Coaches' Code of Ethics

1.0 Royal Dutch figure Skating Association Mission Statement

Royal Dutch Figure Skating association is an Association dedicated to the principles of enabling every Dutch person to participate in skating throughout their lifetime for fun, fitness and/or achievement.

2.0 Coaching Statement

To strive to improve and recognize coaches and to promote continuous coaching development through education and communication.

3.0 Introduction

This mission can only be accomplished successfully if all
stakeholders involved in the sport of skating (including skaters and
parents, coaches and judges/evaluators, officials and club directors)
share a common vision and understanding of their role to create and maintain a positive learning environment. However, it is the actions of each stakeholder that ultimately contribute to or undermine the existence of a positive skating environment.

The onus of establishing and maintaining appropriate ethical
behaviour in the pursuit of this worthwhile objective falls on and
must be accepted by the leaders in our sport. At the club or
sanctioned skating school, these people are the coaches, sport
officials, judges/evaluators and club directors.

4.0 Ethical Conduct

To understand the fundamental principles of ethical conduct it is
useful to review the definition of the word "ethical":

Relating to morals or moral principles;
Philosophy that governs human character and conduct i.e.; the
distinction between right and wrong and/or moral duty and obligations to the community; Originating from the Greek word "theos", meaning character.

5.0 Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Skater and
Parent

5.1) To assist one's skating student to determine realistic goals and
objectives in the sport.

5.2) To provide the skater and parent/s with the basic information
necessary to enable them to choose a realistic and affordable course
of action to achieve these goals and objectives.

5.3) To outline clearly one's coaching services available including
cost and method of payment for such services.

5.4) To provide such coaching services as agreed or contracted to
each student.

5.6) To maintain the skater's best interests at heart when making
decisions that will affect the skater's advancement through the sport.

5.7) To be ever mindful of the influence one can exercise over one's
skating students and to never abuse this trust.

5.8) To avoid making promises or giving guarantees to the skater
and/or parents of test or competitive achievement but rather
endeavour to restrict dialogue to the skater's personal skating
development.

5.9) To communicate as regularly and effectively as possible with the skater and parent/s as to the skater's progress, changes in skating rules or club regulations, or other important or relevant information affecting the skater's participation in the sport.

5.10) To respect the fact that a skater and/or parent/s have the
right to contract the services of another coach to either replace or
supplement the student's instruction.

6.0 Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Sport

6.1) To maintain :
a current working knowledge of ISU, KNSB, Section and club
rule changes, policies, regulations and programs so as to be able to
deliver the product of skating in a professional manner.

6.2) To maintain professional competence by continually pursuing
educational and professional upgrading including knowledge in related fields beneficial to skating (e.g. the performing arts, sport
science, sport psychology, officiating, etc.).

6.3) To exhibit the important character traits of honesty,
reliability/dependability and cooperation when dealing with all
participants in the sport so as to bring credit to the profession.

6.4) To share responsibility with coaching colleagues,
judges/evaluators and club officials to initiate and support actions
that are required to meet the needs of the skaters, the club and
skating in general.

6.5) To actively participate in the development and/or maintenance of desirable standards of coaching practice, education, certification
and working conditions in the sport.

6.6) To dress in a neat, clean and appropriate manner that is
becoming a member of this profession.

6.7) To give back a certain portion of time, effort and knowledge to
the sport as a volunteer.

6.8) To promote the KNSB and its' programs and the sport of
skating in general.

7.0 Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Club/Skating /School

7.1) To accurately represent one's technical, educational and
professional credentials and resume.

7.2) To accept personal responsibility for providing and delivering
coaching services in a professional manner.

7.3) To help ensure that a positive learning environment is
maintained in the club.

7.4) To negotiate coaching contracts in good faith and honour their
terms.

7.5) To treat members of the club with respect and fairness.

8.0 Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to Professional
Colleagues

8.1) To strive to create and maintain cooperative relationships with
coaching colleagues for the purpose of ensuring a positive skating
environment.

8.2) To avoid criticizing another coach's teaching methods,
techniques and/or opinions unless done so with the coach's knowledge
or permission.

8.3) To respect the fact that a coach becomes the base coach of a
skating student from the moment that a skater contracts the services
of that coach, whether individually or in a group situation, and that
other coaches must initiate discussion about a skater's training only
through the base coach.

8.4) To respect a coach/skater and/or parent/s' relationship and not
solicit or cause to be solicited, directly or indirectly, or through
a third party the skater/s of another coach.

8.5) To pursue the following course of conduct in the event that any
of the following or similar situations occur:

(a) To communicate clear, precise guidelines or parameters to a
coaching colleague whose services one wishes to retain on a temporary or permanent basis to assist, supplement or replace one's services currently being rendered and to communicate these parameters to the skater and/or parent/s.

(b) To obtain authorization and clear, precise instructions from a
coaching colleague as to what the coach wishes to be done with the
skater in the absence of the coach or agreed upon team coaching
situation and do nothing to undermine the base coach/skater and/or
parent/s' relationship.

(c) To immediately advise a coaching colleague and seek confirmation from that coach that all undisputed coaching and/or related skating bills are paid or arranged to be paid to the reasonable satisfaction of the coach and/or club upon being approached by a skater and/or parent/s who request to contract your services. This is to ensure that the proper procedure occurs when taking on a new skater as a student. The parent should have discussed the situation with the previous coach and informed him/her of the change to the new coach. All bills should have been paid to the former coach prior to coaching a new student.