Code of Conduct for Parents and Guardians

Highfield Rangers is a responsible and caring organisation. It takes pride trying to prepare young people by using football as vehicle for individual development as well as development working as part of a team. Parents are a much valued-group and have a vital role to play in the development of their youngsters.

Remember Highfield Rangers has a commitment and a responsibility to provide the best possible football education for your child. We need your help, support and co-operation to achieve this aim.

• Get to know the team managers and assistants. Please ask questions or highlight problems to the team management relating to your child.
• Make a note of rules and regulations regarding player registration.
• Be aware of the clubs child protection policy. Remember the child’s welfare is paramount and our most important consideration.
• It is your responsibility to ensure (encourage) your child to attend training on a regular basis.
• Encourage balanced lifestyle between sporting, academic, social and other interests.
• Encourage independence and let them set their own standards of excellence.
• Support club games in a fair and sporting manner, but leave team tactics and decisions to team managers/coaches.
• Do not offer playing advice to your child during the game.
• Focus on your child’s efforts and performance rather than whether games are won or lost. Development is more important than winning.
• Help your child focus on the process of participation not the outcome, i.e. ask them “how did you do?” rather than “Did you win?”
• Emphasise that playing for themselves and not for their parents is important.
• Teach your child that effort and teamwork are as important as victory, so that the result of each is accepted without undue disappointment.
• Stress the benefits of taking part; friends, teamwork, success, failiure, health, exercise, self-esteem and so on.
• Encourage your child to play by the rules.
• Never publicly question the honesty or decisions of the match officials.
• Remember, children are involved in organised sport for their enjoyment not yours.
• Never ridicule or yell at your child for making a mistake or losing a game.
• Emphasise enjoyment and fun as the main purpose of sport.
• Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities.
• Applaud good play by your own team and by members of the opposing team.