First of all, we respect all the principles from the code of behaviour that England Basketball sets (updated January 2016) and we mentioned in the notes above.
In addition to previous, I add some more codes which my team should respect:
· Confidence to coaching staff. Initially, we want our players to trust only us in basketball issues. Parents or friends have an important role in everybody’s life, but in basketball matters they should listen to the opinion of the coach. Coaches are people who discuss with the player’s family environment all the issues may occur. If confidence to a coach is lost, then this head coach can’t train this team anymore.
· Team issues and problems should be solved among us. The team is like a family. We shouldn’t make our problems public. There are many people (board meeting, coaching staff, team manager) with whom a player can discuss any issue. If a player participates to another teams (school team, national team), he/she is obliged to respect the privacy of his/her club’s issues.
· Coaches, players and staff must respect anyone who is involved with the team or the championship (teammates, stadium staff, opponents, officials, anti-doping authorities, fans). For any problem that may occur there is hierarchy in the club and specific administration about any issue. Players should discuss any problem with the team manager or the coaching staff trying to find solutions.
· Do not permit any use of offensive language to anyone. The club has decided upon specific penalties in these occasions. The goal is the understanding of unacceptable behavior and not the punishment. For this reason, we usually avoid the prize penalties and we propose that the player, who has displayed unacceptable behavior, invite the team for a dinner showing in this way that he/she has regretted about his/her attitude. In this way, the atmosphere in the team will improve.
· Everybody knows the birthdays and name day of others in the team. We consider it to be very important to wish each other. If we decide to celebrate for one player with a cake in the court, we must do so for everyone during the season.
· Our relationships rely on candid communication. We don’t discuss about other team members if this person is not present.
· Punctuality is the base of the respect in our team. Having many ways of communication, there are no excuses about any kind of delay.
· The club prepares and distributes a leaflet to fans/parents with the codes of ethics which we want to be followed and respected during the season.
· Coaching staff co-operates with the parents about the educational goals of the players. We asked from the players their degrees and if these are not combined with the goals, we reduce the number of sessions for specific players until they improve again at school.
· Our first goal at the beginning of the season is to be more connected as a team at the end of the season.
· We win as a team; we lose as a team. We are looking for personal happiness through the team’s success.
· We don’t criticize anyone. This is the first step to be a loser.
· We are looking for mistakes and ways to solve them after any victory or defeat. We should identify and admit them. But we must learn from them and get over them.
· We don’t want to make serious decisions, but to succeed small daily victories against our previous bad habits.
· Part of our job and part of the game is to motivate each other. The best way is through setting a personal working example.
· Behaviors outside the court that affect our team’s efforts should be controlled. For instance, resting at night before an important game, sport nutrition, endurance and good body shape/ physical condition, is possible to be divided from the respectful attitude opposite our teammates and colleagues.
· Loyalty, friendship, enthusiasm, honesty, self-control are some mental skills that all team members try to improve on a daily basis, because the nature of this sport is not to oppress the individual’s personality.
· Complying with the rules of hygiene in all team events, regardless of personal preferences.
· Injured players or patients are present in the basketball sessions if their health condition allows. They participate in parts of training which they can (video analysis, weights).
· Gynaecological issues should be discussed with the team’s doctor or female team manager. Menstruation is not a reason for a day off, unless if doctor has advised that it should be. Players should train their body during these days, because the game day may possibly coincide with an athlete’s menstruation. For players under 18, their parents are informed and it is an issue whenever they can inform the coaching staff about.
· “Sacred” moments during trainings are stretching time and shooting drills.
· We don’t use photos, videos and other references regarding the team and individuals in the social media without their prior agreement.
· Everybody in our team sacrifice themselves for the team. The head coach comes first and then the rest follow. We try to share part of ourselves and be open. We prefer to lose some things in the present (comfort, ease, rewards) in order to succeed something bigger in the future. The sensibility that we succeed something special all together.
· Nobody except for the coaching staff and players can attend the basketball sessions.