Code of Conduct

OBC Code of Conduct 

Overview

Members of the Occoquan Boat Club (OBC) are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship, courtesy and respect in their interactions with all rowers and other boaters, coaches, coxswains, officials, and spectators at Sandy Run, on the Occoquan, and at rowing venues elsewhere; to act as stewards of club equipment by treating it with care on and off the water; and to promote safety on the reservoir by following navigation and weather-related guidelines.


Furthermore, OBC does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of their race, sex, religion, age (subject to OBC’s membership policies), disability (subject to OBC’s rowing competency requirements), color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, marital status, or veteran status.  

SafeSport Policy and OBC Handbook

OBC members must comply with the guidelines contained in OBC's Safe Sport Policy which is based on the USRowing’s SafeSport policy.  Members must also comply with the OBC Handbook. Members should review both documents when they join and during each renewal cycle.

Non-Harassment Policy

OBC is committed to providing an environment that is free of harassment. Harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Harassment may include, for example, unwanted physical conduct or "horseplay" (including touching, pinching, pushing and grabbing); communications of a sexual, suggestive or biased nature; offensive jokes, slurs, or nicknames; and/or mocking, mimicking or belittling a person based on a protected characteristic (e.g., race, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, or any other characteristic protected in Virginia). A person may be harassed even if they were not the intended "target." For example, a person may be harassed by racist jokes about a different ethnic group because the jokes create an offensive environment.

These prohibitions apply to any type of communication (e.g., oral, written, voicemail, e-mail, social media and Internet). The prohibitions on inappropriate behavior also apply not only at OBC, but also to all other OBC-related settings, such as regattas and club-related volunteer activities.

Violations of Code of Conduct 

Anyone who feels that the code of conduct has been violated should bring the matter to the immediate attention of their coach, a member of the OBC Board, or a person in charge of a club-related activity. Complaints will be addressed promptly, thoroughly and impartially. OBC will not tolerate retaliation of any kind by anyone against any person who raises a complaint. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, threatening, intimidating, coercing, or engaging in any other action or conduct with the potential effect of dissuading a person from reporting the violation or participating in a process to determine a violation has occurred. Further, the existence and nature of complaints, as well as the identity of any complainant, witness or accused, will be disclosed only to the extent necessary to make a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation or as may be necessary to take appropriate corrective measures.

The OBC Board of Directors reserves the right to determine if violations of this code of conduct have occurred, and to take action, up to and including removal from any club position and/or termination of club membership. The OBC Board may choose to hold a formal hearing prior to issuing a sanction of suspension or termination.  The formal hearing would follow the standards set forth at the end of OBC’s SafeSport Policy.

Updated: February 2023