What is Good Sports?

In alignment with Balance is Better, Good Sports is a culture change initiative developed by Aktive, which focuses on improving sideline behaviours and recognising the impact that parents, caregivers, coaches, teachers and sport leaders have on tamariki and rangatahi sporting experiences. With participation in youth sports declining, initiatives such as Good Sports and Balance is Better have been implemented to put the youth's perspective at the forefront of youth sports.

Good Sports focuses on raising adults’ awareness about their behaviours in youth sport and promoting a positive shift in that behaviour where necessary. This creates a more positive environment for all involved; where referees aren’t abused, children can have fun, and parents can enjoy seeing their tamariki play while socialising with other parents, instead of obsessing over the score. 

What is the purpose of Good Sports?

The aim is to create positive experiences for children in sport, so they are more likely to stay involved and develop a love of physical activity for life. Negative reinforcement only reduces the chance that children will want to continue to participate in sport and recreation, and most often adults are the facilitators of these attitudes, putting too much pressure on rangatahi to be the best at a young age. Basing conversations around development rather than performance allows children to develop a growth mindset, focusing on small wins such as learning a new skill or improving their movement abilities. As a result, rangatahi are less likely to experience an overuse injury, burnout or disaffection with sport.