Wadsworth Youth Baseball

Social Media Policy

Wadsworth Youth Baseball (WYB) recognizes the importance of the internet in shaping the public’s perception of our organization. WYB also recognizes the importance of our Board members, coaches, participants, umpires, and volunteers in leading and setting the tone of social media interactions in a manner that advances WYB’s mission and goals.

Mission Statement

The mission of Wadsworth Youth Baseball is to promote, develop, supervise, and voluntarily assist in all lawful ways, the interest of those who will participate in Wadsworth Youth Baseball. Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, Wadsworth Youth Baseball assists children in developing the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical well-being. By espousing the virtues of character, courage and loyalty, Wadsworth Youth Baseball is designed to develop superior citizens rather than superior athletes. The Wadsworth Youth Baseball Board of Directors endeavors to implement an effective Leadership and Administrative structure, which encourages children to come together in the spirit of teamwork: to learn, compete and to have a lifetime of positive memories. Wadsworth Youth Baseball honors and abides by the following Value system for all its Players and Member Parents:

• Honesty 
• Positive Sportsmanship
• Respect
• Character 
• Loyalty

Applicability

This Social Media Policy applies to all Board members, coaches, participants, umpires, and volunteers (“WYB Members”). This Social Media Policy applies to all social media content posted by WYB Members in their professional and personal capacity to the extent such content is related to WYB.

Aspirations

WYB strives to create a positive and inclusive organization that is dedicated to helping young athletes reach their potential. In furtherance of this goal, WYB aspires to engage members of the Wadsworth community in positive, honest, transparent, and knowledgeable dialogue about WYB through social media. WYB views social media as an important tool for communicating its successes and opportunities for athletic and individual development. WYB also views social media as a platform for receiving constructive feedback from the community and for discussing WYB’s challenges and opportunities for improvement in a positive and constructive way.

Guidelines

All WYB Members shall abide by the following guidelines when using social media:

1.      Be positive and respectful, and always take the high road. When disagreeing with others’ opinions, remain appropriate and polite. If you find yourself in a situation online that is becoming antagonistic, ask the WYB Board of Directors for advice on how to disengage from the dialogue in a polite and respectful manner that reflects well on WYB.

2.      Do not post content that would harm WYB or damage WYB’s reputation. Remember that even while you are on your own personal time, you are a representative of WYB, and people may interpret your online postings or social interactions as though they were official WYB statements.

3.      Use good judgment when posting comments on any official WYB sites. Bear in mind that your comments can create liability for WYB. If you are unsure whether a comment is appropriate to post, either do not post it or obtain prior approval from the Board of Directors.

4.      Be smart about what you publish. Once something is posted, it exists online forever. Ask yourself, “would I want to see this published in the newspaper or posted on a billboard tomorrow or ten years from now?” If the answer is “no,” do not post.

5.      Encourage others to engage in positive interactions on social media. If you are concerned about any WYB Member’s use of social media, please bring your concerns to the attention of a member of the WYB Board of Directors.

6.      Personally identifiable information (information, such as a name and date of birth and/or a street address which, when taken together, can identify a particular individual) should not be disclosed in any manner on official WYB social networking sites without the approval of the WYB Board of Directors.

Violations of the Social Media Policy

The WYB Board of Directors shall have the authority to monitor and enforce this Social Media Policy. The WYB Board of Directors, and any individual appointed by the Board of Directors, shall have the authority to remove any inappropriate or offensive comments from official WYB sites and to block any individual or organization from posting on any official WYB social media platform if they determine, in their sole discretion, that such removal or block is in the best interests of WYB.

The failure of any WYB Member to adhere to this Social Media Policy shall be considered a violation of the WYB Code of Conduct, and any WYB Member who fails to adhere to this Social Media Policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of such individual’s involvement in Wadsworth Youth Baseball.