WEST DEVON COUNTY NETBALL ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT NETBALL LEAGUE
RULES & REGULATIONS
These Rules and Regulations will be issued to all Plymouth & District Netball League (PDNL) clubs/teams when they first join. All Clubs/teams are expected to abide by the contents of this scheme of rules and regulations. As revisions are made new versions/pages will be circulated. Any correspondence relating to the PDNL Rules and Regulations must be put in writing to the West Devon County Netball Association (WDCNA) General Secretary. These rules and regulations were first issued in October 2003 by the PDNL and have been amended and re-issued in 2005,2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015 following the amalgamation of the West Devon County Netball Association and the Plymouth & District Netball League.
1. CODE OF CONDUCT
The West Devon County Netball Association is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy Netball in an atmosphere free from threat and intimidation, harassment and abuse.
England Netball (EN) have produced 12 new conduct codes. The new codes of conduct set out the standards of behaviour expected in our sport. ‘The League’ have adopted eight of these conduct codes:
· 6.1 Codes of Conduct for Athletes
· 6.2 Codes of Conduct for Coaches
· 6.3 Codes of Conduct for Umpires
· 6.4 Codes of Conduct for Table Officials
· 6.5 Codes of Conduct for Tutors, Assessors, Testers, Trainers & Verifiers
· 6.6 Codes of Conduct for Volunteers
· 6.7 Codes of Conduct for Team Manager
· 6.8 Codes of Conduct for Parents & Carers
The new Codes of Conduct are available from the General Secretary or Welfare Officer; key points are highlighted below which may help member to recognise the importance of these new conduct codes and why it is imperative we bring ‘The League’ in line with EN.
· In particular the new codes of conduct state that members should control their temper and never argue with an official during a game. It also states that members should not consume alcoholic drinks, or illegal substances or smoke either immediately prior to or whilst playing. This is particularly important in our pursuit to create a professional image of ‘The League’ in all facilities it uses around the City of Plymouth and the region of West Devon.
· The new codes of conduct also highlight that social Media should not be used to bring the game into disrepute or to make inappropriate comments about the membership. This is a particularly important area, and brings the conduct codes up to date with modern society.
· The conduct code for umpires and coaches highlight the need for both umpires and coaches to be kept up to date with qualifications and highlighting the responsibility they have of safeguarding and protecting our young players. This also encourages coaches and umpires to be competent and professional within the league.
· The conduct code for umpires states that they should enforce the rules of the game, to apply them fairly and to effectively control the game to ensure the safety of players at all times. This coincides with the revision of the complaints procedure which places the onus on captains to address umpires during the game if they feel there is a breach to the rules or conduct.
· There is also a code of conduct for parents and carers, highlighting their responsibility to encourage their children and to conduct themselves whilst supporting. This sits alongside the standards of behaviour ‘The League’ expects from its membership.
The WDCNA Committee will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to ensure that RP’s welfare and safety is protected with regard to photographic and other forms of publicity. Each Team/Clubs and its constituent RP's must also take their own measures to ensure the safety of their membership. ‘The League’ reserve the right to refuse the taking of unauthorised publicity and training material at any of its events.
2. MEMBERSHIP
To be a member of the League the following rules apply:
2.1. Registered Participants: An RP is a person who plays, coaches, umpires or organises Netball or who is in any way concerned or connected with Netball within the City of Plymouth and its surrounding districts. They must also be affiliated to ENGLAND NETBALL, either through a club or through the County. RP’s must also be fourteen years of age on or before 1st September preceding the first fixture of the season to be eligible to play in the Senior League, however, if there is a talented young player, aged under 14, who is playing within the Regional Excel Programme, recommendation may be sought by the players’ club/team from the Netball South West, Regional Development Coach/Talent and Performance Centre Head Coach and/or Regional Excel Head Coach for them to play in the Senior League. Any recommendation then needs to be sent to the West Devon County Netball Association Committee for discussion and ratification. On receipt of a request from a club/team to play a young player, under the age of 14, within the Senior League the Committee may also seek advice from Netball’s governing body (EN). Where a player aged under 14 is granted permission to participate in the Senior League they must affiliate to EN in order to meet with EN guidelines.
In the case of players aged under 14 years of age playing in the Netball Junior League the RP must be the relevant age for the leagues defined in the Netball Junior Rules and Regulations section. All RP’s must also pay the EN affiliation fee along with any other associated fees set by WDCNA and Netball South West.
2.2. Clubs/Teams- a club/team shall be a Netball Club or the Netball section of a
· sports club
· youth club
· community club or a college.
All the members of such a club/team or section must be a RP.
2.3. Honorary Members – From time to time the WDCNA Committee will utilise its discretion to award honorary membership to those who have given exceptional service to the League. These honorary members will be considered to be an RP.
