ADMINISTRATORS & OFFICIALS

·         Give all children an equal chance to participate.

·         Ensure that rules, equipment, length of games & training schedules suit the age, ability & maturity level of players.

·         Provide quality supervision & instruction for players.

·         Remember that children participate for enjoyment. Don’t over-emphasise awards.

·         Help coaches & officials highlight appropriate behaviours & skill development, & help improve the standards of coaching & officiating. Ensure everyone involved in junior sport emphasises fair play, not winning at all costs.

·         Give a Code of Conduct sheet to officials, coaches, players, parents & spectators & encourage them to stick to it.

·         Think before you speak. Don’t say anything that could disadvantage anyone within your club or association.

·         Compliment & encourage all players.

·         For referees: be consistent, objective & courteous when making decisions. Condemn unsporting behaviour & promote respect for all opponents.

·         Emphasise the spirit of the game rather than errors.

·         Be a good sport yourself. Actions speak louder than words.

COACHES

·         Remember that children participate for pleasure & that winning is only part of the fun. Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing.  

·         Be reasonable in your demands on young players’ time, energy & enthusiasm.

·         Teach your players to always follow the rules, which are unbreakable.

·         Whenever possible, group players to ensure that everyone has a reasonable chance of success.

·         Avoid overplaying the talented players. The just-average need & deserve equal time.

·         Ensure that equipment & facilities meet safety standards & are appropriate to the age & ability of the players.

·         Develop team respect for the ability of opponents & for the judgement of officials & opposing coaches.

·         Follow the advice of a physician when determining when an injured player is ready to commence training or competition.

·         Keep up to date with the latest coaching practices & the principles of growth & development of children.  

PLAYERS

·         Play by the rules.

·         Never argue with an official. If you disagree, have your captain, coach or manager talk to the official during a break or after the game.

·         Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials or other players, deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent is not acceptable or permitted in any sport.

·         Work equally hard for yourself &/or your team. Your team’s performance will benefit, so will you.

·         Be a good sport. Applaud all good plays whether they be your team, opponent or the other team.

·         Treat all players as you would like to be treated. Do not interfere with, bully or take unfair advantage of another player.

·         Co-operate with your coach, team-mates & opponents. Without them there would be no competition.

      Play for the fun of it, & not just to please parents & coaches.

PARENTS & SPECTATORS

·         Encourage children to participate, do not force them. Remember that organised sport is for children’s enjoyment, not yours.

·         Focus on the child’s efforts & performance rather than winning or losing.

·         Encourage players to always participate by to the rules & official’s decisions.

·         Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a game. Positive comments are motivational.

·         Remember that children learn best by example. Applaud good performance & efforts from each team. Congratulate all participants upon their performance regardless of the game’s outcome.

·         Respect official’s decisions & teach children to do likewise. Respect for your team’s opponents, without them there would be no game.

·         Show appreciation of volunteer coaches, officials & administrators. Without them, your child could not participate.

·         Support all efforts to remove verbal & physical abuse from sporting activities. Do not use foul language or harass players, coaches or officials.

·         Condemn the use of violence in any form, be it by spectators, coaches, officials or players.