A junior AFL club in Queensland has taken the “drastic step” of banning parents from the sidelines after a spate of clashes between spectators, teenage umpires and volunteers.
All “non-essential people” will now be removed from the oval during junior matches, including at break times.
Parents are no longer allowed within the boundary of the oval during junior games and spectators are also being asked not to enter the oval during half-time for older juniors games, where they play a full field.
The ban was put in place after an altercation between two Gold Coast clubs where a spectator allegedly entered the field and play could not continue in an under-10s game between Burleigh and the Broadbeach.
It is understood a coach and another adult got into an altercation following the person entering the playing arena.
Public reaction
The move has been met with disbelief from some junior AFL parents, who say the trouble is coming from a minority.
One parent told the ABC the ban would damage the sense of community.
“It’s like the police saying we caught some people for speeding on the weekend and now we’re not driving cars anymore,” they said.
“It’s the younger players that will be missing out on that experience of kicking a football with their grandparent from the sideline once the game is finished.”
Do you think it is a smart decision or does it really change the feel of kids sports?
