Tobacco Free Policy  

Background and Rationale

The Futuro Soccer Academy is committed to providing a healthy environment for participants, volunteers and spectators involved with our academy. We recognize that there is significant evidence demonstrating the negative health impacts of tobacco industry products use and exposure (including second-hand smoke from the use of tobacco indoors and exposure to drifting smoke outdoors) and that no level of tobacco exposure is safe. We also recognize that children and youth gain positive images of being tobacco free when they see role models, leaders and individuals modeling and respecting tobacco-free living. A tobacco-free environment is important to keep youth from trying, and using, tobacco industry products.

Commitment
We stress to leaders, teachers, coaches, officials, parents, spectators and all others involved, the importance of maintaining a tobacco-free environment while working with young people. 

Policy

Activities including but not limited to games, tournaments, competitions, practices, training sessions, events and other performances sanctioned by our organization will be tobacco-free. The use of all tobacco industry products by players, volunteers, officials, coaches, leaders and spectators is prohibited during any organization-sanctioned events.
 

Definitions

Tobacco-free means no smoking, snuffing, dipping or chewing tobacco industry products by players/participants, coaches/leaders, parents, spectators and officials within 9 meters (30 ft.) radius of any Futuro Soccer Academy activity.

Tobacco industry products include any form of lit or unlit cigarettes, cigarillos, cigar, pipe, bidi, hookah, clove cigarette or spit (smokeless) tobacco.
 

Policy Implementation

We will promote the tobacco-free policy at all our activities by: 

Having coaches/leaders explain the policy to players/members and ask them to explain the policy to their parents and others who may come to their game/activity/performance.
 

Including the policy in the first schedules/notices about the sport or recreation group so all new and returning participants, their parents/guardians, coaches/leaders and officials/managers know about the policy from the start. Making the policy visible throughout the year/season using various messages, including banners at events and encouraging coaches and older players/members to promote active, healthy, tobacco-free lifestyles. We will reinforce the tobacco-free policy at all our activities by:

1.    Post signs about our policy where our activities take place, using signs, banners and include in information materials  
       available at the activity.

2.    Train our coaches, players/members, officials and volunteers on how to inform individuals who may be using tobacco
       about the Futuro Soccer Academy’s tobacco-free policy.

3.    Encourage our coaches, players/members, officials and volunteers to respectfully remind individuals using tobacco at
       Futuro Soccer Academy’s activities about the tobacco-free policy.

4.    Provide one verbal warning to individuals who repeatedly do not follow the policy. Verbal warning will be delivered by an
       official representation of the Futuro Soccer Academy such as member of the executive, official (referee), team coach or
       manager. The Futuro Soccer Academy representative will inform the Futuro Soccer Academy executive about the  
       verbal warning including the date, location and name of the individual who was warned.
 

For individuals not heeding a verbal warning, the executive will provide a formal written warning. Following a written warning, further violation may result in disciplinary actions, which could include being banned from all Futuro Soccer Academy events.
 

Note:  There is no smoking on any city of Ottawa property or any of the school board properties (This includes parks, fields).

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