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Reminder of TREDS

Reminder of TREDS

Jack Baldry23 Feb 2023 - 16:25
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Reminder regarding conduct of Youth and Mini’s sections and their pitch side and on-pitch behaviour.

Eastern Counties Rugby Union have issued a reminder to all clubs in the area regarding conduct of Youth and Mini’s sections and their pitch side and on-pitch behaviour.

This serves as an important reminder to all coaches, players, and supporters that our referees are dedicated volunteers who give up their time to make rugby possible for all of us.

Please take the time to read it:

We are now two thirds of the way through the season; participation rates are nearly at pre-Covid numbers, and there is much fantastic age grade activity throughout the CB. However, as we near the “business end” of the season, it is only right that we bring a major issue to your attention.

Discipline, both on and off the pitch appears to be worsening, particularly on the touchline. Whilst this is an issue nationally, we need our clubs to ensure that their houses are in order.

We are aware of abandoned games, a significant increase in referee abuse and quite simply uncouth touchlines. There has even been a case of a laser being shone at players.

It is every club’s and every coach’s primary responsibility to ensure that young players in their charge are aware of – and demonstrate - the values that govern our game, Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship, and that they understand their behavioural responsibilities both on and off the pitch.

Clubs must ensure that they take every opportunity to ensure that all coaches and spectators at age grade games abide by the same tenets. They must not offer any comment or abuse to referees, or indeed offer comment to any player, other than praise or applause. Adverse comments to young players may well be regarded as a safeguarding issue.

Where necessary, and particularly for cup games, we would encourage clubs to place respect barriers on the touchline. Whether a barrier is in place or not, parents and spectators must never encroach on to the field of play, under any circumstance.

We are very short of referees, particularly on Sundays, and would urge all clubs to do their utmost to encourage new referees. Our referees’ societies will be only too pleased to encourage, nurture and develop any new recruit.
It is the responsibility of the club’s Referee Co-ordinator to ensure that all youth matches are managed by an appropriate referee.

We are aware of a number of recent incidents where volunteer coaches, who have refereed, have been abused by opposition coaches, in front of players (at quite young ages). This is unacceptable, and both a safeguarding and disciplinary issue.

Instances of reported touchline abuse will be robustly dealt with by the CB’s Disciplinary group; there are sanctions available against both club and the individual. Sanctions available include points deduction from the club’s first XV’s league points as a result of poor behaviour at age grade matches.

For the avoidance of doubt, clubs are responsible for the behaviour of any and all spectators at any match and, needless to say, for the behaviour of coaches and players.

As the season finishes, we would ask all clubs to ensure that we have a joyous and trouble free last few weeks.

We thank you for your attention to this serious issue.
Best wishes

Ross Cowie – Chair of Age Grade Rugby
David Broughton - Age Grade Disciplinary Secretary

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