Federation aiming to clean up Beautiful Game in North

Northland Football Federation is piloting a programme aimed at preventing bad behaviour and sideline abuse.

After consultation with Sport Northland and support from Aktive Auckland, NFF has developed a football specific Good Sports programme which it will pilot with junior clubs during , federation spokesman Dave Alabaster said.

He talked about the issues that sparked the need for the programme.

“There have been a number of serious incidents across all levels of football in Northland over the last few years, both on the field of play and on the sideline, involving players, spectators and officials,” he said.

“Coupled with the growing body of evidence from staff, contractors, club members and members of the public regarding negative comments and unsavoury behaviour at football matches, something needs to be done to clean up our game,” he said.

“Serious incidents often start out as minor disagreements or comments made in jest but quickly escalate as others become involved, with little intervention from those in the vicinity.

Comments from the sideline, directed at children — from parents, spectators, coaches — can have a very damaging effect on developing footballers, often causing them to turn away from the game.

Alabaster said the presentation should take about an hour, depending on questions from the floor.

He also noted attendance at this programme is compulsory for at least one member of every team entering Whanga¯rei or Far North Junior competition in the ninth to 12th grades).

The person attending can be either the coach, manager or a parent.

A register will kept at every presentation, with people being able to attend any presentation at any club, so there will be multiple opportunities for attendance.

However, any team or club which does not send a representative will not be allowed to play until they do, he said.

Alabaster said similar programmes have been successfully trialled in hockey and netball during the last 12 months and have made a big difference to sideline/ on-field attitudes and behaviour in those codes.

“With success and fine tuning in 2019, the intention is to extend this programme out to all youth and senior football in 2020.”

For further information and for anyone wanting book a presentation at their club (in the Far North only), contact James Coleman at james.coleman@nff.org.nz (027) 381-7961.

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Four dates had been put aside for local clubs to host this programme towards mid to late March at which time clubs should know their team entries for the provincial 10th and 12th grades.

The dates are: Mondays on March 18 and 25, for Bay of Islands, Kaikohe and Hokianga

and clubs, and Tuesdays, March 19 and 26, for Kaitaia and Kaeo clubs, which are unlikely to field age grade rep teams this season. All times for the programme are 6pm but venues still to be decided.

It will be compulsory to have at least one delegate from each junior team to attend the presentation, whether that be coach, manager and/ or parent.

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