At Ravenshead Reds FC, we are proud to be a club that promotes teamwork, sportsmanship, development, enjoyment and, above all, RESPECT.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind all parents, carers and supporters of the standards of behaviour expected from everyone attending our matches and training sessions.

Grassroots football should be a positive experience for every child. It should be about learning, developing confidence, making friends and enjoying the beautiful game. It should never be about adults putting children under pressure or allowing emotions to get the better of them.

THE FA RESPECT GUIDELINES

In line with The FA’s Respect programme and Codes of Conduct, we expect everyone connected with our club to:

• Encourage and support all players, regardless of ability, performance or the result.
• Respect referees and match officials. Decisions may not always go your way, but they must be accepted.
• Let the coaches coach. Shouting instructions from the sidelines can confuse players and undermine the work being done by the coaching team.
• Respect opposition players, coaches, parents and supporters. We are all there for the same reason – to give children the opportunity to play football.
• Use appropriate language and behaviour. Aggressive, abusive, discriminatory or intimidating conduct will not be tolerated.
• Lead by example. Children look to the adults around them and often copy the behaviour they see.

THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN – BOTH TEAMS

It is important to remember that the impact of poor touchline behaviour goes far beyond the adult involved.

When parents or supporters shout aggressively, argue with officials, criticise players or create a hostile atmosphere, it is the children who suffer.

Consider the potential impact:

• Loss of confidence: Children may become frightened of making mistakes, worried about disappointing adults or reluctant to try new things.
• Anxiety and pressure: Football can stop being enjoyable when children feel they are constantly being judged or that winning is more important than taking part.
• Embarrassment and upset: Players can feel humiliated when adults argue or shout in front of their teammates and opposition.
• Negative attitudes: Children may begin to believe that disrespecting referees, opponents or coaches is acceptable behaviour.
• Loss of enjoyment: Some children may become reluctant to attend matches or even give up a sport they once loved.
• Impact on both teams: Hostile behaviour affects not just our own players but also the opposition’s children, who deserve exactly the same respect, encouragement and enjoyment.

Every child on that pitch deserves to feel safe, supported and valued, regardless of which team they play for or what the score happens to be.

A SPECIAL WORD ABOUT OUR REFEREES

We would also like to highlight something that is sometimes forgotten: a significant number of grassroots referees are children and young people themselves.

They are learning, developing and gaining experience, just like the players on the pitch.

Imagine being a young referee, often still a child, standing in the middle of a football pitch trying to manage a game while adults shout, criticise, challenge decisions or make them feel intimidated.

How can we expect young people to continue refereeing if they are subjected to that sort of treatment?

Referees will make mistakes. They are human, just like players, coaches and parents. Their decisions will not always please everyone, but they deserve encouragement, patience and respect.

Without referees, there is no game. If we continue to drive young officials away through poor behaviour, we risk losing the very people who make grassroots football possible.

Please think before you shout. That referee on the pitch could be someone’s child – and may be not much older than the players they are officiating.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR WILL HAVE CONSEQUENCES

We want everyone to enjoy being part of Ravenshead Reds FC, but we must be clear that poor behaviour will not be ignored.

Breaches of The FA’s Codes of Conduct or club policies may result in:

• A formal warning from the club.
• Being asked to leave the touchline or playing area.
• Suspension or a ban from attending matches and club activities.
• Incidents being reported to the relevant County FA for investigation and possible disciplinary action.
• Fines for the club or other sanctions where applicable under FA regulations.
• Repeated or serious misconduct potentially resulting in the withdrawal of club membership, in accordance with club policies.
• The behaviour of one individual can have consequences for an entire team, the club and, most importantly, the children.

ONE CLUB. ONE TEAM. ONE STANDARD.

We are incredibly grateful to all the parents, carers, volunteers and supporters who give up their time every week to help make Ravenshead Reds FC what it is.

This message is not intended to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of football. Quite the opposite. It is about protecting the game, protecting our children and ensuring that everyone involved has a positive experience.

We all may have differing views on winning, what’s “fair” and competitiveness; all of our coaches will happily discuss these but please do it calmly in a 1 to 1 setting.

We do also all have a responsibility to set the right example.

So let’s:

• Cheer loudly, but positively.
• Encourage our own players and respect the opposition.
• Support our coaches and respect our officials.
• Accept decisions, even when we disagree.
• Remember that children are watching and learning from us.

The result on the scoreboard will likely be eventually forgotten. How we make our children feel will stay with them for much longer.

Let’s make sure every child, from both teams, leaves the pitch with a smile, a sense of achievement and a reason to come back next week.

SUPPORT THE PLAYERS. RESPECT THE OFFICIALS. RESPECT THE OPPOSITION. LET THE CHILDREN PLAY.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us uphold the standards of Ravenshead Reds FC.