Supporting our juniors

So, it’s important older members and club leaders are great role models for juniors.

Plus, having a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere can increase your membership when families know it’s a good place to send their kids!

What are little eyes seeing around the club?

Young people’s attitudes and behaviours are learned and influenced by what they see and hear.

Clubs that are committed to creating a safe, respectful and positive club environment for its players, officials, members and families will thrive and help build strong and healthy communities.

Good Sports will help you work through a few main topics to protect your juniors.

Protecting juniors against alcohol and other drug harm

We also know that sport is a ‘protective factor’ against alcohol and other drug harms.

For young people, just being part of a club where they can socialise, feel like they belong and have fun in a structured and supervised environment – this makes all the difference and can actually have life-long positive effects.

It helps delay the time when they first try alcohol or other drugs, and reduce their risk of harm when they do.

Alcohol management

An important part of being a good role model is responsible alcohol management at your club.

Your club can help influence young people’s attitudes to alcohol, even before they ever try it, by:

• Encouraging members, supporters and visitors to demonstrate sensible drinking behaviour
• Making sure alcohol is not the focus of any events or celebrations
• Supporting people who choose not to drink
• Provide positive role models that show how young people can celebrate without alcohol
• Not including alcohol sponsors on junior apparel
• Making sure junior games or events are alcohol-free
• Keeping changing rooms or events where juniors are present alcohol-free.

Good Sports will help your club create a detailed alcohol management plan that protects juniors.

Smoking and vaping

Each state and territory has specific legislation that makes it illegal to smoke indoors, and in some outdoor areas.

But, your club could choose to make the whole club grounds smoke-free or otherwise restrict smoking areas.

By reducing smoking or vaping around the club, you’ll help to make smoking less visible and acceptable. This can make it less likely that young people want to start smoking.

Spectator behaviour

Even if there’s no alcohol at your club, you can focus on educating parents and guests about appropriate spectator behaviour. Juniors can learn to be fair and have fun with their chosen sport or activity by watching adults behave in the right way.

Parents can sometimes get passionate and a little carried away, so it’s good to remind everyone of the kind of behaviour your club supports.

With Good Sports, you’ll create a club code of conduct, which will help you to hold everyone to the standards of sportsmanship you expect.