Club Respect

The outbreaks of violence against referees often sit at the tip of a pyramid of a dehumanisation process, in which an official is tarred with unchallenged labels that erode their authority. Once their integrity is undermined, it triggers an environment that encourages verbal or physical abuse.

For junior players especially, encourage coaches and adults to continuously refer to the club values and consider how to establish formal opportunities to recognise players who are demonstrating the values around the club and on the field.

This is how we practice respect at the Coburg Little Athletics Centre and hope our standards reflect the respectful behaviours we would like our children and parents to demonstrate beyond the sports field.

Calling a halt to the fundraising without a whole of club conversation about gender roles, respect, and creating a safe place for everyone would be a missed opportunity to grow a stronger club.

What drives an otherwise upstanding sports fan to scream abuse at a match official? Or turn an otherwise loving parent into a seething, foaming, resentful ball of fury at an 11-year-old boy who has made a refereeing decision that did not favour their child?

For clubs wanting to draw ‘a line in the sand’ in their club culture and maintain an environment of respect, we now offer our signature Club Respect workshops. You can join the cohort of sports clubs, associations, leagues and local councils who are making significant cultural changes at their clubs that are creating safe, kind and fair environments.

Growing up in a small country town, I have always been involved in sports. I’ve found that most people in small towns join clubs because there aren’t many alternative ways to spend their weekends. By joining the club, people also feel connected to the community.

Respect is the key. It helps unlock your ability to understand the lived experiences of others around you, to sense and appreciate the pain that comes from being belittled and racially put-down. This has to be genuine effort. Being defensive and combative makes it hard to reach the understandings that matter.

2020 has challenged us in pretty much every way possible. Sporting clubs at all levels and pay grades have most definitely not been immune to this. But now, as the year rushes to its end, it’s worth looking back at everything that has happened and seeing what we can actually learn.

Kindness must exist in sport because sporting clubs are at the heart and soul of Australian communities. Sport has the ability to provide the perfectplatform to facilitate cultural change and our leaders at the forefront needto lead by example.