08/24/2026
ICTYFL ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY
Coaches, parents, and spectators.. we must set the example!
Disrespectful arguments, personal attacks, threats, and negative social media exchanges will not be tolerated. Violations may result in warnings, game penalties, removal from events, coach suspensions, parent bans, or additional league discipline.
Repeated parent misconduct could also affect a player’s eligibility when a safe arrangement cannot be established.
Protect the players. Respect the game. Keep personal conflicts off the field and social media! 🏈
Please take time to get familiar with our expectations and guidelines below : 👇
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
ICTYFL Sportsmanship and Social Media Conduct Bylaw
Section 1 — Purpose
ICTYFL is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and positive environment for every player, coach, parent, official, volunteer, and organization. The league has zero tolerance for ongoing disrespect, harassment, threats, intimidation, or negative public behavior that damages the league or youth football community.
Participation in ICTYFL is a privilege. Everyone representing a member organization is expected to conduct themselves professionally on the field, in the stands, online, and at all league-related activities.
Section 2 — Prohibited Conduct
The following conduct is prohibited:
* Coaches, directors, or team representatives engaging in disrespectful back-and-forth arguments.
* Insulting, threatening, intimidating, or harassing another coach, parent, player, official, volunteer, organization, or league representative.
* Parents or spectators engaging in hostile exchanges at games or on social media.
* Posting or sharing disrespectful comments, accusations, rumors, personal attacks, threatening messages, or misleading information about another team or individual.
* Encouraging others to attack, embarrass, or harass someone online.
* Continuing a public disagreement after being instructed by the league or organization to stop.
* Using players, team pages, group chats, or social media accounts to continue adult conflicts.
* Retaliating against anyone who reports misconduct in good faith.
Constructive criticism and respectful disagreement are allowed. Personal attacks, harassment, threats, and behavior that creates an unsafe or hostile environment are not.
Section 3 — Responsibility of Organizations
Each organization is responsible for the behavior of its coaches, staff members, parents, spectators, and official team social media accounts.
Coaches and directors must make a reasonable effort to stop inappropriate behavior connected to their organization. Ignoring, encouraging, or participating in the misconduct may result in additional discipline against the coach or organization.
Section 4 — Reporting and Review
Reports should include screenshots, videos, witness statements, messages, or other available evidence. Reports must be submitted to the League Director or designated disciplinary committee.
Before discipline is issued:
1. The accused individual or organization will be notified of the complaint.
2. They will be given an opportunity to provide a response.
3. The league will review the available evidence.
4. The league will issue a written decision when practical.
The league may take immediate temporary action when necessary to protect players, families, officials, or the integrity of an event.
Section 5 — Progressive Discipline
Depending on the seriousness, frequency, and impact of the conduct, consequences may include:
First offense
* Verbal or written warning.
* Required removal of inappropriate social media content.
* Meeting with league leadership.
* Written acknowledgment of league conduct expectations.
Second offense
* Official league probation.
* Removal from the sideline or facility for a designated period.
* One-game suspension for a coach or team representative.
* Pregame administrative or sportsmanship penalty against the team, when permitted by applicable playing rules.
Third or repeated offense
* Multiple-game suspension.
* Loss of coaching or sideline privileges.
* Parent or spectator ban from league events.
* Team or organization probation.
* Additional administrative game penalties.
Severe misconduct
Threats, intimidation, discriminatory harassment, attempts to provoke violence, or conduct creating an immediate safety risk may result in:
* Immediate removal from the facility.
* Indefinite suspension pending review.
* Season-long suspension or permanent league ban.
* Team forfeiture when misconduct prevents a game from being safely completed.
* Referral to facility security or law enforcement when appropriate.
The league is not required to follow each disciplinary step when the conduct is severe.
Section 6 — Parent and Spectator Misconduct
Parents and spectators are responsible for their own conduct. The league will generally discipline the responsible adult before taking action against a player.
Consequences may include:
* Warning the parent or spectator.
* Removing the individual from the facility.
* Restricting the individual from attending future league events.
* Requiring an approved adult representative to accompany the player.
* Placing the organization on probation.
A player will not automatically be suspended because of an adult’s behavior. However, temporary player suspension may be considered as a last resort when:
* The responsible adult repeatedly violates league directives.
* The adult refuses to comply with a facility or event ban.
* No safe and reasonable participation arrangement can be established.
* The behavior creates a continuing safety risk or substantially disrupts league operations.
Any action affecting a player must be reviewed by league leadership and kept as limited as reasonably possible.
Section 7 — Team Game Penalties
When authorized by the league’s governing playing rules, repeated misconduct connected to a team may result in the team beginning its next game with an administrative sportsmanship penalty.
Possible penalties may include:
* Loss of a timeout.
* Field-position penalty.
* Unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.
* Restriction of designated sideline personnel.
* Forfeiture in extreme or repeated cases.
The specific penalty must be communicated to both teams and the game officials before kickoff.
Section 8 — Appeals
A disciplined individual or organization may submit a written appeal within 72 hours of receiving the decision. The appeal must explain why the decision should be reconsidered and include any supporting evidence.
The disciplinary action will remain in effect during the appeal unless league leadership determines otherwise. The appeal decision will be final.
Section 9 — Acknowledgment
All member organizations must provide this bylaw to their coaches, staff members, parents, and spectators. Registration and participation in ICTYFL constitute agreement to follow this policy.
Our message is simple: adults must set the example. Protect the players, respect the game, and keep personal conflicts away from the field and social media.
