Central Highlands Pickleball Club Young Athletes in Adult Sessions Policy
1. Purpose
Central Highlands Pickleball Club Incorporated (CHP) is committed to providing safe, supportive and appropriate playing opportunities for junior members.
CHP recognises that some junior players may have the maturity, skill and experience to participate safely and successfully in adult or open-age sessions.
The purpose of this policy is to establish expectations for the participation of players under 18 in adult sessions while ensuring that their safety, wellbeing and development remain the priority.
2. Scope
This policy applies to players under 18 years of age participating in CHP activities that are primarily intended for adults or are conducted as open-age activities.
This may include:
Social play.
King of the Court.
Coaching and training.
Competitions.
Rumbles.
Tournaments.
Other CHP organised playing activities.
Participation may also be subject to specific eligibility requirements applying to the particular session or event.
3. General Principle
Being under 18 does not automatically prevent a player from participating in an adult or open-age CHP session.
Where appropriate, CHP supports opportunities for capable junior players to:
Play with and against experienced players.
Develop their skills.
Participate in appropriate competition.
Progress through CHP's player development pathways.
Participate as valued members of the Club.
However, participation must remain appropriate having regard to the individual player and the nature of the activity.
4. Child Safety Continues to Apply
A junior participating in an adult session remains a child or young person for child-safety purposes.
Participation in an adult session does not reduce the standards of behaviour expected of adults.
All adults participating in CHP activities involving juniors are expected to:
Treat junior players with respect.
Use appropriate language.
Maintain appropriate physical and interpersonal boundaries.
Avoid bullying, harassment, intimidation or inappropriate behaviour.
Avoid inappropriate sexualised comments, jokes or conversations.
Avoid conduct that could reasonably make a junior feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Follow applicable CHP child-safety requirements.
Raise child-safety concerns through the appropriate reporting process.
The fact that a junior is playing at an adult or advanced standard does not change these expectations.
5. Determining Whether Participation is Appropriate
CHP may consider whether participation in an adult session is appropriate having regard to factors including:
The player's age.
Playing ability.
Physical capability.
Maturity.
Experience.
The nature and intensity of the session.
The standard of play.
The behaviour and environment of the playing group.
Venue conditions.
Supervision arrangements.
Any relevant session eligibility requirements.
Information provided by the player or their parent or guardian.
Advice from an authorised CHP coach where appropriate.
No single factor necessarily determines whether participation is appropriate.
6. Playing Ability and Session Eligibility
Junior players must satisfy the same reasonable playing-standard requirements as other participants where a CHP session has designated eligibility criteria.
For example, a junior seeking to participate in Thursday Advanced King of the Court must satisfy the applicable requirements under the CHP Thursday Advanced King of the Court Participation Policy.
Junior status does not automatically qualify a player for a restricted session, nor should age alone prevent an otherwise suitable junior from participating where participation is safe and appropriate.
7. Parents and Guardians
CHP will seek to ensure that a parent or guardian is appropriately informed where a junior regularly participates in adult sessions.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to:
Understand the nature of the activity.
Discuss participation with their child.
Raise relevant safety or wellbeing concerns with CHP.
Ensure CHP has appropriate contact information.
Inform CHP of information reasonably relevant to safe participation.
Depending upon the player's age, activity and circumstances, CHP may require parental or guardian consent before participation.
8. Supervision
Participation by a junior in an adult session does not necessarily mean that CHP provides individual supervision of that player.
CHP will seek to ensure that reasonable supervision arrangements appropriate to the activity are in place.
Where additional supervision or parental attendance is considered necessary for a particular player or activity, CHP may make this a condition of participation.
9. Adult Participant Responsibilities
Adults participating in a session involving junior players should remember that they share the playing environment with a child or young person.
Adults must not:
Treat inappropriate behaviour as acceptable merely because the activity is an adult session.
Encourage a junior to participate in inappropriate adult behaviour.
Supply alcohol, tobacco, vaping products or other age-restricted substances to a junior.
Engage in inappropriate private communication with a junior.
Deliberately place a junior in an unsafe or inappropriate situation.
Adults should model the standards of sportsmanship and behaviour expected by CHP.
