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Zero Tolerance for Bullying and Hazing

SSVBC has an absolute zero-tolerance policy for bullying and hazing.  It will not be tolerated from anyone-PLAYERS OR PARENTS.  While we understand kids will be kids, there is absolutely no reason for a teammate to treat another badly.  A teammate is the #1 person you can count and depend on.  A player who has been picked on or alienated cannot be expected to perform at any level next to those who have treated them badly.  

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Also, we will be holding parents to this standard as well.  We will not tolerate parents berating teammates, coaches, opposing players and coaches or club staff. Nor will we tolerate negative, degrading or yelling of negative comments about players, referees or coaches on the sidelines.  USA Volleyball is cracking down on this to the point of asking parents to leave even if they are "getting on" to their own player.  Thus coaching from the sidelines is strictly prohibited--and your player will be advised to ignore comments from any and all parents.   

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Any player or parent found to be in violation could result in the player being immediately released from the team with no refund.  

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**What Is Considered Bullying & Hazing?


According to the US Department of Health & Human Services and the Stop Bullying program, “Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated and ongoing”  The KEY here is REPEATED and ONGOING.  While we understand that someone can say something mean, well they are just being mean, it doesn't mean they are a bully or that someone is being bullied.  

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Bullying can take many forms. Verbal bullying includes teasing, name-calling, taunting, or threatening to cause harm. Physical bullying includes hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking or breaking someone’s things, or making mean or rude hand gestures.

 

And finally bullying can be social, often times called ‘relational bullying’, when someone is left out on purpose, when someone tells kids to not be friends with someone, when a child spreads rumors about another kid, or when a child intentionally embarrasses another child in public.

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Hazing is taking these same activities of harassment, abuse or humiliation and using them as a way of initiating a person into a group or a team.

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**reprinted from Bullying and Hazing in Youth Sports, October, 2015, USAVolleyball.com  Click HERE to read the full article.  

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