WAVERLEY BASEBALL CLUB

Is an Accredited Member of the

Good Sports Accreditation Program

CASE STUDY - Waverley Baseball Club

The Club

The Waverley Baseball Club is located at Napier Park in Glen Waverley. The club currently hosts close to 500 members, most of whom are junior members, although there are a significant number of senior players, life members, and non-playing members. Members are predominantly male, and range from 5 to 75 years of age. The club participates in both summer and winter seasons and is affiliated with both the Victorian Baseball Association and the Victorian Provincial Baseball League. The club boasts kitchen facilities, a kiosk, a bar (with a restricted liquor licence), change rooms, and a function room available exclusively for club members and club events. The club has traditionally maintained adequate alcohol management practices and viewed itself as a responsible community based club.

The Good Sports Program and Waverley Baseball Club

The club became involved with the Good Sports program chiefly to set an example for good practice within both the club and the community at large. The club considers itself a community based club and believes it has a responsibility to promote safe and appropriate alcohol use. The Good Sports Accreditation Program allows the club to do this more publicly and with the backing and accreditation of a prominent organisation. Without initially having to make any substantial changes to practice, the club hopes that its involvement with Good Sports will enhance their public image (and hence membership), and promote sound alcohol policy more effectively both within and outside the club.

“Sports clubs such as ours have significant influence in the community and can play a role in encouraging people to live healthier lifestyles….The Good Sports Program is a way for our club to manage alcohol and demonstrate to our community that we are dealing with this issue proactively”. Published on the club’s website. 

The club has been involved with the Good Sports Program only a short while, however their experiences in the initial stages are valuable. The club reports that their members, supporters and players have been very supportive of the initiative, and they have experienced no negative feedback with respect to measures taken. In the short time since level 1 accreditation was obtained, the club boasts another ‘Responsible Serving of Alcohol’ trained member, bringing their total to three. Responsible serving is an important feature of good alcohol management policy, and each additional trained member goes along way in the implementation of such policy. The club views the program benefits in terms of setting a good example within the club, and within the community, and enhancing the image of the club to enhance membership.

LEVEL TWO ACCREDITATION

Waverley Baseball Club 

APPLIES FOR GOOD SPORTS LEVEL TWO ACCREDITATION

 October 2004

The Waverley Baseball Club has an ongoing commitment to responsible alcohol management and is now working towards Level Two accreditation under the Australian Drug Foundation’s Good Sports program.

The program aims to make clubs more viable by assisting with the responsible management of alcohol through the development of a code of conduct. It is the first nationwide alcohol management program of its kind.

As part of Level Two accreditation we will develop policies around responsible alcohol management including the sale of low alcohol drinks and soft drinks. Our facilities will be recognised as smoke free and we will develop safe transport strategies to ensure our members get home safely. Food will be provided when serving alcohol and the emphasis for player awards, fundraising, functions and prizes will not be alcohol.

We are confident our efforts will continue to improve the environment at the Waverley Baseball Club. We are working to ensure the Club is a great place to play and socialise for all members of our community.

The club will be regularly monitored to ensure we comply with the program. This is the responsibility of all our members to make sure we do the right thing while we’re enjoying ourselves and having fun.

The Good Sports program is supported by VicHealth, TAC and Alcohol Education Rehabilitation Foundation and was developed following research conducted by the Australian Drug Foundation that showed by introducing responsible alcohol management policies, clubs were able to improve membership and enhance viability.

For more information about Good Sports contact Robyn Karlsen on 9561 9937.

SAFE TRANSPORT POLICY

Safe Transport Policy

 The Waverley Baseball Club recognises that on occasions alcohol may be served at special functions and that as a club we are responsible for the safety of our members. In doing so the club shall ensure our members are aware of this policy and are encouraged to make alternative transport arrangements when consuming alcohol at such functions.

• Bar staff and the board shall encourage members and visitors to make alternate safe transport arrangements if they are considered to exceed .05 blood alcohol concentration

• Telephone calls will be made free of charge to arrange a taxi or other transport

• Contact telephone numbers for taxi services will be displayed clearly

SMOKE FREE POLICY

Smoke Free Policy

The Waverley Baseball Club recognises that passive smoking is hazardous to health and those non-smoking club members and visitors have the right to be protected from exposure to tobacco smoke.

Accordingly, the following policy shall apply to all club facilities, functions, meetings and activities undertaken by the club and will apply to all members, officials, players and club visitors.

Facilities

All club facilities are to be completely smoke free and shall include:

• The social rooms inclusive of bar, kitchen, meeting room, toilets and storage area

• Player change rooms inclusive of warm up area, toilets and showers, medical room and property room

Cigarettes will not be sold (including vending machines) at any time at or by the club

Players, Officials & Coaches

Coaches, players, trainers, volunteers and officials will refrain from smoking and remain smoke free while involved in an official capacity for the club, on and off the field.

Functions

All club functions including social and fund raising events and meetings are to be completely smoke free:

• Ashtrays will be removed from all club facilities.

• Cigarette butt bins will be provided at outdoor locations for smokers to dispose of cigarette butts before entering/ re-entering smoke free areas at club facilities

• Smokers leaving the designated licensed area of the clubs social rooms will not be permitted to take alcohol from that area

All club functions held away from the club facilities are to be completely smoke free and shall require an assurance from the venue management of compliance with the club policy before a booking is confirmed by:

• Removing all ashtrays from venue where function is to be held

• Enforcing a smoke free policy during the function

• Not selling cigarettes (including vending machines) at any time during the function

Invitations and advertising for all functions, meetings and events will be promoted as smoke free.

Non-compliance

All club committee members will enforce the smoke free policy and any non-compliance will be handled according to the following process:

• Explanation of the club policy to the person/people concerned, including identification of the areas in which smoking is permitted  

• Continued non-compliance with the policy should be handled by at least two committee members who will use their discretion as to the action taken, which may include asking the person/ people to leave the club facilities or function

Policy Promotion

The club will promote the smoke free policy regularly by:

• Publishing a copy of the policy in club newsletters, notice boards and printed member/player information

• Displaying a copy of the policy in the club social rooms

• Periodic announcements to members at functions

The club recognises the importance of educating club members, particularly players and the benefits of implementing a smoke free policy and will endeavour to provide information to assist this process.

The club will actively participate in the Australian Drug Foundation Good Sports program with an ongoing priority to maintain Level Three accreditation. 

Policy Review

To ensure this policy remains relevant to club operations and reflects community expectations the policy will be reviewed annually.