Dear Gladiator Parents and Families,
I hope you all had a fun and enjoyable round 4 of Gladiators football last weekend.
We are a third of the way through the YJFL 2021 season and this presents a great opportunity to remind all of our club officials and parents of their responsibilities and obligations in ensuring a safe and friendly environment for all children playing football for the Gladiators.
As well as aspiring to be one of the best coached Clubs in the league, we also aspire and expect to provide the safest and best environment to nurture the development of young players and to encourage respect for umpires, opponents, officials and fellow team mates.
Football wouldn’t be the great game it is if it didn’t stir up emotions from time to time, but we all need to be responsible for our actions and keep the broader objectives of junior sport – fun, participation, development and friendship – in perspective.
To support this the YJFL and Gladiators both have Codes of Conduct that are very clear on expectations of all of us and which are available here: YJFL (page 145) and Gladiators.
To be clear, the club takes a dim view of anyone who brings the Club into disrepute through any breach of the Codes of Conduct – whether this be due to actions on match day or at training. While we cannot be responsible for other clubs, we can expect only the best from the Gladiator community.
Some key points to highlight:
- The league rules forbid anyone other than team managers from making contact with an umpire at any stage during a game including the breaks.
- Umpire escorts are not allowed to discuss with umpires the specifics of the game.
- It is not considered appropriate for our supporters and officials to make abusive or disrespectful comments to anyone from the sidelines or at all.
- All supporting must be respectful and encouraging in nature.
- There are a number of good young people learning the umpiring craft in the league including many of our own current and past players and we need to encourage and support them to do the job to the best of their ability.
- The YJFL and AFL Victoria have fully endorsed the new Child Safe Laws and Clubs including the Gladiators have an obligation to provide a safe environment from abuse for all children – ours, the opposition and the umpires.
It is noted that “abuse” includes emotional abuse which can take different forms such as criticism, intimidation, ridicule and any other action which may cause emotional trauma. Extreme breaches of the Codes of Conduct may be considered to fall under this new legislation.
In summary, please ensure that any barracking is positive and in the right spirit and that we continue to represent the Gladiators as the best Club in the league.
Roped Off Areas
On a separate note it has been observed that some of our teams are not complying with match day rules in respect of the roped off areas. The YJFL has asked all ground managers to ensure that only game day officials and players are in the roped off area during a match.
Drink carriers are to use the separately marked boxes on the opposite side of the ground to the coaches and are not permitted to run messages to players. This is the responsibility of the runner only.
Go Gladiators!
Andrew Chambers
President 2021
