‘It’s our Game, not Yours’
Promoting positive parental/spectator behaviour
As adapted from the Child Protection in Sport Unit’s guidance. For more information visit www.thecpsu.org.uk
Aims
 to identify the benefits of parents’ involvement in sport
 to identify the nature and extent of the problem of poor
parental behaviour
 to consider the impact of poor behaviour, especially on
young people
 to identify how to avoid, reduce or deal with incidents.
“We just want to have fun,
learn new skills and
make new friends...”
Parents play a vital role in encouraging,
enabling, and supporting young people’s
participation in their chosen sport at every level and in every sport
(Optional) Exercise:
Identify ways parents can:


support, encourage and motivate young people
who participate in sport
make positive contributions to sports clubs
1 - Positive Parents may:





share their enthusiasm for participation in sport
encourage their child/ren to take up, enjoy and
achieve in their sport
provide transport, equipment, or finances
support in a positive and fair way
promote respect for the sport’s rules, officials, their
child’s team-mates and opponents
2 - Positive Parents may:







model and reinforce positive attitudes
help out with club activities
become coaches or volunteers
act as safeguarding officers or committee members
contribute to fundraising initiatives
support their child/the team at matches
provide refreshments or transport
However, many sports are also struggling
to address the challenges presented by a
minority of parents whose behaviour has
a negative impact on their own child and
other young people, and other people
involved in the club.
(Optional) Exercise
Identify
 Different examples of negative
parental/spectator behaviour at all levels in
sport
1 - Negative Parental/Spectator Behaviour
Abusive parents
 verbal aggression towards own child, officials, other
young people/supporters/coaches
 teasing/mocking of young people
 threats and fights with other adults and/or young
people
 intimidation of officials – including young officials
 some behaviours constitute criminal offences and/or
child abuse
“My friend decided he didn't want
to play any more, not after his
dad was asked to leave the
match.
It must have been so
embarrassing for him”.
2 - Negative Parental/Spectator Behaviour
Challenging parents
 contradict coaches’ advice/instructions
 constant criticism of own child or other young
people
 ‘Win at all costs’ mentality
 encourage rule-breaking
 challenge club re selection, training, sanctions
or ethos
“Winning at all costs –
is that our dream –
or yours?”
3 - Negative Parental/Spectator Behaviour
Pushy Parents
 unreasonable/unrealistic expectations of their child
 only acknowledge winning, not child’s effort, progress
or enjoyment
 live through their child’s activities
 Impose their aspirations on their child
 do not accept club sanctions for poor behaviour
 accept poor coaching practice for results
“My mum was always supportive of me
in my training but when it came to
competitions she always compared
me to everyone else, even when I'd
done better than ever before.
Unless I won it wasn't good enough”
What do young people tell us…..?
Video: The Magic Sports Kit
https://thecpsu.org.uk/resource-library/2013/my-magic-sports-kit/
(Optional) Exercise
Identify the ways that poor
parental/spectator behaviour
impacts on young people
The impact of poor parental/spectator
behaviour on young people







Fear
Demotivation
Anxiety
Confusion about tactics/team role
Loss of fun and enjoyment
Lack of confidence
Worry about how parent will behave
The impact of poor parental/spectator
behaviour on young people






Distraction from playing sport
Embarrassment
Undermined authority (young officials)
Sanctions imposed by club
Being asked to leave the team or club
Leaving the sport altogether
(Optional) Exercise
Consider the potential impact of poor
parental/spectator behaviour on the following:





Netball
Clubs
Coaches
Officials (including young officials)
Other parents/supporters
Wider impact of poor parental/spectator
behaviour







Negative image of netball
Poor reputation for club – puts off potential players
Additional stress for coaches/officials
Fear of, or actual, assaults
Officials (particularly young officials) may leave the
sport
Parents and players may move to other clubs
Club faces investigations and sanctions
Sideline Bad Behaviour: Research





Children 1st (Scotland) survey in 2012
Studied impact on young people u12 to 16+
Involved 154 young people and 340 parents
34 sports covered
Outcomes supported earlier studies
Key findings: young people
 Almost half (43%) had experienced this behaviour
 Half (47%) had witnessed behaviour towards another
child
 Swearing/name-calling most common
 All felt threatened
 Physical abuse included pushing, kicking, hitting &
spitting (included under 12s)
 20% experience negatively affected their performance or
made them want to quit
 For half it continued after sports activity ended
Key findings: Parents & carers
 Half said their child had mentioned spectator
behaviour
 43% parents had witnessed bad behaviour
 Commonly swearing at young people, namecalling and making fun of them
 68% reported that someone challenged the
behaviour
 A quarter would not know what to do
Scenarios
Consider the example scenarios (appropriate to netball,
club or audience)
1. How/by whom should this situation be managed and
responded to?
2. What policies and processes will apply?
3. What steps could have been taken (at club, county,
region or sport governing body levels) to reduce the
likelihood of this situation arising
(Optional) Exercise
Identify practical steps that netball clubs
and sports organisations can (or do)
take to prevent, reduce and manage
poor parental behaviour.
Practical steps to address the problem
 Adopt a whole club/sport/organisation approach,
supported by management
 Arrangements need to be in place to clarify, publicise
and promote expectations of side-line behaviour, eg:





Code of Conduct
introductory packs and/or parent/participants
meetings
registration forms
posters or leaflets
use of websites of club notice boards
Practical steps to address the problem
 Widely publicised procedures to encourage
reporting and responding to alleged poor
behaviour in a fair and transparent way
 Recording systems to capture, monitor and
map developing concerns
 Support to individuals (adults or young
people) raising concerns
Practical steps to address the problem




Reporting to/support from netball governing body
to club
A range of clear sanctions for poor behaviour
Increased monitoring, support and ‘policing’ of
individuals or groups identified as representing a
problem
Wherever possible, actions taken should not impact
on the ability of a young person to continue to
participate
Reporting concerns
Concerns about the behaviour of parents
or spectators should be reported to:
Club details:
NGB details:
England Netball,
1-12 Old Park Road, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 2JR
Email: [email protected]
(Optional) Exercises
Next steps:
 Identify the core elements of a parent/spectator code
of conduct?
or
 Describe how young people could be involved in the
process of developing a code of conduct
What do you/your club/sport need to do next?
Young people tell us they want…..





their voices to be heard
a focus on enjoyment rather than winning
parents and coaches to have clear roles and
behaviour guidelines
there to be mutually agreed expectations and
aspirations
celebration of their successes - wider than simply
winning (eg learning a new skill, playing well, trying
hard)
Remember:
‘It’s our game not yours’