Anti-Bully Policy

The Montgomery County Little League has adopted an anti-bully policy as a part of our safety plan. We consider the emotional well-being of our players to be as important as their physical health. Bullying may lead to anxiety and low self-esteem in youth who are targeted, but it can also cause players to feel unsafe. Youth of all ages deserve the right to feel safe and supported by all MCLL Board members, managers, coaches, players, umpires, volunteers, and parents. Creating an atmosphere where our kids can flourish is everyone's responsibility.

Bullying is behavior by one person or a group of people with the intent to ridicule, harass, humiliate or intimidate another person during league games, events and/or at league fields. Verbal bullying involves repetitive behavior and includes the use of words and gestures. Emotional bullying involves rejection, terrorizing, extorting, humiliating, rating/ranking personal characteristics such as race, disability, ethnicity, or perceived sexual orientation. Physical bullying can include a single incident of pushing, hitting, or kicking a person or interfering with their property.

Incidents of bullying must be reported to a team manager, coach, player agent, league commissioner, president, or other league official. In addition, the incident should be recorded on the league’s online incident report http://www.mclittleleague.org/coaches/incident-report.

If an individual associated with the league including, managers, coaches, parents, players, volunteers and spectators, have participated in bullying, a warning will be given to the individual. The league President, at his discretion and in consultation with the executive board, may issue suspensions or expulsions, or involve law enforcement.

To prevent bullying, coaches should make players and parents aware of this anti-bullying policy, make team camaraderie a priority to foster respect amongst players. Parents should ask open-ended questions, such as “Tell me about practice”, and pay attention to children with changes in wanting to attend practices. Players should know that the strongest leaders are not those that just refrain from bullying, but those that help stop it from happening.