1. Introduction
Atherstone Adders Hockey Club recognises that social media and digital communication are an important part of modern club life. They allow the Club to promote hockey, celebrate achievements, communicate with members and supporters, attract new members, promote events and maintain links with the wider community.
The Club currently uses its website, Facebook, Instagram and X accounts to communicate with members and the wider public.
For team and two-way communication, the Club also uses WhatsApp groups and the Pitchero internal messaging system.
These channels are valuable tools, but they must be used responsibly. Every member, player, parent, coach, manager, volunteer, official and Club Officer has a responsibility to ensure that their use of social media and digital communication reflects positively on themselves and Atherstone Adders Hockey Club.
This policy should be read alongside the Club's other policies, particularly its Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Disciplinary Policy, Code of Conduct and Complaints Procedure.
The policy is intended to support the principles and expectations of England Hockey regarding safeguarding, respectful behaviour and creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone involved in hockey. England Hockey states that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and provides specific guidance for clubs, coaches, welfare officers, adults working with young players and other participants.

2. Think Before You Post
The Club encourages all members to follow one simple principle:
Think before you post.
Once something has been posted online, it can be copied, shared, screenshotted or otherwise retained even if the original post is subsequently deleted.
Members should consider:

• Is it true and accurate?
• Is it appropriate?
• Could it offend, embarrass or upset someone?
• Would I be comfortable saying this face-to-face?
• Could the post damage the reputation of another person or the Club?
• Could the post identify or compromise a young person or vulnerable individual?
• Am I sharing information that should remain private?
• Would I be happy for a parent, employer, coach, Club Officer or England Hockey to see it?

If there is any doubt, do not post it.

3. Personal Social Media Accounts
Members are entitled to use their personal social media accounts as they choose. However, members should remember that their association with Atherstone Adders Hockey Club may be known publicly.
Members must not use personal social media accounts to:

• Bring the Club, its members, officials, volunteers, sponsors or partners into disrepute.
• Make abusive, threatening, discriminatory or offensive comments.
• Bully, harass, intimidate or victimise another person.
• Publish personal or confidential information about another member without permission.
• Publish allegations or accusations concerning another member, particularly where these relate to safeguarding, misconduct or disciplinary matters.
• Make comments that could reasonably be considered defamatory.
• Encourage or glorify violence, discrimination or illegal activity.
• Misrepresent themselves as speaking officially on behalf of the Club unless authorised to do so.

Members should also take care when commenting on match officials, opposition players, clubs, coaches and other participants.
Disagreement is acceptable. Personal abuse is not.

4. Official Club Social Media Accounts
Only members who have been specifically authorised by the Club Committee may create, manage or post on official Atherstone Adders Hockey Club social media accounts.
Authorised administrators should:

• Represent the Club professionally and positively.
• Ensure information published is accurate.
• Avoid publishing confidential or sensitive information.
• Respect copyright and intellectual property rights.
• Obtain appropriate permission before publishing photographs, videos or other identifiable content where required.
• Take particular care when publishing images or information involving under-18s.
• Avoid engaging in arguments or confrontations online.
• Refer complaints, safeguarding concerns or serious disputes to the appropriate Club Officer rather than attempting to resolve them publicly.
• Remove or correct inaccurate information where appropriate.
• Report serious online abuse or threats to the relevant platform and, where appropriate, to the Club Committee or other relevant authority.

Official Club accounts must not be used to express personal political, religious or other controversial opinions on behalf of the Club.

5. WhatsApp, Pitchero and Other Messaging Groups
WhatsApp groups, Pitchero messaging and similar communication channels are considered part of the Club's digital communication environment.
The same standards of behaviour apply to these channels as apply to public social media.
Members must:

• Communicate respectfully.
• Keep messages relevant to the purpose of the group.
• Avoid excessive or inappropriate posting.
• Respect other members' privacy.
• Avoid personal arguments and confrontations.
• Follow reasonable instructions from Team Captains, Managers, Coaches and Club Officers.
• Respect reasonable communication boundaries, including late-night messaging.
• Team WhatsApp groups should primarily be used for hockey-related communication unless the group administrator has agreed otherwise.

