NATIONAL COMMUNITY FOOTBALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION – COACH

NATIONAL COMMUNITY FOOTBALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION – COACH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

By submitting an Application, I confirm that:

(a) if I am the Coach, I have read, understood and agree to these Terms and Conditions, and confirm that the statements made and details provided in the Application are true and correct; or

(b) if I am registering a Coach who is under 18 years of age, I have authority to do so, agree to these Terms and Conditions on the Coach’s behalf, and confirm that the statements made and details provided in the Application are true and correct. I acknowledge that submitting an Application does not guarantee registration or Accreditation, and that the Football Bodies may refuse an Application in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

1. DEFINITIONS

Accreditation has the meaning given in the Policy Handbook.

Activity means a Match, program, event or activity (including training) which is reasonably connected to Australian Football and within the purview of the Policy Handbook.

AFL means Australian Football League (ACN 004 155 211).

Application means the application to register a Coach for participation in Australian Football.

Australian Football has the meaning given in the Policy Handbook, and includes any Activity connected with it.

Coach means a person registered or applying to be registered to coach or hold a coaching-related role in accordance with the Rules and Policies.

Competition means any Australian Football competition in which a Coach participates under these Terms and Conditions.

Club means the club for which a Coach is registered or applying to be registered, appointed or participating in Australian Football.

Controlling Body has the meaning given in the Policy Handbook.

Fee means any fee payable in connection with a Coach’s registration or participation in Australian Football, as shown at registration.

Footage means photos, images, video, livestreams, recordings and audio that feature the Coach.

Football Body means the AFL, relevant Controlling Body or League involved in the Coach’s registration or participation in Australian Football.

Laws of the Game means the Laws of Australian Football as administered and controlled by the AFL and set out at https://play.afl/learning-resource/laws-game, as amended from time to time.

League means the league, association or body responsible for the organisation and conduct of the Competition in which the Coach participates.

Match means any Australian Football match played in a Competition.

Parent/Guardian means, where the Coach is under 18 years of age, the Coach’s parent, legal guardian or another person with legal authority to register the Coach and accept these Terms and Conditions on the Coach’s behalf.

Policy Handbook means the National Community Football Policy Handbook, as amended from time to time by the AFL.

 Rules and Policies is given the meaning in clause 2(a) of these Terms and Conditions.

Terms and Conditions means these National Community Football Terms and Conditions of Participation – Coach, as amended from time to time.

2. RULES AND POLICIES

(a) The Coach must comply with these Terms and Conditions, the Policy Handbook, the Laws of the Game, the applicable Accreditation requirements and any applicable policies, regulations, by-laws, rules and determinations made or adopted by the Football Bodies (Rules and Policies).

(b) Failure to comply with the Rules and Policies may result in action being taken under the Policy Handbook or other applicable rules, including suspension and/or deregistration, revocation of Accreditation or refusal of appointments in any coaching-related roles.

3. SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

(a) The AFL is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people involved in community Australian Football.

(b) All Coaches are required to comply with child safeguarding requirements under the Rules and Policies as well as any obligations they are subject to under relevant state or territory child safeguarding legislation.

(c) If the Coach is under 18 years of age, the Parent/Guardian must

i. understand and comply with the applicable safeguarding and behavioural standards under the Policy Handbook;

ii. support the Coach to understand and comply with those standards in an age-appropriate way; and

iii. report any serious or ongoing safeguarding or behavioural concern to an appropriate Football Body.

(d) If a person believes that a child or young person is at imminent risk of harm or immediate danger, or that conduct towards a child or young person may constitute a criminal offence, they must call 000 and lodge a report with the AFL via the AFL’s electronic complaint submission platform.

(e) If a person believes that another person has committed a breach of the safeguarding requirements in the Policy Handbook, they should contact the relevant Football Body as soon as possible and submit a written complaint in accordance with the Policy Handbook.

4. ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION

(a) The Coach acknowledges that: i. before coaching Australian Football, they must meet the applicable eligibility and Accreditation requirements under the Policy Handbook; and ii. Accreditation does not guarantee appointment to any coaching role. The relevant Club or Football Body (where applicable) remains responsible for determining whether a Coach is eligible and suitable for the coaching role in accordance with the Policy Handbook and applicable Rules and Policies.

(b) To register, a Coach must complete the Application, pay any applicable Fee and accept these Terms and Conditions. If the Coach is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian must do those things on their behalf.

(c) The Coach, or if they are under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian warrants that:

i. the information provided is true, accurate and up to date

ii. the Coach meets the age and eligibility requirements for the relevant Competition and Football Bodies; and

iii. where the Coach is under 18 years of age, their PlayHQ account is created and managed by a Parent/Guardian or other adult with lawful authority.

(d) After applying for or being granted Accreditation, the Coach must notify the AFL within seven (7) days if they are charged with or convicted of a criminal offence, or if their working with children check or equivalent has expired, been suspended or been revoked.

(e) The Coach understands that false or misleading information may make the Coach ineligible or result in registration, Accreditation or appointment being refused, suspended or revoked.

(f) The AFL will not action a request to access, transfer or change a Coach profile or account unless the person making the request has appropriate authority, subject to applicable law and the Privacy Policy.

5. HEALTH AND SAFETY

(a) If the Coach is aware of any medical condition, injury, allergy, disability, medication requirement, support need or other matter that may reasonably affect their safe participation in Australian Football, or for which they seek adjustments or support, they should provide relevant information to the relevant Football Body. Where the Coach is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian should provide that information on their behalf.

(b) The Coach must keep this information, and emergency contact details, accurate and up to date. If the Coach is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian must do this on their behalf.

