Code of Ethics
All individuals covered by this code will maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect toward each
other as well as those who conduct business with and those who come in contact with Arizona Monsoon FC
related activities.
Players will, at all times, show respect for all coaches, officials, and support staff members.
Coaches, support staff, front office staff, and volunteers will treat all players fairly and with respect.
As a member of Arizona Monsoon FC, I am expected to conduct myself on a basis consistent with the ethics
and standards of this club, both in personal and professional settings. All coaches and players will
conduct Arizona Monsoon FC business with integrity, honesty, and hold a high regard to Arizona Monsoon FC
values and ideals.
Conduct which appears to be improper is unacceptable. I acknowledge that Arizona Monsoon FC
administration reserves the right to investigate any acts of impropriety, including those not mentioned
in this code. The following are examples of ethical standards to be held by all coaches and players:
1.0 Conduct all team affairs with honesty and integrity
2.0 Respect the rights of all teammates, employees, volunteers, officiants, and fans. This
includes maintaining a discrimination and harassment free environment. Players and
coaches are required to review and understand Arizona Monsoon FC Anti-Harassment Policy.
3.0 Know, understand, and abide by all state laws, local laws, and NISA regulations.
Ignorance to laws, rules and regulations is not a defense.
4.0 Keep confidential information relating to Arizona Monsoon FC operations that do not
involve issues of harassment or discrimination.
5.0 Never use Arizona Monsoon FC image and affiliation for personal gain without prior
approval from administration. This includes photographs, films or videos of oneself in
Arizona Monsoon FC apparel or equipment for the purpose of trade without prior written consent
from Arizona Monsoon FC administration.
Arizona Monsoon FC FC Player and Coach Code of Ethics 2022
6.0 Understand and acknowledge that the appearance of misconduct and impropriety can
be damaging and long lasting on the reputation of Arizona Monsoon FC.
7.0 Players and coaches will refrain from conduct detracting from their or that of their
teammates to attain peak performance.
8.0 Players and coaches will not author, forward, or post vulgar or offensive notes, texts,
photographs, or other content online that reflects oneself and Arizona Monsoon FC in a negative
light.
9.0 Players and coaches will not assist in any betting or gambling associated with Valley
United or NISA.
10.0 Players and coaches will conduct oneself as an ambassador of Arizona Monsoon FC.
11.0 Players and coaches will not engage in underage drinking, or provide alcoholic
beverages to those under the age of 21 to include teammates and those affiliated with
Arizona Monsoon FC.
Enforcement
Any player or coach that violates or condones the violation of the Code of Ethics is subject to
disciplinary measures. The following will be the stages of enforcement:
First violation: Verbal Warning and Counseling
Second violation: Fine, Counseling, and Rules Education
Third violation: Termination of affiliation with Arizona Monsoon FC
Arizona Monsoon FC Board of Directors will elect an Ethics Committee to conduct all investigations of
violations of this code at the annual meeting. This code serves as a framework for ethical
conduct but does not cover every situation. If you are unclear about the requirements or
applications of this code, contact the Arizona Monsoon FC Compliance Department at:
Reports of violations to these codes can be made to any technical staff, the VP of Operation, or
the Director of Compliance. Technical staff are required to report these violations to the VP of
Operations or the Director of Compliance.
1.0 Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment is any unwelcome or unwanted conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or
an aversion toward another person.
Among the types of harassing conduct prohibited by this policy are verbal conduct, such as
epithets, derogatory comments or slurs, negative stereotyping, and intimidating acts based on an
individual’s protected status. Prohibited verbal conduct can also include jokes, kidding, or
teasing about another person’s protected status. This policy also prohibits visual and/or written
conduct, such as the circulation or posting of written or graphic materials that show hostility
toward an individual because of that person’s protected status, including derogatory posters,
photographs, calendars, cartoons, drawings, websites, emails, and text messages. This policy also
prohibits physical conduct including assault, unwanted touching or blocking normal movement
because of a person’s protected status. While harassing conduct is generally unlawful only if it
affects tangible job benefits and/or is sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to interfere
unreasonably with work performance and creates an abusive or hostile work environment, this
policy prohibits harassing conduct regardless of whether it rises to the level of a legal
violation.
2.0 Sexual Harassment
1 Employee within the four corners of this policy includes Technical Staff, players, and trialists, and is not limited to
front office staff.
2 This Policy also applies to conduct by any subcontractor, supplier, customer or third party and their employees in
their dealings with Arizona Monsoon FC employees.
While there is no bright line definition of sexual harassment, it always includes unwelcome behavior.
