More than 1,100 young men are involved in winter sports teams. A reminder that we want our community to be positive in their support of these young men and PNBHS teams.

At school we discuss our expectations of our teams and our young men and it is important that these are supported at home and on the sidelines. Thus, a Supporters Code of Conduct has been introduced which outlines the expected behaviour of those choosing to support PNBHS teams:

1 Always remember the boys are involved in sport for their enjoyment, not yours.

2 Set an example – applaud good play and good effort.

3 Do not criticise team members or opponents for making a mistake.

4 Criticism of referees or umpires is unacceptable – officials give freely of their time and effort and do not deserve to be harassed by people on the side-line.

5 Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities.

6 Do not come on to the field of play; do not enter changing rooms. No parents in halftime huddles.

7 Recognise the value of coaches and managers who give their time to provide opportunities for our young men.

At the heart of the matter is that we want our young men playing because they enjoy playing. They do not want to be embarrassed by the conduct of family members or supporters on the side of the field. Not everyone will be a national representative; it is important to keep that in mind to provide a realistic context.

It is important to remember also that not all staff members and other volunteers will be the next national coach and yet some on the sideline think it their right to criticise team selection and offer uninvited advice; not every referee or umpire will be a professional. We want to encourage all those involved to stay involved, something that is more important than ever after the prolonged period of lockdown in recent months.