Code of Conduct

At Onehunga Sports FC, we are committed to creating a positive and respectful environment for everyone — players, coaches, referees, and supporters. Whether it’s junior football on a Saturday morning or senior matches in the afternoon, we expect all spectators to uphold the highest standards of behaviour on the sidelines.

Our Sideline Standards

1. Encourage, Don’t Pressure

  • Cheer positively for all players.

  • Focus on effort, teamwork, and improvement — not just the score.

  • Avoid placing unrealistic expectations on players.

2. Respect Referees and Officials

  • Accept all decisions without arguing, shouting, or undermining the referee.

  • Remember: referees (including youth referees) are learning and doing their best.

3. Let Coaches Coach

  • Avoid yelling tactical instructions from the sideline.

  • Trust the coach to manage the team and game plan.

4. Zero Tolerance for Abuse

  • No swearing, shouting abuse, or aggressive behaviour toward players, coaches, referees, or other supporters.

  • Any abusive behaviour will result in removal from the venue.

5. Be a Role Model

  • Show good sportsmanship, regardless of the result.

  • Applaud good play from both teams.

  • Treat everyone with dignity and respect.

6. Keep It Safe and Family-Friendly

  • No offensive language, gestures, or intoxicated behaviour.

Breach of the Code

The club reserves the right to address any breaches of this Code of Conduct. This may include a warning, being asked to leave the venue, or further disciplinary action, depending on the severity.

By standing on the sideline at Onehunga Sports FC, you are representing our club and community — let’s make sure we do it with pride, respect, and positivity.

Refereeing — Understanding How It Works

We ask all parents, coaches, and supporters to familiarise themselves with how refereeing works across our age grades, so expectations are clear and disagreements are avoided.

  • Junior (U9–U12): There are no officially appointed referees for Junior Community games. It is the responsibility of both participating teams to provide a "Game Leader" or referee. Common practice is for each team to referee one half each, agreed upon before kick-off.

  • Youth (U13–U19): NRF will attempt to appoint an official referee where possible. If no referee is appointed, the Home Team is responsible for providing someone to officiate. If the Home Team is unable to do so, both teams may agree to split the halves or for the Away Team to provide a referee.

  • When Teams Can't Agree: If an agreement cannot be reached, the Home Team carries the responsibility for ensuring a referee is in place so the game can go ahead. There are no strict rules around which team referees which half — this is always to be decided by mutual agreement between both teams.

  • NZF Referee Accreditation: If a coach or manager holds a current NZF Referee Accreditation, they are given precedence to referee the entire match at their discretion, where the opposing team is unable to provide someone with an equivalent NZF accreditation. We encourage all coaches and managers to pursue NZF referee accreditation via the Youth and Community Football Referee Award — not only does it raise the standard of officiating across our club, but it also ensures our players enjoy well-managed, fair, and enjoyable games. Find pathways to NZF referee accreditation here https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/nzf-learn 

We ask all coaches and managers to handle refereeing arrangements respectfully and in the spirit of the game. Disputes over refereeing responsibilities should never disrupt the match or create a negative environment for the players. If you experience any disagreements or altercations on gameday, please bring these to the attention of Jannine Stewart, Keegan Hansen (Director of Football), or one of our Gameday Leads as soon as possible. Following this, we ask that an incident report be submitted via our website: www.onehungasports.net/incident-report

Arguing with Referee