In a concerted effort to address the ongoing challenges faced by young umpires in the netball community, and with a strong organisational focus on child safety, Netball Victoria recently piloted Netball Respect: Green Band – an initiative whereby umpires under the age of 18 were easily identifiable by wearing a green wristband while on court.
The aim of this initiative was to create a safer, more supportive environment, with players, coaches and spectators able to identify and have more empathy and respect for the upcoming umpires learning their craft.
The pilot was facilitated through Netball Victoria’s owned competition, Parkville Netball, which welcomes over 6000 players at the State Netball Centre across the season. Across Parkville’s five days of competition, more than 400 umpires (with over 50% of those under the age of 18) take to the court.
Netball Victoria believes that encouraging young umpires is vital to ensuring a strong officiating pool for the future, and supporting them now will help maintain the quality and sustainability of netball at all levels.
Child Safe Standard 2 requires child safety and wellbeing being embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture. To comply with this standard and as part of the organisation’s commitment to child safety in the Victorian netball community, Netball Victoria is required to implement risk management strategies that focus on preventing, identifying and mitigating risks to children and young people.
The Netball Victoria Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) was consulted as part of this pilot project and their feedback was clear - abuse and poor sideline behaviour is prevalent in our community. The first-hand accounts provided were alarming, and the effect this is having on young umpires' mental health highlights the need for the Netball Respect: Green Band initiative.
Overall, the pilot was well received and Netball Victoria thanks all involved for their participation and commitment to this initiative.
The need for clear identification
One of the main findings from the pilot was the importance of ensuring that umpires under 18 are easily identifiable. All umpires deserve respect and fair treatment, however it’s those under 18 that are particularly vulnerable and require added protection under the Child Safe Standards.
The introduction of green bands proved to be an effective tool in making this distinction clearer, helping players, coaches, and spectators recognise and respect young officials.
Addressing poor behaviour
Despite the positive reception of Netball Respect: Green Band, the pilot highlighted a persistent issue that requires ongoing attention: poor behaviour from both coaches and spectators.
While there's no place for disrespect or abuse in netball, this remains a challenge that needs further addressing.
The pilot reinforced the need for increased awareness and education, especially regarding the Child Safe Standards, to ensure that all members of the netball community understand the protections in place for young people, and that abuse has no place in our game.
Supporting court and competition supervisors
Another critical insight from the pilot was the necessity for more training and support for court and competition supervisors.
These individuals play a key role in maintaining order and enforcing respect on and around the court, and the findings indicated that supervisors need to be more easily identified.
This is to both ensure they can act swiftly and confidently when incidents occur, but also that they are clearly identified for the public to approach.
Looking ahead: next steps
As Netball Victoria continues to explore ways to protect and support umpires under 18, the Netball Respect: Green Band initiative will remain a cornerstone of our efforts.
However, the next phase of this program will focus on ensuring court and competition supervisors are adequately trained and easily identifiable, reinforcing a culture of respect from all angles.
A recent review of the Netball Victoria affiliation agreement has also seen the inclusion of our associations and leagues required to comply with the principles of the Netball Respect: Green Band program and supply green wrist bands for their umpires who are under the age of 18 when officiating a game.
This pilot is just the beginning of what will be an ongoing commitment to creating a safer, more respectful netball environment.
We will continue to collect data, engage in consultation with our affiliates, and develop resources aimed at enhancing the experience of young umpires across Victoria.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Netball Respect: Green Band initiative, please contact the workforce team at workforce@netballvic.com.au.
Let’s work together to ensure that all umpires, especially those under 18, feel safe, supported, and respected in our sport.