03/05/2026
BEHIND THE WHISTLE 😗
Nothing beats Sunday morning football in the ☀️ sun and this morning I stepped in to referee my child’s U8 football match ⚽️
I have two children , boy and a girl , and with my daughter I always stepped in to coach when she was playing basketball.
With my son, I have tried to take a back seat because I work in the sport. This can be hard lol 😂
These are the things that I will share from parent, coach, referee and from working in sport.
⚽️ Sport is fun and should always be fun for kids. The most important thing is they come off a pitch, court or field with smiles . Wanting to come back. Play with their new friends.
⚽️Positive reinforcement always helps- find something in each child that they did well and praise.
👧🏽 Girls are soo different to boys and need female role models but so do boys need female role models too. If you don’t have many mums or females coaching at clubs see if you can organise a night to teach the mums the game. Social Soccer or Football for Fitness. In the Pilbara this helped so much with the mums learning the sport and playing with their kids not just dads.
👧One thing that happens to girls at a junior level. In a mixed team they tend to get put in goals of defenders because they grow at different rates to boys. So coaches be mindful of giving the girls positions in midfield or striker . And praise the girls in front of the boys. This helps confidence and shows the boys respect.
⚽️ Referee junior games .
Wow I could hear the parents and coaches on the sidelines today shouting. I don’t know how this kids try and handle that.
But as a referee of junior games the key thing is to coach the kids a little on the pitch and let the game play.
🙏Thank you to all the club volunteers who keep these clubs going you are amazing 🤩
From me keep going through the season of smiles and sport:) 🏀 ⚽️🏉