THE NYC FOOTY “TED LASSO”

CODE OF CONDUCT

[This code of conduct was made in partnership with Women in Soccer (WIS) and adapted for our community.]

At NYC Footy we believe wholeheartedly in the importance of a community that shares in a collective vision of inclusion and respect, both on and off the pitch. 

We  have curated a wonderful community and it is in the best interests of our staff and community (and sanity) to protect its integrity.  

This code of conduct represents a subset of NYC Footy values that serve as our cultural guidelines, drawing inspiration from none other than Ted Lasso. Honoring this code is essential to being a part of NYC Footy. Though this is written in a fun and friendly way, we are very serious in our adherence to it.

NYC Footy reserves the right to take necessary action when a player or players exhibit behavior that goes against our Code of Conduct. Such action may include suspension or expulsion from NYC Footy programs. 

Without further ado,  the NYC Footy Ted Lasso Code of Conduct.

We want this to somewhat memorable, so we’ve found ourselves a soccer-inspired acronym:

AT NYC FOOTY, WE KICK.

WE LEAD WITH KINDNESS 

WE ARE INCLUSIVE

WE CALL IT IN (AS OPPOSED TO CALLING OUT)

WE KEEP IT CLEAN

WE LEAD WITH KINDNESS

WE EXPECT YOU TO ADD TO THE CULTURE OF RESPECT AND HONESTY THAT WE HAVE CAREFULLY CURATED FOR HERE AT NYC FOOTY.

NYC Footy has been around for over a decade now, and over that period, we’ve managed to attract the finest humans NYC has to offer - exhibiting generosity, good humor and kindness on and off the field.

Kindness is where our culture begins, and we are protective of it at all costs - on and off the pitch, in emails, text messages and even at the post-game bar. 

We value mutual respect and honesty as the most tangible form of kindness. 

NYC Footy is a league that welcomes all players over the age of 18 and will prioritize an equitable, inclusive environment that fosters diversity and a space for all members to thrive.

We trust all league participants to embrace the inclusive spirit of a mixed gender league and create a team that represents people with diverse backgrounds including but not limited to gender, gender expression and identity, sexual orientation, physical appearance, race, religion and lived experiences.

While we do establish a criteria for female minimums on teams, we do not judge gender based on physical appearance. We expect teams, and not NYC Footy staff,  to be responsible for holding our mixed gender minimum criteria on the pitch.

Additionally, as a mixed gender league, we recognize that the male/female gender binary is insufficient in describing all gender identities. One inclusive and useful strategy for any player or group of players is the use of pronouns. It is a simple approach to help ensure that folks have the opportunity to share with others how they choose to identify. This is particularly useful upon meeting teammates and/or staff for the first time.

INCLUSIVITY ALSO MEANS NOBODY IS BIGGER THAN THE TEAM

“You might be so sure that you're one in a million, you forget that out there you're just one in 11." - Coach Lasso 

The team and your soccer community comes first, regardless of your talent on the field. This includes managing the intensity of the game and handling personality conflicts with respect at all times.

WE CALL IT IN

IF YOU SEE SOMEONE CROSSING A LINE, CALL THEM IN (PRIVATELY, RESPECTFULLY) 

Our ultimate goal is to promote a safe, friendly environment for all current and aspiring members. Unfortunately,  no one, including us, will always get it 100% right. 

To “call-in” is an alternative to “call-out”. It means having a conversation with an individual who has used oppressive language or behavior as opposed to making a spectacle out of the incident.

We understand that if an incident is particularly emotionally charged for someone, calling-in may be difficult. Please use NYC Footy ([email protected])  and/or Women in Soccer ([email protected]) as a resource to help mediate this conversation.

WE KEEP IT CLEAN

KEEP WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME - “FOOTBALL IS LIFE!”

We:

• Prioritize a friendly, injury-free game

• Will not tolerate putting others in danger or using abusive language on or off the field (including emails to NYC Footy Admins)

• Welcome competitive banter, but will draw the line when it becomes disrespectful to any other person. Keep in mind safe moments for you may not be safe moments for someone else. 

• Know we’ll fail to get everything right, but promise we are doing our best

• Bullet everything

Get familiar with NYC Footy’s rules and policies on red cards, yellow cards, and physical altercations so you know how to play in a way that is safe, fun, and keeps the spirit of the game alive. 

“Heck, you could fill two internets with what I don’t know about football.” - Coach Lasso 

If you screw up we forgive you. If we screw up, we hope you'll forgive us. This document will serve as goalposts (pun maybe intended) to support our efforts towards  our goal (pun maybe intended) of providing a kind, inclusive and overall pleasant culture for everyone.,

Violation of this code of conduct may result in removal from the league in temporary or permanent fashion at the discretion of NYC Footy admin.

Now, LET’S GO RICHMOND FOOTY!

WHAT IS NYC FOOTY? 

NYC Footy is a mixed gender adult soccer league based in New York. Home to thousands of players, our mission is to get as many people on the pitch playing soccer as possible, through leagues, practices or tournaments. 

We’re competitive, but not ridiculous and we welcome all humans to come join the community and add to our culture of fun, good humor and camaraderie. 

WHAT IS WOMEN IN SOCCER (WIS)? 

Women In Soccer (WIS) is a free network on a mission to connect and support all women and marginalized individuals who love the beautiful game, with a specific focus on making the soccer industry a more equitable place. Join their movement (allies welcome!). 

Learn more at https://womeninsoccer.org/how-it-works and read the WIS Welcome Letter for more insight on their commitment to inclusion.