3. ANNUAL REGISTRATION OF CLUBS, TEAMS AND REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS
3.1. By 16 June annually, clubs/teams wishing to enter ‘The League’ for the next season must complete and forward the League Annual Enrolment Form to the Membership Secretary. The forms must be fully completed and contain the following information:
• Name, address, telephone number(s) & email address of club/team Secretary plus reserve contact person & club/team Welfare Officer. (Only the Welfare officer and the Secretary can be the same person if the club so decides.)
• Where a club has more than one team playing within the League, the full details of a nominated person from each additional team should also be included.
· Number of teams to be entered and Names of those teams where possible.
· For each team that is going to play in the coming season, the names of all the RP’s who played in that team in the previous season and who will be continuing their membership in that team in the next season must be indicated.
· Any new RP’s who will be playing in that team in the forthcoming season. Occasionally, the Committee might need to get signed confirmation by the players concerned.
· Any additional details, e.g. umpiring/coaching qualifications should also be included on this form.
3.2. Where, a club/team is unable to list five or more of the previous season’s RP’s per team, the Committee will need to ensure that each team is likely to be of the standard appropriate for the relevant division. If the Committee is not satisfied they will liaise with the club/team and then make an informed decision as to whether or not their affiliation is viable and if so which division the team should play in.
3.3. The Committee can, at its discretion, accept late enrolments:
· From new clubs
· At the resolution of any disciplinary action that has been agreed by the Committee through the appropriate disciplinary procedures.
3.4. On receipt of the League Annual Enrolment Form, the Membership Secretary will inform the Committee of the number of teams who have expressed an interest in affiliating for the forthcoming season. This will enable the Committee to formulate the league structure for the coming season.
3.5. Where a club/team wishes to play a new player, they must affiliate that player as a registered participant on the night that they play at the very latest. This is done by writing the word “New Reg” on the team sheet next to that player’s name. Team/club secretary must also ensure that the “New Reg” player details are submitted to EN via the online process before the player proceeds to play in any fixture for that team/club and that payment is completed in line with EN requirements.
3.6.No more than 2 new RP’s may play for a club/team in any one match after the first match of the season.
3.7.RP’s may play for only one club/team within the league in any one season except where transfer rules and regulations have been properly followed. (see below)
3.8. A player registered with one club/team may transfer only once before 1st March in any one season to an alternative league club/team providing a Transfer Form is completed and authorised by both clubs/teams and received by the Membership Secretary before the player plays in any fixture for the new club/team.
3.9. Before any transfer arrangements are complete, the transfer fee along with the additional payment equivalent to an affiliation fee, must be paid in full by the new club/team to the original club/team. That player may not then transfer again in that same season.
3.10. A club/team which plays a league fixture with an unregistered player or a transferred player for whom the Membership Secretary has not received a completed Transfer Form will be liable to disciplinary action.
3.11. Any player who becomes a first claim RP with more than one Member Club at the same time will be liable to disciplinary action.
3.12. For purposes of EN registration’s there shall be not less than ten players registered in the first team of a club/team. With clubs who have more than one team at least a further seven players is required for each additional team.
3.13. Any clubs/teams wishing to split must inform the Committee of such arrangement as soon as possible.
3.14. Any such split will cause issues with ownership of the team(s) slots. The following will be considered in this order:
• How many players from the teams wishing to split will remain with the team
• The length of time each player has played for this team
• The length of time the team(s) have acted as a club
• Has the club got sufficient players of appropriate level to be able to fill the team
4. LEAGUE - DIVISIONAL STRUCTURE
4.1. The current structure is based on EIGHT status levels:
· Premier A Division being the highest
· Premier B Division
· Divisions 1 to 6 with Division 6 being the lowest
4.2. All divisions should consist of 10 teams where possible. Where appropriate all divisions will consist of an equal number of teams but when this is not possible the Committee will decide which divisions should have more than ten or less than ten teams.
4.3. New clubs/teams normally commence play in the lowest division, except under exceptional circumstances. New clubs/teams entering the league may be assessed, by the Committee, prior to entry and may be placed in the appropriate division providing that there is a place vacant in that division.
4.4. The structure may change from time to time according to the number of RP’s and club’s/teams entering the league. Small amendments to ‘The League’ playing structure can be implemented by the Committee so long as it has been/or will shortly be ratified by a membership meeting. Where major changes are required a full, properly quorate and conducted meeting of the affiliated membership will be required before any changes can be made.
4.5. From time to time the ‘The League’ may be oversubscribed. In these circumstances the Committee will endeavour to maintain a fair waiting list and if possible encourage current league clubs/teams to offer club/teams waiting to join friendly opportunities to play netball.
5. LEAGUE - PROMOTION, RELEGATION AND FIXTURES
5.1. At the end of each season The Committee will review the League outcomes and structure the League’s divisions accordingly for the following season having regard to:
· The final position of each team at the end of the preceding season
· Any outstanding or unresolved disciplinary matters. The Committee will accept representations from clubs/teams who feel they have a good case for the above criteria not being applied in cases of team relegation/promotion or dissolution.
5.2. The current promotions and relegation’s are:
· Premier A Division - relegate the two lowest teams
· Premier B Division - promote the top two teams, relegate the two lowest teams