Adults told to show respect to kids on the field

Sports Minister Kevin Greene joined with major sporting codes to call for an end to sports rage against young players or referees from adults on the sidelines.
?Sport rage turns games into embarrassing scenes that hurt feelings and discourage participation by young players and officials,? Mr Greene said.
?Adults look ridiculous when they get carried away with sport rage and behave irrationally and they hurt the feelings of young people on the field who just want to have a game.
?We have a simple message for parents, spectators and sporting clubs this season: show some respect.
?Adults at games: don?t act like a goose and wreck the fun of a game for your child or someone else?s child while they?re on the field playing or refereeing.
?For clubs it?s about responsibility and being prepared to deal with parental sport rage while at the same time building a positive sporting environment for kids to have fun.?
Mr Greene said the Government continues to work with sporting codes handing out free kits and working to protect young officials from out of control sideline loudmouths.
?We?ve now sent more than 7,000 sports rage kits to clubs so volunteer club administrators have some help building a positive environment for young players.
?More than 4,000 bright yellow training vests have gone to around 550 clubs so young referees can learn on field with support from spectators and not criticism,? he said.
NRL CEO David Gallop said ?There?s nothing more embarrassing for a sportsperson, young or old, than seeing a parent or supporter lose control on the sidelines,?
?Sport should be about people coming together, trying their best against each other on a field, accepting that decisions will go ?both ways? in the long term and being happy to shake hands after the event.? Mr Gallop said.
Football NSW President Jim Forrest said sporting bodies have reacted very positively to the Rees Government’s initiatives to assert control over sport rage.
?Strong educational programs and a beefing up of penalties are now firmly in place, like our ?Working With Kids? seminars that address emerging sports rage and provide information for coaches and officials working with children,? Mr Forrest said.
?More than 450 club officials have undertaken these seminars already in the lead up to the winter season this year.?
AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Dale Holmes said parents and coaches are best to remember their own childhood memories of playing sport – the good, the bad and the ugly – and ensure they provide kids with enjoyable experiences
?AFL’s Kids First program that is built around the Sports Rage program, focuses on ensuring parents behave appropriately in supporting their kids playing AFL. Everyone of our 150 junior clubs receive education on the program,? he said.
Team participation, skill development and having fun with mates is all that matters to our kids,? Mr Holmes said.