WaiBOP Football have teamed up with Sport Waikato and the Waikato Sport Collective to deliver Positive Vibes Only in 2024. The campaign is aimed at supporting tamariki (children) and rangatahi (teenagers) with positive support and encouragement from the sideline, and highlighting how adults can help make football a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

Head down to any game on a Saturday morning and you’re more than likely to encounter some negative sideline behaviour, not only from supporters but also from coaches and players themselves. 

It’s an issue that has plagued sport for many years and is highlighted through insights from school and player voice surveys, showing real impact on those who play, referee and manage sport. 

The Positive Vibes Only campaign officially launched on 4th April 2024 and alongside social media messaging, sporting codes will be working with their communities to highlight what a positive sporting experience looks like and how important adults are in influencing that experience.

Over the season the campaign will include WaiBOP digital channels sharing tips to encourage our whānau on how they can be the best supporters on and off the field.

We encourage clubs to share these messages on their own social media channels. Clubs wanting more information, including images that can be shared, please contact Veronica at veronica.l@waibop.co.nz

Photo: Sport Waikato

Launched in 2023 at Weir Rose Bowl

The campaign was introduced successfully last year at the Weir Rose Bowl Tournament, held in Cambridge in October 2023, where pink-clad ambassadors handed out stickers and other giveaways. Signage around the event reinforced the campaign, which was received positively and embraced by many teams over the weekend.

WaiBOP Football CEO, Karyn Walters, Says “After the success of Positive Vibes Only at our Weir Rose Bowl tournament, we are excited to bring this campaign to more of our football community in 2024. One of our objectives is to bring attention to the role every parent plays in shaping the football experiences of their child and those around them every time they are in a football environment. We want the sports field to be a safe and positive place for our tamariki and rangatahi"

Responses from a post-tournament survey conducted by WaiBOP included:

“Positive vibes have helped us carry on when we lose and keep our heads up.”

“People’s behaviour on the sideline has been positive.”

“It was good to see all the reminders and it was a theme we pushed with our team, not only to reinforce fair play, but to keep them positive and motivated when the going got tough.”

The origins of the campaign

The Positive Vibes only campaign was developed by Sport Waikato and Hamilton City Netball Centre in August 2023, for the Upper North Island Secondary School Tournament (UNISS). Hamilton City Netball Centre Manager Clare Frankhouser revealed that the netball centre had got to the stage that they had to have security at their Saturday morning games. 

Prior to the tournament, the campaign launched on social media with a video featuring players and officials talking about what they’ve heard on the sidelines, how it made them feel and what they’d prefer people to say or do. From the video, the comments were used to create the bold signage at the event, including “Keep your opinions to yourself”, “Remember, umpires are doing their best”, “Support and encourage both teams” and “Let them enjoy the game”.

With a focus on positivity and helping people to change their language and behaviour rather than highlighting the negativity, the change happened right at the entry with large gate signage and “I support Positive Vibes Only” stickers handed out to every player, coach and spectator. Bold signage with messages from the players were displayed around the venue, officials wore pink uniforms, and staff caught people being positive with prizes of pinky bars.  

6500 stickers were given out and over 95% of attendees were more than happy to wear them, with many returning to get new stickers throughout the week. Many players and supporters were overheard using the Positive Vibes Only phrase as an easy and non-confrontational way to encourage positive sideline behaviour and remind people of the message.

This campaign is led by Sport Waikato in collaboration with the Waikato Sport Collective – a collection of regional sporting organisations from across the region – Northern Districts Cricket Association, WaiBOP Football Federation, Waikato Rugby, Waikato Touch Association, Hamilton City Netball Centre, Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty, Waikato Hockey Association and the Waikato Volleyball Association.

Article added: Wednesday 15 May 2024