DESERT MOUNTAIN LACROSSE CLUB
DISCIPLINARY RULES
All members (“Members”) of the Desert Mountain Lacrosse Club (“DMLC”) are bound by the
following Disciplinary Rules (“Rules”). DMLC Members include its players and their parents,
coaches, directors, officers, managers, administrators, agents and employees. DMLC
membership is a privilege, not a right and that privilege can be limited, suspended or revoked by
DMLC. All Members are expected to read and understand the following Rules. Any Member
who fails to abide by the Rules is subject to disciplinary action. Any member who fails to abide
by the Rules places the entire family’s membership at risk.
1. Rules Applicable to All Members.
a. Each Member shall:
(i) Comply with applicable criminal laws;
(ii) Comply with the bylaws, rules, regulations and Code of Conduct of US
Lacrosse (“USL”);
(iii) Comply with the bylaws, rules, regulations and Code of Conduct of the
Arizona Youth Lacrosse League (“ALL”); and
(iv) Comply with the bylaws, Rules and membership requirements of DMLC.
b. No Member shall:
(i) Physically or verbally assault any player, coach, parent, official or
spectator;
(ii) Bully, threaten or harass, physically or verbally, any player, coach, parent,
official or spectator;
(iii) Discriminate against any player, coach, parent, official or spectator, on the
basis of race, religion, national origin, or disability;
(iv) Attend or participate in any DMLC contest or team practice while under
the influence of alcohol or legally-prohibited drugs.
(v) Possess, use, distribute or illegally use alcohol or any illegal drugs while a
member;
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(vi) Solicit or engage in hazing, or initiation rituals lacking prior board
approval, directed at any player, notwithstanding any asserted consent or
acquiescence by such player;
(vii) Wager or otherwise gamble in connection with any DMLC, ALL or USL
contest;
(viii) Use any obscene, foul or abusive language or gestures during any DMLC
practice, contest or event.
(ix) Vandalize, deface or destroy the personal property of persons or teams
participating in any DMLC contest or event, or the real property where
any practice, contest or event takes place, or litter the real property upon
which any DMLC contest or event takes place; or
(x) Commit any act that is materially detrimental to the sport of lacrosse,
DMLC or ALL;
(xi) Not exhibit disruptive or disrespectful behavior at any practice, contest or
event.
2. Additional Rules Applicable to Players. In addition to observing the Rules applicable to
all Members, each player shall:
a. Demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship, sports leadership and ethical conduct,
and behave in a professional and courteous manner at all times.
b. Be on time and prompt for all practices, games, meetings, tournaments and travel.
c. Be responsible for their own transportation to all practices, games and meetings.
d. Attend and participate, in a timely manner, in practices, games and team meetings
as directed by the Head Coach, unless prior permission is obtained from the Head
Coach due to academic obligations, family emergencies, illnesses, religious
observance, another in-season sport or other good cause.
e. Comply with all equipment and uniform requirements adopted by the ALL or
DMLC and not modify the player’s uniform, equipment or helmet, including
placement of decals, without the prior approval of the head coach.
f. Comply with all dress code requirements directed by the Head Coach in
connection with any DMLC contest or event, including traveling for competition
or visiting another venue.
g. Not wear or display any earrings, watches or other jewelry, including piercings,
necklaces, tongue rings and the like.
h. Comply with all other reasonable instructions by any DMLC director, officer or
coach in connection with any DMLC contest or event; and
i. Notify the Head Coach in the event he has been suspended or expelled from
school, or convicted of any crime other than parking lot or non-felony traffic
violations, in which event the player shall be ineligible to participate in games or
events for the duration of the suspension or until reinstated to school. The Head
Coach may in his discretion allow a suspended player to participate in practice.
3. Additional Rules Applicable to Coaches. In addition to observing the Rules applicable
all Members, each coach shall:
a. Abide by the Rules of Lacrosse.
b. Be a role model who must act with the highest moral character possible.
c. Teach and practice good sportsmanship at all times.
d. Demonstrate respect for all officials, coaches and players, including those of
opposing teams.
e. Always look out for the best interests of the entire team.
f. Deal with minor breaches of discipline in consultation with other members of the
coaching staff.
g. Notify the Rules and discipline committee or the president of DMLC in writing,
including email, of any situation that arises that is contrary to the USL, ALL, or
DMLC codes of conduct, rules, regulations or coaches’ rules.
h. Conform to the expectations of the Desert Mountain Lacrosse Club’s board of
directors.
4. Additional Rules Applicable to Parents. In addition to observing the Rules applicable all
Members, each player’s parent shall:
a. Demonstrate respect for all officials, coaches and players, including those of
opposing teams;
b. Refrain from unreasonably interfering with the coaching staff’s decisions
concerning, or a player’s particular participation in, any DMLC practice or
contest;
c. Notify the Head Coach in the event that parent’s child has been suspended or
expelled from school, or convicted of any crime other than parking or non-felony
traffic violations; and
d. Meet their financial obligations to DMLC in a full and timely manner.
e. Recognize the commitment the coaches make to the players.
f. Set the example for good sportsmanship at all games and practices, and refrain
from directing any comments to or about the referees or any players on any team.
g. Follow the 24-hour rule and speak to the coach only on the days following a game
or a practice if a parent has a significant complaint resulting from a game or a
practice situation which concerns the coach or a player not abiding by the USL,
ALL or DMLC Rules, regulations and bylaws. Only contact the coach about
urgent matters to regularly scheduled games or practices realizing that they are
volunteers and if necessary ask them to make a specific appointment for a
telephone conference or private conversation in the event of a truly serious
problem, notify the Rules and discipline committee and/or the board president in
writing detailing the problems and concerns.
h. Uphold the same DMLC Rules that apply to players in terms of assault,
discrimination, disrespectful or abusive language, drug abuse, unsportsmanlike
conduct, foul language and gestures, and the like.
