managers, game officials and fans.
Note: any matter consistent with the likelihood of being a criminal offence will be referred to the local police in the jurisdiction the alleged offence took place.
Sanctions
Emotional Abuse Complaints
- 1st offence — minimum two (2) game suspension, permitted to return after completing the Provincial Child Abuse Course
- 2nd offence — minimum five (5) game suspension
- 3rd offence — season suspension and meeting with Disciplinary Committee prior to being permitted to return
- 4th offence — lifetime suspension
Source: Little League Alberta Safety Manual and Child Protection Policy.