Staff Handbook

Our culture is created through everyday behaviour. Staff are expected to model the standards we ask athletes to demonstrate.

Staff should

• Treat athletes, parents, colleagues, visitors and other programmes with respect.
• Communicate clearly, calmly and professionally.
• Encourage effort, improvement, teamwork and resilience.
• Avoid favouritism and apply expectations fairly.
• Support colleagues rather than undermining them.
• Keep disagreements between staff away from athletes and parents.
• Protect the reputation of Hotshots when attending competitions, events and external venues.
• Raise concerns constructively with the appropriate member of leadership.

Leadership structure

Strategic or operational decisions made by the academy leadership team should be supported professionally once communicated.

Coaches are encouraged to contribute ideas and challenge constructively in the correct setting. Public disagreement in front of athletes or parents is not appropriate.

General conduct

Staff must behave in a way that supports athlete safety, trust and confidence in the academy.

• Use appropriate language around children and young people.
• Do not shout abusively, intimidate, humiliate or deliberately embarrass an athlete.
• Do not make discriminatory, sexualised, threatening or degrading comments.
• Maintain appropriate physical and emotional boundaries.
• Do not use a position of authority to create inappropriate personal relationships with athletes.
• Do not attend work impaired by alcohol, recreational drugs or medication that makes coaching unsafe.
• Smoking and vaping must not take place around athletes or in prohibited areas.

Dress and presentation

Staff should wear clothing appropriate to their role and activity. Coaches should be able to move safely, spot athletes where required and represent the academy professionally.

Personal relationships

Staff friendships and relationships must not interfere with professional decisions, team placements, athlete treatment or confidentiality.

If an athlete makes a disclosure

• Listen calmly.
• Take what they are saying seriously.
• Do not interrogate or repeatedly question them.
• Do not promise secrecy.
• Explain that you may need to share the information with somebody whose job is to help keep them safe.
• Record facts and, where possible, the athlete's exact words.
• Report the concern promptly through the academy's safeguarding process.

Staff must report

• A disclosure of abuse or neglect.
• Unexplained injuries or concerning patterns of behaviour.
• Concerning interaction between an adult and a child.
• Bullying, harassment or serious peer-on-peer concerns.
• Online behaviour that may place an athlete at risk.
• Any allegation made against a coach, volunteer or other adult.

Before a session

• Check the training space is suitable and free from obvious hazards.
• Check mats and equipment before use.
• Ensure exits and walkways remain clear.
• Be aware of athlete injuries or restrictions communicated through approved systems.
• Ensure the activity being coached is appropriate to athlete ability and coach qualification.

Injuries

If an athlete is injured, stop the activity where necessary and assess the immediate situation. Appropriate first aid or emergency support should be sought.

Significant injuries and accidents must be recorded through the academy's reporting process.

Emergency evacuation

Staff should know the evacuation arrangements for the venue they are working in. Athlete supervision remains a priority during evacuation and staff should follow venue-specific procedures.

Before training

• Arrive early enough to be prepared before the session starts.
• Review the session objective and planned progressions.
• Check attendance information and relevant athlete restrictions.
• Prepare music, equipment and formations where required.
• Check the floor or training area.

During training

• Take or verify the register.
• Use an appropriate warm-up.
• Coach using suitable progressions rather than rushing skills.
• Maintain active supervision.
• Monitor fatigue and athlete wellbeing.
• Keep transitions organised so training time is used effectively.
• Adapt where necessary rather than forcing unsafe participation.

After training

• Confirm athletes have been appropriately collected or handed over.
• Return equipment safely.
• Leave the training space tidy.
• Pass relevant information to the next coach or leadership team.
• Complete any incident or injury reports promptly.
• Upload suitable approved content where available.

Staff attendance

Coaches are expected to attend sessions they have committed to and arrive with sufficient time to prepare.

If absence or lateness is unavoidable, leadership should be informed as early as possible so that safe cover arrangements can be made.

Athlete attendance

Coaches should reinforce attendance standards consistently and report patterns of unexplained absence or lateness where appropriate.

Current calendar

TimeTree should be checked before communicating important dates externally.

Coaching athletes

Coaches should challenge athletes appropriately while maintaining a safe and supportive environment.

• Give clear and constructive corrections.
• Recognise effort as well as results.
• Avoid comparing athletes in a humiliating way.
• Never use exercise as degrading punishment.
• Adapt communication for age, maturity and individual needs.

Behaviour

Minor behaviour issues should usually be corrected calmly and consistently during the session. Persistent, serious or unsafe behaviour should be escalated appropriately.