5. Disciplinary Procedures.
a. Regarding Players. Authority for enforcing these Rules, with respect to player
shall vest in the Head Coach as otherwise conditioned herein; provided, however,
that the Head Coach may instead refer any such player-related disciplinary matter
or complaint to the DMLC Rules and discipline committee for its determination.
A player may appeal to the committee in writing from any disciplinary
determination by the Head Coach; provided, however, that the committee may
instead refer any such appeal to the DMLC Board of Directors (“Board”) for its
determination.
b. Regarding All Other Members. Authority for enforcing the Rules, with respect to
Member parents, coaches, directors, officers, managers, administrators, agents
and employees, shall vest in the Committee; provided, however, that the
Committee may instead refer any such disciplinary matter to the Board for its
determination, in place of the Committee.
c. Available Sanctions.
(1) Disciplinary action by the Head Coach may include, but is not necessarily
limited to, any one or more of the following:
(i) Warnings;
(ii) Physical separation from other players;
(iii) Sending a player home from any DMLC practice, contest or event;
(iv) Notification to a player’s parents of Rule violations;
(v) Confiscation of any prohibited item;
(vi) Player’s repair or restitution of property;
(2) Disciplinary action by the Committee or the Board may include, but is not
necessarily limited to, any one or more of the following:
(i) Warnings;
(ii) Confiscation of any prohibited item;
(iii) Member’s repair or restitution of property;
(iv) Suspension from participation in one or more DMLC practices,
contests or events;
(v) Termination of DMLC membership; or
(vi) Denial of future DMLC membership.
6. Suspension or Termination of DMLC Membership
a. Pursuant to Section 13 Rules and Regulations of the Bylaws of Desert Mountain
Lacrosse Club, the President shall appoint a rules and discipline committee of the
Board (the “Rules and Discipline Committee”), acting at all times subject to the
oversight and approval of the Board, for the purpose of: (i) promulgating and
enforcing such rules and regulations for the conduct of the Corporation’s
activities, the admission, conduct, discipline and removal of its Members, the
management of the Team, and such other matters as it deems appropriate, all of
which, upon approval by act of the Board, shall be attached to these Bylaws as
Exhibit A; and all (ii) conducting and administering such disciplinary procedures
as the Board shall establish. The Rules and Discipline Committee shall consist of
not less than three (3) or more than nine (9) Members, at least one of which shall
be a coach.
b. The Board of Directors may suspend or terminate a Member of DMLC if it has
been determined that the conduct of the Member is adverse to the best interests of
the sport of lacrosse or DMLC. If a Member has not complied with the
requirements of his or her membership in DMLC, that Member may also be
suspended or terminated.
c. DMLC must recognize any rulings and/or suspensions given out by all
organizations under the jurisdiction of the USL and ALL when notified.
d. A suspension is to be considered a disciplinary action that is not permanent.
Suspension from the team prohibits a player and their parents from participating
in any club activity, event, practice or game for the duration of the suspension.
Suspended players are fully reinstated to the team at the conclusion of their
suspension.
e. Termination is the permanent removal of a Member’s membership in DMLC.
The duration of the membership termination (number of playing seasons) will be
determined in advance by the Board based on the severity of the offense.
f. Prior to a suspension or membership termination, the Rules and Discipline
Committee will provide the Member with a reasonable opportunity to present
evidence in support of the Member’s position. A disciplinary hearing will take
place in a timely fashion (within one week) and reasonable notice will be given to
the Member involved of the time and place of the hearing. The Rules and
Discipline Committee will provide the Member with a reasonable opportunity to
present evidence in support of the Member’s position. The complaint will be
reviewed at the hearing, the Rules and Disciplinary Committee will then make a
recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Member will be notified by
phone and in writing (email unacceptable) as to the disciplinary action being
taken against them. This process will take place in a timely fashion.
g. Because membership in DMLC belongs to the entire family, serious disciplinary
action against one member of the family (whether it is the player or a parent)
extends to the entire family. Therefore, if a parent is expelled from the team, then
the player loses their membership, as well. The board has the option at their will
to take into consideration families with more than one player participating on the
team; one player’s expulsion may not necessarily exclude a sibling from
participating. This decision will be solely at the board’s discretion. However,
parents who are expelled from the team can expect for the entire family
membership to be denied.
7. Other Determinations.
a. If occasions arise that are not fully covered by the Desert Mountain Lacrosse Club
Rules, Regulations and Bylaws, the Board shall have the power to decide whether
action shall be taken against a Member and what the final disciplinary action shall
be.
b. DMLC shall honor disciplinary determinations and sanctions, of which it receives
notice, issued by ALL or USL.
The foregoing Rules have been approved by the DMLC Board, effective for the current season.