Club members should not add individuals to Club-related groups without appropriate consent.

6. Under-18s and Safeguarding
Atherstone Adders Hockey Club has a particular responsibility to protect its junior members and other young people involved in the Club.
For the purposes of this policy, a young person means anyone under the age of 18.
England Hockey's safeguarding guidance confirms that young people have the right to participate in hockey in a safe environment and provides specific guidance for adults who are involved with teams containing young players.
Adults involved with junior hockey must:

• Follow the Club's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
• Use Club-approved communication channels wherever possible.
• Avoid inappropriate private communication with under-18 players.
• Avoid requesting or sharing unnecessary personal information.
• Never send inappropriate, sexual, threatening or otherwise unsuitable messages or images.
• Never use social media or messaging to isolate, intimidate or manipulate a young person.
• Report safeguarding concerns immediately through the Club's safeguarding procedures.

Where communication with a young player is necessary, appropriate Club-approved channels and group communications should be used wherever reasonably possible.
The Club's Welfare Officer should be consulted if there is any uncertainty regarding appropriate communication with an under-18.

7. Photographs and Video
The Club regularly uses photographs and video to promote hockey, celebrate achievements and record Club activities.
Members should respect the privacy and wishes of other participants when taking or sharing photographs and video.
Particular care must be taken when photographing or recording under-18s.
Photographs or video must not be used to:

• Embarrass, ridicule or humiliate another person.
• Portray an individual in an inappropriate or offensive manner.
• Identify personal information unnecessarily.
• Breach safeguarding requirements.
• Be used for commercial purposes without appropriate authority.

Members should not assume that because a photograph has been taken at a public hockey event it is automatically appropriate to publish it online.
Where the Club has established specific photography or parental consent arrangements for junior activities, these must be followed.

8. Privacy and Personal Information
Members must respect the privacy of others.
Do not publish or share another person's:

• Home address.
• Telephone number.
• Personal email address.
• Financial information.
• Medical information.
• Private correspondence.
• Personal circumstances.
• Images or information that they have asked not to be shared.

Team selections, disciplinary matters, payment issues, complaints and other sensitive Club business should not be discussed publicly or through inappropriate social-media channels.
If information needs to be communicated to a specific person, use an appropriate private communication method.

9. Respectful and Inclusive Communication
Atherstone Adders Hockey Club is committed to providing a welcoming environment for everyone involved in hockey.
Social-media posts, comments and messages must not contain or promote:

• Racism or racial discrimination.
• Sexism or sexual harassment.
• Homophobia or discrimination based on sexual orientation.
• Discrimination based on disability.
• Religious discrimination.
• Age discrimination.
• Bullying or harassment.
• Hate speech.
• Threats or intimidation.
• Abusive or degrading language.

England Hockey's social-media community guidance similarly requires users to be respectful and prohibits discriminatory, abusive, threatening, hateful, harassing or personally abusive content.
Freedom of expression does not give anyone the right to abuse, threaten or discriminate against another person.

10. Match-Day and Hockey-Related Posts
Members are encouraged to support the Club through positive social-media activity, including:

• Match results.
• Match reports.
• Team photographs.
• Player achievements.
• Club events.
• Fundraising activities.
• Junior achievements.
• Volunteer recognition.
• Sponsorship and community activities.

However, members should not use social media to:

• Publicly criticise teammates, coaches, captains or managers.
• Attack or ridicule opposition players or clubs.
• Abuse umpires or other officials.
• Publish confidential team information.
• Publish unverified allegations about another person or organisation.
• Attempt to resolve disputes through public arguments.

If there is a disagreement about a match, selection, coaching decision or Club matter, it should be dealt with through the appropriate Club process rather than through social media.

