Incidents and Incident management

1. Incidents and Incident management I want to talk tonight about Incidents and their Management SADNA, continues to be disappointed with the high incidence of socially unacceptable behaviour that has become an inherent part of match play. Socially unacceptable behaviour includes physical and verbal abuse (harassment) of players and umpires, between clubs and club officials and spectators combined with the increasing use of offensive language. Under the Child Protection Act (SA) SADNA has a legislative requirement to provide a safe place for its members (clubs and players) to play netball, and this includes not exposing people to the behaviours just mentioned.

2. Incidents and Incident management What follows is an extract from the Play by the Rules website www.playbytherules.net.au and provides guidelines on the responsibility for the management of inappropriate behaviour. Coaches, officials and ground marshal's want to put a stop to bad behaviour at sporting events, but are often unsure of what they can do to intervene and who is responsible for what. Here are some steps that can be taken depending on the seriousness of the incident: • Reporting inappropriate behaviour - Responsibility of everyoneBehaviour that contravenes the codes of conduct should be reported to the ground marshal. Any person who is unsure who the ground marshal is should report the incident to a club committee member. • Approaching the offender - Responsibility of the ground marshal / club committeeOnly the ground marshal should approach the offender - this prevents the situation escalating. • Issuing warnings - Responsibility of the ground marshal / club committeeThe first time a person breaches a code of conduct, they might be issued with a warning. The person might not be aware that their behaviour is unacceptable and should be notified of the club's rules regarding behaviour. • Taking disciplinary action - Responsibility of the club committee/ District, State or Territory AssociationIf the conduct is repeated or of a serious nature the club committee/judiciary should consider taking disciplinary action in accordance with its rules. This might result in counselling, suspension or expulsion. The issue maybe escalated to the District, State or Territory Association for action. • Removing people from the field of play or venue - Responsibility of the ground marshal / club committeeThe referee/umpire should communicate directly and immediately with the ground marshal to remove a person from the ground. If the club is in a position to control ground entry, it will be able to evict persons from the ground. Where attendance is not controlled, clubs can request offenders leave the ground, or otherwise can discipline the person for breach of the code. • Suspending play - Responsibility of the referee/umpireThe referee/umpire may suspend play and refuse to restart until appropriate action has been taken. They may request that a person is removed from the sideline and, in serious cases, abandon the game altogether. In this instance Ground Marshal means SADNA and/or club Officials

3. Incidents and Incident management • A large number of Incident Reports are submitted every week of competition and every one of them is seen / investigated by SADNA officials as appropriate and this process consumes vast amounts of time. • Incident Reports relating to behavioural matters and physical or other forms of abuse are submitted to SADNA’s Arbitrator for consideration and determination of whether SADNA’s By-Laws and rules have been infringed. • Incident Reports relating to umpiring matters are submitted to the Umpires Committee for consideration and determination of actions to improve the overall skill and therefore performance of ALL umpires • Over the last year or two I have embarked on a process to engage club presidents, coaches and in some cases individuals to explain SADNA’s position and set the scene for change. As an Association we need to generate a cultural change to reduce the number of behaviour, abuse and language related events in accordance with our legislative requirements. • SADNA wants to encourage, acknowledge and reward good behaviour rather than penalise bad and I look to you and your clubs to support this

4. Incidents and Incident management • SADNA’s Board of Management has an expectation that respective committees will develop and apply proactive programs to improve the quality of the competition and its officials rather than act in reactive mode; however, this has not been practical because of the time demands to review and resolve Incident Reports. • What can be done? • In the first instance, all umpires will be instructed to apply the rules of netball in their management of matches. In particular they will be made aware of their responsibility/ability, as described in the Rules of Netball, to control unacceptable, inappropriate or socially unacceptable behaviour, particularly with respect to the last 2 bullet points from the “Play by the Rules” points (shown earlier) and I call upon you to circulate this advice to your coaches, players and spectators. - Clubs can take responsibility for the behaviour of their members and supporters • If embraced by the clubs this is expected to reduce the number of Incident Reports presented to SADNA, therefore enabling the various committees to fulfil their obligations to SADNA’s Board of Management,.

5. Incidents and Incident management There are a lot of angry people playing and supporting netball at the moment and although SADNA has used its rules to address this, the application of fines is no longer seen as a deterrent and consequently alternatives, such as graduated penalties are being investigated. What this may mean, for example, is; • Where a first offence is proven, the penalty may attract a 2 match suspension and / or exclusion from the complex; • A second proven offence may attract a 5 match suspension and / or exclusion; and, • A third proven offence may attract a season’s suspension and / or exclusion. • OR • the inclusion of a fine with the above • A requirement to attend an endorsed anger management course before being allowed to enter the complex. I STRESS THAT THIS IS STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF INVESTIGATION AND HAS NOT YET BEEN PRESENTED TO SADNA’s BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.

6. Incidents and Incident management SADNA, is of the view that accountability for managing unacceptable behaviour and the use of inappropriate language starts with clubs and to assist in getting this message out to your club members and supporters, has prepared two documents related to understanding the psychology of anger and the management of conflict. • Anger and its Management, and; • Conflict Resolution Skills; SADNA encourages you to bring them to the attention of your relevant club members, officials and supporters. They will shortly be available for download from SADNA’s website. I am happy to attend your club committee meetings to discuss.