Anti-Bullying, Hazing & Respectful Conduct

Hilltopper Lacrosse is committed to providing a safe, positive, inclusive, and respectful environment for every player.

Bullying, hazing, harassment, intimidation, and threatening or abusive behavior have no place in our program. Hilltopper Lacrosse maintains a zero-tolerance policy for this conduct by players, coaches, parents/guardians, volunteers, or spectators.

Hilltopper Lacrosse follows the USA Lacrosse Anti-Harassment Policy

Prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to:

Verbal Bullying or Harassment

• Insults, threats, taunting, or intimidation
• Repeated teasing or humiliation
• Derogatory or discriminatory comments
• Deliberately targeting or excluding another player
• Comments intended to embarrass, demean, or isolate another person

Physical Bullying

• Hitting, pushing, tripping, or other unwanted physical contact outside the normal course of lacrosse play
• Intentionally damaging or taking another person’s equipment or belongings
• Threatening physical harm
• Using lacrosse equipment or physical size to intimidate another player

Cyberbullying

• Harassing, threatening, humiliating, or targeting another person through text messages, social media, group chats, gaming platforms, photos, videos, or other electronic communications
• Sharing embarrassing or inappropriate photos, videos, or messages involving another player
• Creating or participating in digital content intended to ridicule, isolate, or intimidate another member of the Hilltopper community

Conduct occurring outside of Hilltopper practices or games may still violate this policy when it involves Hilltopper participants or materially affects a player’s ability to participate safely and comfortably in the program.

Hazing is strictly prohibited.

No player may be required, pressured, encouraged, or expected to participate in an activity that humiliates, embarrasses, intimidates, endangers, or degrades another player as a condition of joining, belonging to, or being accepted by a team or group.

Calling an activity a “tradition,” “initiation,” or “team bonding” activity does not make inappropriate conduct acceptable.

Players are expected to treat teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, and spectators with respect.

Coaches are expected to model appropriate behavior, intervene when they observe prohibited conduct, and promptly escalate significant concerns.

Parents and guardians are expected to reinforce respectful behavior and refrain from intimidating, abusive, or harassing conduct toward players, coaches, officials, other parents, or opponents.

Players and parents are encouraged to report suspected bullying, hazing, harassment, or inappropriate conduct to a Hilltopper coach or program director as soon as possible.

Players should feel comfortable speaking up for themselves or for a teammate.

Hilltopper Lacrosse prohibits retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, reports a concern or participates in reviewing a reported incident.

Hilltopper Lacrosse will take reports seriously and review concerns promptly and appropriately.

Depending on the nature, severity, and frequency of the conduct, consequences may include:

• Verbal or written warning
• Parent/guardian notification
• Removal from a practice or game
• Suspension from Hilltopper activities
• Removal from the program
• Additional action when necessary to protect the safety and well-being of participants

Serious conduct may result in immediate suspension or removal from the program.

Hilltopper Lacrosse is about more than developing lacrosse players. We want to develop great teammates and great people.

We expect everyone in our community to compete hard, support one another, treat others with respect, and represent Summit Lacrosse in a way we can all be proud of.

GET BETTER TOGETHER. PLAY TOGETHER. LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.