Sexual Harassment is a form of unlawful employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil
Rights act of 1964. It is not for the actor to decide what behavior is welcome or unwelcome. Sexual
harassment can involve same sexes or those of different sexes.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal, writer, or physical conduct of a
sexual nature can all constitute sexual harassment when:
Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of the
individuals employment
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for an
employment decision affecting that individual; or
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work
performance and creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment
Sexual harassment may take different forms. The following examples of sexual harassment are
intended to be guidelines and are not exclusive when determining whether there has been a
violation of this policy:
Verbal sexual harassment includes innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual
nature, sexual propositions, lewd remarks and threats; requests for any type of sexual
favor (this includes repeated, unwelcome requests for dates); and verbal abuse or
"kidding" that is oriented toward a prohibitive form of harassment, including that which
is sexual in nature and unwelcome.
Nonverbal sexual harassment includes the distribution, display or discussion of any
written or graphic material, including calendars, posters and cartoons that are sexually
suggestive or show hostility toward an individual or group because of sex; suggestive or
insulting sounds; leering; staring; whistling; obscene gestures; content in letters, notes,
facsimiles, e-mails, photos, text messages, tweets and Internet postings; or other forms of
communication that are sexual in nature and offensive.
Physical sexual harassment includes unwelcome, unwanted physical contact, including
touching, tickling, pinching, patting, brushing up against, hugging, cornering, kissing,
fondling, and forced sexual intercourse or assault
2.1 Sexual Misconduct
Sexual misconduct in any form is prohibited. Sexual misconduct may occur where effective
consent cannot be given to an encounter because of lack of consent, sexual exploitation, or the
use of Coercion, Force, Intimidation, or a Power Imbalance.
Coercion: Pressure to engage in sexual misconduct.
Force: The use or threat of physical force that overcomes free will or resistance.
Intimidation: Implied threats or acts that reasonably cause a fear of harm in another.
Power Imbalance: Where one person is in a “Position of Power” such that, based on the
totality of the circumstances, there is a Power Imbalance. Whether someone occupies a
“Position of Power” depends on several factors, including: the nature and extent of the
supervisory, evaluative or other authority over the person; the actual relationship between
the parties; the parties’ respective roles; the nature and duration of the relationship; and
the age of the people involved, both presently and at time of the relationship’s
conception. Once a coach-player relationship is established, a Power Imbalance is
presumed regardless of age. A Power Imbalance may exist, but is not presumed, where an
intimate relationship that did not contain a Power Imbalance existed before the coach-
player relationship (e.g. a relationship between two spouses or life partners that preceded
the sport relationship)
This policy prohibits the use of coercion, force, intimidation, or Power Imbalance to pursue
sexual contact or an intimate relationship of any sort.
Any sexual interaction between a player (or trialist) and an individual with evaluative authority
(direct or indirect) involves an imbalance of power and may be exploitative, impair judgment,
and/or create an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.
2.2 Child Sexual Abuse
Any sexual activity with a child is prohibited. This includes sexual contact with a child that is
accomplished by deception, manipulation, force or threat of force, regardless of the age of the
participants, and all sexual interactions between an adult and a child, regardless of whether there
is deception or the child understands the sexual nature of the activity. At no time is a Valley
United employee to be alone with a child with or without consent of the child’s guardian.
3.0 Consensual Romantic Relationships
Arizona Monsoon FC strongly discourages any workplace romantic relationships that did not come to
fruition prior to affiliation with Arizona Monsoon FC. Arizona Monsoon FC strongly discourages any romantic
or sexual relationships between any supervisory level employee and lower level employee who
reports directly or indirectly to that person. Such relationships can give a perception of bias or
favoritism in promotional decision making.
It is well established that due to uneven balance of power within such relationships, consent to
any romantic relationship is suspect and may be viewed upon review to an investigative board as
having been consented to by coercion or intimidation.
Any employee who finds it necessary to enter into a consensual romantic relationship with
another employee is required to report this relationship as consensual to a direct supervisor, the
Human Resources Director, or Director of Compliance. The is a mandatory requirement and
those found in violation of this requirement are subject to disciplinary actions.
All employee relationships will be evaluated on a case by case basis. If it is found that the
relationship may cause a disruption to the harmony and cohesion of the department in which the
employees are affiliated with, Arizona Monsoon FC may decide to move an employee to a different
department. If no jobs are available or either employee does not approve of the move to a new
department, the employees will have the option of terminating their relationship or resigning
from Arizona Monsoon FC.
4.0 Physical Misconduct
Physical misconduct in all forms is prohibited. Physical misconduct is defined as contact or non
contact conduct that results in, or reasonably threatens to cause, physical harm to another person;
or any act or conduct described as physical abuse or misconduct under federal or state law (e.g.,
assault).