Inclusion

Every athlete should be treated with dignity and respect. Staff must not discriminate against or harass an athlete or colleague because of a protected or personal characteristic.

Communication principles

• Be clear, polite and factual.
• Avoid responding emotionally when challenged.
• Do not argue with parents in front of athletes.
• Move sensitive team-placement or athlete-feedback conversations away from group chats.
• Escalate difficult or repeated parent concerns to leadership where appropriate.
• Do not discuss another athlete's confidential information with a parent.

Academy communication hours

Group chats

Team groups should primarily be used for relevant training, competition and logistical information. Staff should avoid gossip, speculation or unnecessary discussion of individual athletes.

Photography and video

• Check appropriate photography permissions.
• Capture positive, appropriate content.
• Never record changing areas.
• Never upload medical treatment, injuries, confidential paperwork or private conversations.
• Do not share athlete content through personal channels unless specifically authorised.

Personal social media

Staff should remember that public online behaviour can affect trust in the academy. Content that is discriminatory, abusive, threatening, sexually inappropriate or otherwise incompatible with coaching children may result in review by leadership.

Content handover

Where suitable approved content has been captured during a session, performance, competition or academy activity, staff should upload it through the dedicated staff content system.

Staff may have access to athlete or family information as part of their role. That information must be handled carefully.

• Do not share athlete contact, medical or personal information unnecessarily.
• Do not copy confidential information onto the public or general staff website.
• Use approved academy systems for sensitive records.
• Keep passwords secure and do not share personal account credentials.
• Do not retain confidential athlete information on personal devices longer than necessary.
• Report suspected loss or unauthorised disclosure of information promptly.

Before the event

• Check the latest confirmed schedule.
• Know your team arrival and performance times.
• Understand your assigned staff responsibilities.
• Ensure music and required backups are available where relevant.
• Know athlete meeting and collection arrangements.

At the event

• Be punctual and visibly available to the athletes you are responsible for.
• Maintain appropriate supervision.
• Follow warm-up and event procedures.
• Represent Hotshots professionally when interacting with event staff and other programmes.
• Do not publicly criticise judges, officials or other teams.

International travel

Additional trip-specific instructions may apply to international events. Staff must follow the itinerary, supervision plan and leadership instructions issued for that trip.

Staff should give as much notice as reasonably possible when they are unable to attend a committed session.

When requesting cover

Provide the date, team, session time and any essential handover information.

Do not independently appoint somebody to coach a session unless that person is appropriately authorised by the academy.

• Treat mats, equipment and venue property carefully.
• Return equipment to the appropriate storage area.
• Keep walkways and fire exits clear.
• Report damaged or unsafe equipment promptly.
• Report spills, cleaning issues or hazards rather than leaving them for the next session.
• Make sure equipment is suitable for the activity before use.

Staff must maintain the checks, qualifications and training required for their role.

• Keep qualification information current.
• Maintain an appropriate enhanced DBS check where required for the role.
• Complete academy safeguarding or other mandatory training when requested.
• Inform leadership if a qualification expires or circumstances change that may affect your suitability or eligibility to coach.
• Coach only skills and activities you are competent and authorised to deliver.

Continuing development

Coaches are encouraged to continue developing technical knowledge, communication skills, safeguarding awareness and understanding of their discipline.

Staff should feel able to raise genuine concerns about safety, conduct, working practices or academy operations.

General concerns

Raise the matter with an appropriate member of leadership. Explain the facts clearly and, where possible, suggest what support or resolution may be required.

Safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding concerns must follow the safeguarding route rather than being treated as an ordinary workplace disagreement.

Concerns about another staff member

Serious concerns about staff conduct should be reported privately to leadership and should not become staff-room or group-chat gossip.

Leadership may provide feedback where coaching, behaviour, attendance, communication or another aspect of a staff member's role does not meet the expected standard.

The appropriate response will depend on the seriousness and circumstances of the issue and any applicable contract or formal process.

Examples of concerns

• Repeated lateness or unexplained absence.
• Unsafe coaching practice.
• Inappropriate communication.
• Failure to follow safeguarding procedures.
• Bullying, discrimination or harassment.
• Breach of confidentiality.
• Serious or repeated failure to follow reasonable academy procedures.

Where a staff member leaves the academy or changes role, a suitable handover should be completed.

• Return academy property, keys or equipment where applicable.
• Hand over relevant team or operational information.
• Do not retain confidential athlete records.
• Stop using academy systems when access is no longer authorised.
• Continue to respect confidentiality after leaving the academy.