11. Complaints and Safeguarding Concerns
Social media must not be used as the primary mechanism for making formal complaints or raising safeguarding concerns.
If a member has a concern about another member's behaviour, the Club, a coach, an official or a safeguarding matter, they should use the appropriate Club reporting or complaints procedure.
Safeguarding concerns must be reported promptly to the Club Welfare Officer or through the appropriate England Hockey safeguarding process.
England Hockey provides reporting procedures and safeguarding resources for clubs and individuals, including specific guidance for recognising and reporting poor practice.
Where a social-media post itself presents a safeguarding concern, it should not be publicly debated. The matter should be reported through the appropriate safeguarding route.

12. Moderation of Official Club Channels
Atherstone Adders Hockey Club reserves the right to moderate content posted on its official social-media channels.
The Club may remove or restrict content that is:

• Abusive or offensive.
• Discriminatory.
• Threatening.
• Defamatory.
• Unlawful.
• Spam or advertising without permission.
• Irrelevant to the purpose of the channel.
• A breach of another person's privacy.
• Considered harmful to safeguarding.
• In breach of this policy or another Club policy.

Repeated or serious breaches may result in a person being restricted or removed from Club-managed online groups or channels.
England Hockey similarly states that inappropriate content may be removed and that users who repeatedly breach community guidelines may be restricted from participating in its online communities.

13. Breaches of This Policy
A breach of this policy may be treated as a disciplinary matter.
Depending upon the nature and seriousness of the breach, the Club may:

1. Speak to the individual concerned.
2. Request that content is removed or corrected.
3. Restrict access to Club-managed digital communication channels.
4. Refer the matter to the Club Committee.
5. Apply the Club Disciplinary Policy.
6. Refer safeguarding concerns to the Club Welfare Officer and/or England Hockey.
7. Report criminal or potentially criminal behaviour to the appropriate authorities where necessary.

Serious matters may be referred directly to the appropriate Club Officer without an informal warning.
The Club will consider the circumstances of each case and will act proportionately.

14. Responsibility of Parents and Guardians
Parents and guardians of junior members are encouraged to support the Club's approach to responsible digital communication.
Parents and guardians should:

• Encourage young people to use social media responsibly.
• Discuss online safety with their children.
• Report concerns to the Club rather than attempting to resolve safeguarding issues through social media.
• Respect the privacy of other young players.
• Avoid posting negative or inflammatory comments about players, coaches, officials

or other parents.
Parents and guardians should remember that disagreements about selection, coaching, playing time or other Club decisions should be addressed through the appropriate Club process.

15. Copyright and Intellectual Property
Members must respect copyright and intellectual property rights when sharing content.
Do not reproduce, copy or distribute photographs, graphics, videos, articles, logos, documents or other material belonging to the Club or another organisation without appropriate permission.
Where appropriate, credit the original creator or source.
The Club's own website and social-media content remains subject to applicable copyright and intellectual-property rights.

16. Social Media and Club Reputation
Every member is an ambassador for Atherstone Adders Hockey Club when participating in Club activities or publicly identifying themselves with the Club.
The Club does not seek to control members' personal opinions or private lives. However, where online behaviour directly affects the Club, its members, its reputation, safeguarding or the safe enjoyment of hockey, the Club may take appropriate action.
Members are encouraged to promote the positive aspects of the Club and help create an online environment that reflects the values of teamwork, respect, inclusion and enjoyment.

17. Review of This Policy
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Club Committee and updated where necessary to reflect changes in:

• England Hockey guidance.
• Safeguarding requirements.
• Social-media platforms.
• Legislation and regulations.
• Club practices and communication methods.

The current version of this policy applies for the 2026/27 season.

18. Final Reminder
Social media is an excellent way to promote Atherstone Adders Hockey Club, celebrate our players and volunteers, communicate with one another and attract new members.
Used properly, it is a valuable part of Club life.
Used irresponsibly, it can cause significant harm to individuals and the reputation of the Club.
THINK BEFORE YOU POST.
If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't post it online.