USA Wrestling Utah is excited to release their new code of conduct. We encourage everyone to read the below code of conduct and reach out to us at dwdenton7@gmail.com with questions. At the bottom of this page you will find a PDF version that you can print off and/or use for your clubs.

USA WRESTLING UTAH CODE OF CONDUCT 

Purpose: This USA Wrestling Utah (“USAWU”) Code of Conduct has been developed to clarify and define standards of professional, ethical, and moral behavior expected of coaches, spectators, and wrestlers present at USAWU sanctioned events. 

• Athletes are #1! 
• Enjoyment of the sport – not winning – is everything. 
• Set a proper example of sportsmanship. 
• Wrestlers wrestle, Fans cheer and Coaches coach. 
• Respect the officials…we couldn’t do it without them! 
• Celebrate the wrestler – win or lose.

Expectations and Rules for Coaches, Spectators, & Wrestlers: This entails actions towards officials, opposing wrestlers, coaches, and fans, as well as your own wrestlers, parents, children, etc. 

Individuals shall not

• Use abusive or insulting language, profanity, taunting, or inciting behavior towards spectators, wrestlers (including your own children), officials, or coaches. (E.g., hand gestures, throwing items, etc.) \
• Use alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or any kind of electronic cigarettes or inhaling device during an USAWU sanctioned event.
  • This includes coming to events intoxicated or under the influence of any of these substances. 
• Have physical contact or attempt to initiate physical contact with the intent of intimidating or harming any official, wrestler, coach, or any other person. 
• Perform any type of intentional intimidation (Including but not limited to cyberbullying on social media, through texts, emails, calls, etc.). 

Individuals shall:

• Be an example of good sportsmanship. 
• Be aware of USAWU’s Zero Tolerance Policy regarding behavior towards officials. 
• Comply with the USA Wrestling Utah Code of Conduct. 
• The USAWU employee, Team Director, or Head Coach in charge of hosting a tournament shall remind attendees of USAWU’s Zero Tolerance Policy and that all attendees are subject to the USA Wrestling Utah Code of Conduct. 

Zero Tolerance Policy

• When speaking to an official, whether a youth or an adult, coaches shall:
  • Approach the table to speak to the official, 
  • Appropriately address the official, 
  • Ask questions in a respectful manner, 
  • Refrain from using derogatory language,
    • Examples of this include but are not limited to saying things like: Call it both ways, that was a terrible call, etc. 
  • When an ultimate decision is made, return to your corner respectfully, regardless of call. 
  • If you still feel the call is incorrect, approach the tournament’s head official or director. 

• We are lucky to have officials and will defend them as such. Understand that a violation of this Zero Tolerance Policy will result in punishment in accordance with the USA Wrestling Utah Code of Conduct’s ‘Disciplinary Measures’ as well as any other punishment the USA Wrestling Code of Conduct Committee (“COC Committee”) may deem appropriate. 

Disciplinary Measures

Tier 1 Infractions (Yellow Card): Tier 1 infractions will be handled by a team’s Head Coach or Director2. This infraction constitutes a warning and the team’s Head Coach or Director will inform the person of what is expected and what future warnings/infractions will result from similar conduct. 3 

• Using curse words or other demeaning language towards an official, athlete, or another person. 
• Refrain from using derogatory language and/or officiating from the corner. 
• Corrective Action:
  • Wrestler can continue to wrestle. 
    • Coach can continue to coach. 
    • Submit a COC incident report. 

Tier 2 Infractions (Red Card): Tier 2 infractions come with a mandatory sportsmanship training, COC Committee review for additional corrective action, and the possibility of at least a one-tournament ban. 

• Committing two or more Tier 1(Yellow Card) infractions at the same event or during the same season. 
• Using tobacco, an inhalation device, or alcohol at an event, or attending the event under the influence of any such substances. 
• Inviting another individual to fight, threating violence, raising your voice/aggressively cursing at another, bumping chests, inviting someone to take it outside, egging on another to confrontation etc. 
• Using slurs involving gender, race, etc. 
• Slandering a minor on social media. 
• Corrective Action:
  • The participant is disqualified from the current match (if a wrestler) and removed from mat side if coach or spectator. 
  • Offender has a one-tournament ban (next available USA sanctioned event tournament) (Final decision to be made by the COC Committee). 
  • Submit a COC Incident Report. 
  • Must complete the following required training courses and submit a certificate of completion prior to any further event participation.
    • The Parent Seat - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/the-parent-seat 
    • Positive Parenting within School Programs – https://nfhslearn.com/courses/positive-sport-parenting 
    • Bullying, Hazing, and Inappropriate Behaviors – https://nfhslearn.com/courses/bullying-hazing-and-inappropriate-behaviors 

Tier 3 Infractions (Red Card): Tier 3 infractions come with a mandatory tournament ban, COC Committee review for additional corrective action, mandatory sportsmanship training completion, and a future expectation meeting with USAWU President and/or Executive Committee prior to return. 4 

• Committing two or more Tier 2 infractions at the same event or during the same season. The third yellow card action is a red card with ejection from the tournament/event. 
• Actions that call for the ejection of the Wrestler, Coach, or Spectator. 
• Touching another individual in an aggressive and inappropriate manner (Decision to be review by head official prior to ejection). 
• Using an illegal substance at an event or coming to the event under the influence of an illegal substance. 
• Alcohol intoxication. (Decision made by the tournament director) 
• Corrective Action:
  • Offender is ejected from the tournament. 
  • Offender has at least a one-tournament ban and up to a one-season ban.3 
  • Submit a COC Incident Report 
  • Must complete the following required training courses and submit a certificate of completion prior to any further event participation.
    • The Parent Seat - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/the-parent-seat 
    • Positive Parenting within School Programs – https://nfhslearn.com/courses/positive-sport-parenting 
    • Bullying, Hazing, and Inappropriate Behaviors – https://nfhslearn.com/courses/bullying-hazing-and-inappropriate-behaviors 
    • Course for Anger (4-hour course) - https://courseforanger.com/ 
    • SafeSport Trained Core Course – https://uscenterforsafesport.org/training-and-education/safesport-courses-for-all/ 

*USAWU, the USAWU Board of Directors, and the COC Committee retain the right to take additional corrective action when it deems necessary.