21 Aug 2007 - Notes to Referees
NOTES FOR MEETINGS WITH REFEREES.
The 16 - 18 youth league has a zero tolerance of foul and abusive language, not towards referees but also between players on the pitch, and from spectators.
To reinforce the RESPECT Campaign, each coach, assistant coach, physio/first aider, touchline manager and water carriers have all got bibs. Anyone who is not wearing a bib or a High Visibility Jacket who is on the pitch will be considered as encroaching onto the pitch and we are asking referees to report them.
Hopefully this well help coaches to remain in the technical area which is one of the ultimate aims of the RESPECT campaign.
We are also in the process of obtaining via sponsorship, portable fencing which is too low to lean on but high enough and bright enough to be visible and which will be used as a deterrent to people to encroach on to the pitch.
Most clubs now have a Touchline Manager, who is there to help to keep the crowd in control. Hopefully this person will keep the touchline spectators behind the barrier and will help to keep abusive behaviour and inappropriate language etc to a minimum. These touchline managers have been told that they have the authority to ask the ref to stop a match should behaviour get too bad, but we all hope that it will not come to such a final outcome!
If the touchline managers do their job properly, then it should help the referee to concentrate on the game and also the coach can do his job without worrying about crowd control.
Some refs have been concerned about the zero tolerance aspect towards foul and abusive language, we all know that sometimes it just slips out as a player is talking to himself. In such occasions then the referees should use common sense.
I think that through education via the touchline managers' courses which we are running and time, then the RESPECT campaign will kick in goodstyle. Also now the RFL seem to be doing their bit as well, so hopefully the game of rugby league can show all the other sports and spectators the best way to behave.
This is it in a nutshell really - I have been to a few meetings, and there has been conversation between the refs and myself and we are all agreeing that we should do out best to follow the RESPECT campaign.
At the moment all teams do not have enough bibs, but we are working on this.
Hilary
The 16 - 18 youth league has a zero tolerance of foul and abusive language, not towards referees but also between players on the pitch, and from spectators.
To reinforce the RESPECT Campaign, each coach, assistant coach, physio/first aider, touchline manager and water carriers have all got bibs. Anyone who is not wearing a bib or a High Visibility Jacket who is on the pitch will be considered as encroaching onto the pitch and we are asking referees to report them.
Hopefully this well help coaches to remain in the technical area which is one of the ultimate aims of the RESPECT campaign.
We are also in the process of obtaining via sponsorship, portable fencing which is too low to lean on but high enough and bright enough to be visible and which will be used as a deterrent to people to encroach on to the pitch.
Most clubs now have a Touchline Manager, who is there to help to keep the crowd in control. Hopefully this person will keep the touchline spectators behind the barrier and will help to keep abusive behaviour and inappropriate language etc to a minimum. These touchline managers have been told that they have the authority to ask the ref to stop a match should behaviour get too bad, but we all hope that it will not come to such a final outcome!
If the touchline managers do their job properly, then it should help the referee to concentrate on the game and also the coach can do his job without worrying about crowd control.
Some refs have been concerned about the zero tolerance aspect towards foul and abusive language, we all know that sometimes it just slips out as a player is talking to himself. In such occasions then the referees should use common sense.
I think that through education via the touchline managers' courses which we are running and time, then the RESPECT campaign will kick in goodstyle. Also now the RFL seem to be doing their bit as well, so hopefully the game of rugby league can show all the other sports and spectators the best way to behave.
This is it in a nutshell really - I have been to a few meetings, and there has been conversation between the refs and myself and we are all agreeing that we should do out best to follow the RESPECT campaign.
At the moment all teams do not have enough bibs, but we are working on this.
Hilary