I've grown up in and around sporting clubs.
Some of my earliest memories are tied to clubrooms, muddy boots, shared laughs, and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of something bigger than yourself.
Sporting clubs are special places. They bring together people from different backgrounds, ages, and life experiences, and give them a shared identity. For many kids, teenagers, and even adults, a club becomes a second home. They allow people who've come from different places and different walks of life to feel like they belong. And that's exactly why sporting clubs matter so much.
The influence senior leaders hold
One of the most powerful things about sporting clubs is that young people are always watching.
They watch how senior players speak to teammates. They watch how coaches respond under pressure. They watch how committee members, parents, and supporters behave on the sidelines.
Whether we like it or not, senior players, coaches, and long-standing club leaders are shaping what is seen as acceptable behaviour. Not through speeches. But through what they tolerate. What they excuse. And what they quietly ignore. This is where responsibility really sits.
When leadership isn't emotionally aware
What happens when the people in leadership positions aren't emotionally aware themselves?
When abuse toward umpires is brushed off as “passion.” When discriminatory comments are minimised. When white-line fever crosses the line. When anger is normalised because “that's just competitive sport.”
Who calls that out? And more importantly… what are younger players learning in those moments? Sport is emotional. It should be. But emotional doesn't have to mean unsafe, disrespectful, or harmful.
What does calling someone out with care actually look like?
Calling someone out doesn't have to be about saying, “You're wrong.”
Often, it's as simple as using the club's own values and standards. Something like: “Hey, that's not how we do things around here.” It sends a clear message: to be part of this club, certain behaviours aren't acceptable. And when people on the outside see that line being held, it builds trust. It shows the club stands for something. It strengthens culture instead of quietly weakening it.
And when things don't go so well
Last season, I went to my nephew's under-9s footy game. Midway through, the umpire made a call. A parent from the opposing team went ballistic.
The umpire stopped the game and said the behaviour wasn't acceptable and that he would forfeit the match if it continued.
What impressed me most was what happened next. Both coaches backed the umpire. Leaders from both clubs supported the decision. The parent eventually stepped away, settled down, and after the game, apologised to the group. The coach shook his hand and thanked him for it.
That moment mattered. Not because it was perfect. But because the line was held, and the situation was repaired. That's leadership.
A reflective pause
Sporting clubs have an incredible ability to build confident, connected, resilient human beings. But that only happens when the people with influence are willing to look at their own behaviour first.
If a young player learned how to behave by watching the adults at your club… what would they learn about respect, emotion, and belonging?
Related reading