To ensure your club is fit and ready before the hectic finals season. Now is the perfect time to take stock and make sure your club has everything in place for a smooth, trouble-free season end.

Team selection can be an emotional issue, particularly around finals time.  Here’s a few steps to ensure it doesn’t become an issue for the club:

• Make sure the club’s selection policy is accessible to all and ensure coaches and club administrators, in particular, are familiar with it.
• Don’t change your selection procedure just because the finals are approaching, e.g. in junior teams don’t change from a  rotation policy to choosing the best players .
• Ensure each coach communicates with their team or athletes about selection decisions.

Resources for your club:

Team selection guidelines, for junior and open teams
Team Selection Interactive Scenario
Information on team selection issues

Parents and spectators can get emotional and stressed too around finals so it’s a good time to remind them of their responsibilities, particularly when watching junior sport.

• Make sure the club’s Code of Behaviour is accessible to all.
• Include an article in the club newsletter or even send out an email about spectators and parents and how they are expected to behave.

Resources for your club:

Information and advice about dealing with angry parents

Code of Behaviour

Spectator policy and guidelines

Finals time is important to everyone, probably most important to players and athletes. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that winning isn’t everything and emotions and tempers can easily get out of control.  Win or lose, the partying afterwards can cause problems too.  Before the end of season is upon you, take a few minutes to develop a plan of action to make sure it doesn’t get out of control.

• Have coaches remind players and athletes about how they are expected to behave, on the field and off, especially during end-of-season celebrations and club trips.
• Talk about responsible alcohol consumption and the risks of taking, passing on and uploading inappropriate photos or videos.
• Make sure officials, administrators, coaches and parents are familiar with the club’s complaints procedure or at least know there is one!

Resources for your club:

Dealing with complaints
Alcohol Management Policy
Communication & Use of New Technology  Policy

Go to Play by the Rules for information and free online training and resources for clubs and sporting organisations to ensure everyone involved in sport can do so in enjoyable, safe environments, free from discrimination or harassment.