IMPORTANT NOTICE - Match Day Discipline

The club are very concerned about the level of umpire dissent being shown during games and the lack of respect shown to umpires after matches.

We are aware that this is happening across all of our teams and we feel this is damaging our reputation as a friendly and welcoming club.

In order to address this we have revised our player code of conduct to add a piece directly related to umpires.

We believe that in addition to repairing the club's reputation this will also serve to improve your hockey experience as you are more likely to be playing with 11 on the field.

It is the club's intention to take a zero tolerance stance when considering cards given for umpire dissent or abuse.

On match days it is the responsibility of all club members and, in particular, club captains to support the umpire both on and off the field.

At home games it is expected that the team make the umpires welcome at our club especially if they are from the Association or other clubs. We will take a particularly strong approach to any abuse in the clubhouse after the match.
Whilst we would encourage you to discuss the game and ask for explanation of decisions these conversations should be balanced and polite, if you don't like the answer that does not give any right to direct anger / abuse at the umpire.

With immediate effect we will be implementing the following policy:
- if the club consider an individual yellow is worthy of follow up, the disciplinary committee will meet to discuss potential actions.
- if any player receives 3 yellow cards in a season they will be required to attend a disciplinary hearing. The committee will be considering measures up to and including playing bans.
- If a player receives a red card they will be required to attend a disciplinary hearing. The club will impose an additional playing ban on the player. (Our expectation at this time is that this will be a doubling of any County ban.)

We are publishing this note by all means we have in the club so you may receive this notification multiple times, in addition the club chairman will be talking to each team about our expectations before their next home matches.

If you have questions this is the time to raise them not after you have received cards!

In addition the Sussex Umpire Association has posted this message on their website this week;

It is important that umpires understand that 2 yellow cards to the same player cannot be given for dissent towards an umpire. If a yellow card has already been shown to a player for this, any repeat by the same player must result in a red card, with the resulting consequences.

So be under no illusion any red card for umpire abuse will result in a ban from playing.

Please work with us to ensure we remain a welcoming and friendly club to all our visitors.

thanks