10. Safety and Wellbeing Concerns
Where an authorised CHP representative reasonably considers that participation in a particular adult session may not be appropriate for a junior's immediate safety or wellbeing, reasonable operational action may be taken.
Depending upon the circumstances, this may include:
Speaking with the junior.
Speaking with their parent or guardian.
Adjusting playing arrangements.
Recommending another session.
Requiring appropriate supervision.
Temporarily stopping participation in the particular activity where reasonably necessary for immediate safety.
Any decision should be based upon the circumstances of the individual player and activity rather than an assumption that junior players generally cannot participate with adults.
11. Participation Decisions Are Not Disciplinary Action
A decision that a particular adult session is not currently appropriate for a junior is a participation and safety decision.
It does not, by itself:
Suspend CHP membership.
Terminate CHP membership.
Constitute a finding of misconduct.
Remove the person's general rights as a CHP member.
Prevent participation in other CHP activities for which the player is eligible.
Where CHP proposes formal disciplinary action against a member, the applicable disciplinary procedure under the CHP Rules of Association must be followed.
12. Junior Behaviour
Junior players participating in adult sessions are also expected to:
Treat other participants respectfully.
Follow reasonable directions.
Demonstrate appropriate sportsmanship.
Comply with applicable session rules.
Follow the CHP Code of Conduct and other applicable policies.
Junior players should be supported in understanding these expectations in a manner appropriate to their age and maturity.
13. Transport and One-to-One Situations
CHP volunteers should exercise particular care around transport and situations involving one adult and one junior.
Where reasonably practicable:
Parents or guardians should be responsible for transport arrangements.
Avoid unnecessary one-to-one situations in isolated or private locations.
Interactions should occur in observable and appropriate environments.
Electronic communication with juniors should use appropriate Club or group channels where practicable.
Any applicable CHP or governing-body child-safety requirements take precedence.
14. Reporting Concerns
Any concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child or young person involved with CHP should be raised promptly through the appropriate CHP child-safety or Committee contact.
Where a concern involves suspected abuse, criminal conduct or an immediate threat to safety, CHP may refer or report the matter to an appropriate authority.
Nothing in CHP's internal reporting process prevents a person from making a report directly to an appropriate authority where they are entitled or required to do so.
15. Privacy and Respect for Junior Players
Information concerning a junior's safety, wellbeing or participation should be handled sensitively.
CHP should avoid unnecessary discussion of a junior's personal circumstances among members or participants.
Information should only be shared where reasonably required for:
Safe participation.
Appropriate supervision.
Child protection.
Club administration.
Compliance with legal or governing-body obligations.
16. Relationship With Other CHP Policies
This policy should be read together with:
CHP Rules of Association.
CHP Code of Conduct.
CHP Member Protection Policy.
CHP Injury Prevention Policy.
CHP Complaint Handling Process.
CHP Membership Policy.
CHP Thursday Advanced King of the Court Participation Policy.
CHP Sunday King of the Court Participation Policy.
Applicable CHP child-safety policies.
Applicable Pickleball Victoria and Pickleball Australia child-safety requirements.
Where a specific child-safety requirement imposes a higher standard, that requirement applies.
17. Relationship With the Rules of Association
This policy operates subject to the Central Highlands Pickleball Club Incorporated Rules of Association and applicable law.
Nothing in this policy is intended to remove or restrict membership rights under the Rules of Association.
The Rules themselves recognise that members under 15 are associate members and do not have voting rights, but this does not prevent CHP from providing appropriate playing opportunities for junior members.
Where there is any inconsistency between this policy and the Rules of Association or applicable law, the Rules of Association and applicable law prevail.
18. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or earlier where required because of:
Changes to child-safety requirements.
Changes to CHP activities.
Changes to governing-body requirements.
Experience arising from junior participation.
Identified safety or safeguarding concerns.
Final Principle
CHP wants talented and developing young players to have opportunities to challenge themselves, develop their game and participate fully in the Club.
Playing in an adult session does not mean a junior stops being entitled to the protections appropriate to a child or young person.
The objective is not to keep juniors out of adult pickleball. It is to make sure that when they play, the environment is safe, appropriate, respectful and supportive.
Version: 1.1
Effective Date: September 2025
Last Review Date: August 2026
Responsible Body: CHP Committee
Approved by: CHP Committee
Review: Annually or as required