(c) Where the Coach is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian remains responsible for:

i. supervising and supporting the Coach's health, wellbeing and medical needs; and

ii. providing any medication, treatment, equipment or support required by the Coach unless otherwise expressly agreed by the relevant Football Body.

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK

(a) Australian Football is a body contact sport, and participation in Australian Football activities involves inherent risks, including the risk of serious injury.

(b) To the extent permitted by law, the Coach agrees not to bring a claim against a Football Body or its officers, employees, agents or volunteers for loss, damage or injury that arises solely from the inherent risks of participation. If the Coach is under 18 years of age, the Coach’s Parent/Guardian gives this agreement on the Coach’s behalf.

(c) To the extent permitted by law, a Football Body’s liability for services supplied in connection with registration or participation is limited to resupplying the services, paying the cost of resupply, or refunding the amount paid for the affected services.

(d) Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified, including under the Australian Consumer Law.

7. INSURANCE AND PERSONAL ACCIDENT COVER

(a) Registered Coaches may be covered under the AFL National Risk Protection Program for certain sports injury benefits, subject to the applicable terms, conditions, exclusions and eligibility requirements of the personal accident cover. Coaches should enquire with the Football Body with whom they are registering to confirm whether they will be covered under the AFL National Risk Protection Program.

(b) The personal accident cover provided under the AFL National Risk Protection Program is not comprehensive and in particular does not provide cover for expenses that cannot lawfully be insured, including medical expenses for which a Medicare benefit is payable and the Medicare gap. Coaches should consider their own personal circumstances including any need to procure their own private health or other personal insurance, loss of income protection or ambulance cover. If the Coach is under 18 years of age, the Umpire’s Parent/Guardian should consider this on the Coach’s behalf.

(c) The covers provided by the AFL National Risk Protection Program do not extend to persons not registered with the relevant Football Body as a Coach or appointed in an official or volunteer capacity (for example spectators and Parents/Guardians who are not appointed by the Football Body in an official or volunteer capacity).

8. IMAGES, VIDEO, STREAMING AND LIKENESS

(a) The Coach acknowledges that during Australian Football matches, training, programs, events and activities, Footage of the Coach may be captured by or on behalf of the Football Bodies.

(b) By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, the Coach consents to the Football Bodies collecting, using and disclosing the Coach’s Footage and name, image, likeness, reputation and identity (Likeness) for purposes connected with Australian Football, including:

i. administering, managing and promoting competitions, programs, events, matches, training, and activities;

ii. education, training, integrity, tribunal, disciplinary and safety purposes; 

iii. media, communications, marketing and promotional purposes; and

iv. use by the AFL, Football Bodies and their authorised partners in connection with Australian Football.

(c) If the Coach is under 18 years of age, the Parent/Guardian gives the consent in clause 8(b) on the Coach’s behalf.

(d) The Coach acknowledges that Footage may be edited, adapted, published, broadcast, livestreamed, communicated or otherwise used in any format or media, including online and on social media.

(e) Notwithstanding this clause, certain uses of Footage may be subject to separate Coach or Parent/Guardian consents, permissions or preferences specified by a Football Body from time to time. Where such a consent, permission or preference applies, the Football Bodies will handle the Footage in accordance with that consent, permission or preference.

9. PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDING

(a) Coaches, Parent/Guardians and other attendees must not take photographs, videos or recordings: i. in a change room; ii. in a restricted access area; iii. where photography, recording or mobile phone use is prohibited; or iv. in a manner that breaches a reasonable direction, applicable law, child safeguarding requirement or another person’s privacy.

(b) Coaches, Parent/Guardians and other attendees must not capture, share or distribute images or recordings containing private, confidential or non-public information seen at AFL, Club, or venue facilities.

(c) A change room means any space being used for changing clothes, showering, toileting, medical treatment or personal care.

10. REFUSAL, SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION

(a) In accordance with the applicable Rules and Policies, the AFL or Controlling Body may: i. suspend, restrict, refuse the attendance of, deregister and/or revoke Accreditation of a Coach from participation in Australian Football; or ii. restrict or refuse the attendance of a Parent/Guardian.

(b) This may happen if the Coach, or where relevant the Parent/Guardian: i. breaches these Terms and Conditions, the Policy Handbook or applicable Rules and Policies; or ii. is subject to a sanction, suspension, restriction or other disciplinary outcome.

11. CODE OF CONDUCT

(a) By registering, the Coach agrees to comply with this Code of Conduct. If the Coach is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian agrees to explain this Code to them in an age-appropriate way and support their compliance.

(b) The Coach, and where applicable the Parent/Guardian, must:

i. participate in, attend or support matches, training, programs and activities in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the applicable Rules and Policies;

ii. comply with the Policy Handbook including, but not limited to, all behavioural requirements of:

A. section 9.1 – Responsibility of a Person;

B. section 9.2 – General Code of Conduct;

C. section 9.3 – Coach Code of Conduct;

D. section 10 – Vilification and Discrimination;

E. section 11 – Safeguarding Children and Young People;

F. section 12 – Social Media;

G. section 13 – Gambling and Match Fixing;

H. section 14 – Anti-doping and Supplements;

I. section 19 – Concussion;

iii. use facilities and equipment appropriately;

iv. respect decisions of officials and use appropriate channels for concerns or disputes;

v. follow reasonable safety and behavioural directions;

vi. not smoke, vape or consume alcohol where prohibited by law, venue rules, Competition rules or a reasonable direction of a Football Body; and

vii. take responsibility for their actions, where relevant, having regard to their age and capacity.

(c) The Coach acknowledges that a Football Body may take disciplinary action for a breach of this Code in accordance with the Rules and Policies, including suspending, revoking, restricting and/or deregistering the Coach’s registration, Accreditation, appointment or participation in any coaching role.