Roger Farrelly's Blog - 29 Mar
Yesterday we did a poll on bad behaviour on the sporting sidelines from parents - apparently some parents in the Waikato have been forced to sign a code of conduct before they're even allowed on the sidelines.
Heres a great email from a great guy called Steve who listens to the show...what are your thoughts?
Hi Rog,
I think a code of conduct at the very least makes parents think about their behaviour. Perhaps parents need a supporters handbook with a few of the issues around parental behaviour pointed out the them.
What many parents don't understand is that when they are yelling instructions (often contradicting the coaches) all the kid is hearing is "You are useless", "you are failing", "you are letting me down" and kids, instead of having good memories of sports wind up feeling ashamed and resentful of the game.
Kids who get yelled at often get real jittery during games because they have this constant fear that they are going to be yelled at so, rather than relaxing and enjoying the game they go like deer in the spotlights and incur more wrath from parents...
As for parents who abuse refs...they are the ones that lack the guts to put their hands up to do the job. I've reffed a lot of kids football and honestly don't hear the abuse because i am so busy concentrating on the game and trying to be fair but considerate to the level of the kids. I hear afterwards about the abuse but frankly, who gives a shit...it's usually from parents who don't know the rules anyway and, as I said, lack the guts. The ones who really wind me up are the ones that interfere with the game. In football a ball is not out until it has completely crossed the line and the prats who stop a ball running down the line just blow things for the kids.
This topic winds me up too much.
Cheers
Steve