|
As a coach you play a key role in creating a positive, safe and healthy club environment. In order to fulfil this responsibility you need to uphold your club’s policies and procedures and to address instances of poor spectator and parental behaviour before it escalates.
- Stay calm
- Maintain your professionalism.
- don’t enter into a debate or argument with the parent
- explain you will discuss the issue with them during the break/after the match
- do not accept or ignore abusive, offensive or foul language.
- Follow your club’s policy – this may mean:
- issuing a warning
- withdrawing the parent’s child from the team (if your club’s membership rules and other policies support this action)
- calling ‘time out’
- asking the parent to leave.
- Acknowledge that the parent may be frustrated by the decision but explain that the person is doing their best (everyone makes mistakes) and that the umpire may have seen things that the parent did not
- Emphasise that the call has been made and the importance of abiding by the umpires decision
- Refer to the Club’s Code of Behaviour – the parent may not realise that their behaviour is inappropriate
- Explain that if the behaviour continues the following steps may be taken (you can only do this if your club’s membership rules and other policies support this action):
- the parent’s child may be withdrawn from the game
- play could be suspended
- the parent may be asked to leave
- the parent will be reported for breach of the club’s Code of Behaviour.
- Report the incident to the club's administsrator if the behaviour continues and you forsee a future problem.
- Speak to the over enthusiastic parent privately before their behaviour gets out of hand - this will often prevent the situation escalating
- Acknowledge that the parent may be frustrated but reinforce the fact that this is a game and that teams are not ‘playing for sheep stations’
- Remind the parent about Codes of behaviour, they may not realise that their behaviour is inappropriate
- Don't ignore a parent who verbally abuses their child on the grounds that "it's none of my business"
- Highlight the positives and emphasise the need to identify children’s strengths not their weaknesses. Emphasise that children are there to have fun, develop skills and build their confidence
- Explain what may happen if the behaviour continues – this will depend on your club’s membership rules and policies: e.g.,
- their child could be withdrawn from the game
- play may be suspended
- they could be asked to leave etc.
- Report the incident to the club’s administrator if the behaviour continues and you foresee a future problem.
|
Got an Issue 
