Robyn Walford, the Centre Manager at Netball Whanganui, is dedicated to creating a positive and supportive environment for all participants.
With the support of the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) and Sport Whanganui's Integrity Fund, Robyn and the team at Netball Whanganui have been running various initiatives this season to improve sideline behaviour – and it’s working!
Their campaign "Good Sorts, Good Sports" celebrates positive behaviour on and off the court, reinforcing the values of sportsmanship and respect.
It consists of two main components. Firstly, a nomination system allows players, umpires, supporters, and coaches to be nominated as the "Good Sorts, Good Sports Team of the Week." Nominations can be submitted online or at the courts, celebrating individuals or teams for their positive contributions. Winners receive a bag of chocolates, and at the season's end, an overall primary, secondary, and club team is recognised at the Netball Whanganui prizegiving.
To highlight the prestige of these awards, historic trophies have been reinstated.
"We uncovered some very dusty trophies from our back cupboard. We have found an Executive Cup for Junior Sportsmanship, which we will give to a junior team. And then we have a historic Smith Trophy, which has years of history – and that will be brought back for Club Team of the Year," says Robyn.
The other focus of the campaign has been enforcing designated areas for spectators. This initiative, introduced last year and reinforced this season, aims to minimise the intimidation often unintentionally caused by spectator comments. By blocking off certain areas down the sidelines, umpires and coaches can focus on their roles without interference. A larger committee and more volunteers on duty have helped ensure this rule is respected, resulting in positive feedback from the community.
Spectators are encouraged to report any sideline problems immediately, allowing staff to address concerns promptly. This proactive approach has significantly reduced official complaints this season.
Robyn believes the importance of building relationships with clubs and schools has been fundamental.
"I went and visited lots of the clubs and schools at the start of the season so that they knew we were approachable," Robyn explains. "And it’s made it easier to have some of those tricky conversations. If needed, we can give them a heads-up that something happened on a game-day, and we can stop it in its tracks. And also offer them support to help sort out any issues."
While addressing negative behaviour is crucial, Robyn believes that it’s celebrating the positives that will help to shift the culture.
"You don’t want to be constantly focusing on the negatives," Robyn says. "There’s some bad stuff, and there is a formal complaint process for that, but there are some really, really good things happening too, and that needs to be well celebrated."
"The long-term goal, and this is what I said to schools and clubs, is that we are all here for the same reason – for the love of netball. Whether that is as a player, a club president, an umpire – we are all doing it because we love the game. So we need to remind ourselves of that – and make it a happy place."
Go to Good Sports sideline behaviour resources to check out the videos, posters, social tiles, and the philosophy.