Examples of physical misconduct include beating, punching, slapping, or striking;
denying hydration, medical attention or nutrition; and encouraging or knowingly permitting an
injured athlete to return to practice without clearance by medical professional or other
appropriate authority. Physical misconduct does not include professionally-accepted coaching
methods of skill enhancement, physical conditioning, team building, appropriate discipline, or
improving athletic performance. For example, hitting and punching are well-regulated forms of
contact in combat sports, but have no place in soccer.
5.0 Bullying
Bullying in all forms is prohibited. Bullying consists of intentionally committing or willfully
tolerating physical or non-physical behaviors that are intended, or have the reasonable potential,
to cause fear, intimidation, humiliation, or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude,
diminish, isolate, or otherwise abuse or harm the targeted person. Cyberbullying is a form of
bullying that occurs through the use of a computer, cell phone, smartphone, tablet, pager or other
device that transmits electronic information, regardless of whether the device is owned by or
located at Arizona Monsoon FC. Cyberbullying is also prohibited.
*Bullying does not include group or team activities that (a) are meant to establish normative
team behaviors, or (b) promote team cohesion, as long as those activities are not prohibited as
described herein.
6.0 Hazing
Hazing in all forms is prohibited. Coercing, requiring, forcing, or willfully tolerating any
humiliating, degrading, intimidating, abusive, or dangerous activity that serves as a condition
for (a) joining or maintaining membership in a group, or (b) being socially accepted by a group’s
members, is prohibited. Examples of hazing include contact acts, such as tying, taping, or
otherwise physically restraining another person; and non-contact acts such as forcing
consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs, personal servitude, and excessive training requirements.
*Hazing does not include group or team activities that (a) are meant to establish
normative team behaviors, or (b) promote team cohesion, as long as those activities are not
prohibited as described herein.
7.0 Retaliation
No hardship, loss, benefit or penalty may be imposed on an employee in response to:
Filing or responding to a bona fide complaint of discrimination or harassment.
Appearing as a witness in the investigation of a complaint.
Serving as an investigator of a complaint.
Lodging a bona fide complaint will in no way be used against the employee or have an adverse
impact on the individual's employment status. However, filing groundless or malicious
complaints is an abuse of this policy and will be treated as a violation.
Any person who is found to have violated this aspect of the policy will be subject to discipline up
to and including termination of employment.
8.0 Reporting and Investigations
All employees are responsible to help assure that we avoid misconduct. No one is exempt from
this Policy. Arizona Monsoon FC cannot act to eliminate misconduct unless it has notice of the conduct.
Furthermore, Arizona Monsoon FC employees are responsible to help assure that the work environment,
on or off-premises, is free from harassment. All employees have an obligation to promptly report
any and all allegedly harassing conduct they are the subject of, that they learn of, or that they
witness.
This Policy provides for immediate notice of problems to the persons designated in this Policy so
that we may address and resolve any problems as quickly as possible.
An employee must report the harassing conduct to either:
The person to whom you report (supervisor or manager);
The Human Resources Department;
Legal Department; or
The Team President
If the employee feels uncomfortable going to his or her supervisor with the complaint, he/she
must report the matter to any other member of management as designated above.
This Policy does not require reporting the misconduct to any individual who is creating the
harassment or discrimination. All complaints and reports will be promptly investigated. All
employees have an obligation to cooperate in any investigation of a complaint of misconduct,
including providing any and all information concerning the complaint. Failure to do so may be a
violation of this Policy. In determining whether an individual’s alleged conduct constitutes a
violation of the Policy, the investigator will impartially look at the totality of the circumstances,
which includes the nature of the misconduct and the context in which it is alleged.
If an investigation confirms that a violation of the Policy has occurred, Arizona Monsoon FC will take
prompt corrective measures. These measures may include, but are not limited to, an oral or
written warning or reprimand, counseling, suspension, or disaffiliation from Arizona Monsoon FC of the
employee engaging in such misconduct. Such disciplinary actions will be noted in the
employee’s personnel file.
Arizona Monsoon FC’s Anti-Harassment Policy offers its employees greater protection from harassment
than does the law. Consequently, employees who are found to have violated Arizona Monsoon FC’s
Anti-Harassment Policy shall be subject to corrective action, discipline or termination, even in
cases where applicable laws may not have been violated and without regard to whether the
conduct constitutes a violation of the law.
If an employee finds that a complaint was not properly investigated or would like to dispute the
resolution made by team administration, they can contact the compliance department at: 3
An employee wishing to file a complaint outside the avenues provided within this policy may
contact either the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any fair employment agency
within Arizona or the state in which the violation took place.
9.0 Training and Education
All Arizona Monsoon FC Employees are required to attend the annual rules education training which
will go over this, and all Arizona Monsoon FC policies in detail. Completion of this training will be
noted in the employee’s file. This training will take place at the commencement of pre-season
training. Any employee onboarded after the annual training will be required to schedule with the
Compliance Department a rules education training within a week of their employment.
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