Sport Taranaki

The Challenge

Poor sideline behaviour from adults is a major reason young people stop enjoying sport.

The Solution

Our Regional Sporting Organisations are working with Sport Taranaki to improve supporter culture while keeping expectations consistent across codes.

Positive Vibes Only is a region-wide campaign to improve adult behaviours and improve the experiences of tamariki and rangatahi in sport. We are working with sports codes and schools in Taranaki to roll out the campaign.

The campaign was piloted by Sport Waikato and Hamilton City Netball at the Upper North Island Secondary School (UNISS) Netball tournament in August 2023. Attendees noticed a significant difference in the atmosphere of this highly competitive qualifying tournament. The campaign proved you can be competitive while reinforcing positive messages.

Sport Taranaki has partnered with Sport Waikato to bring the campaign to Taranaki and tamariki and rangatahi are now experiencing the Positive Vibes Only kaupapa across several codes.

Why it Works

Positive Vibes Only addresses the root causes: why some supporters are negative, whether they realise they are affecting players, and how we can help them understand the impact of their actions.

The campaign creates enjoyable environments for everyone—players, coaches, referees, administrators, and supporters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Taranaki getting behind this?

Sideline behaviour is regularly raised by Regional Sports Organisations and schools as a challenge. We know how successful the campaign has been in other regions, and we are maintaining consistency with messaging used throughout the country.

We are a school and our students are being asked to dress in pink at a TSSSA event. What does this mean for competition?

This will not affect the rules or structure of the event. However, we believe students will feel more engaged and comfortable in the environment. We also hope your students will become role models for positive player and supporter behaviour.

My club or school would love to get behind this kaupapa. How can we get involved?

We would love to have you on board! The first step is meeting with us to discuss what Positive Vibes Only might look like for you. To access resources, you'll need to complete a brief training session to understand how the campaign works.

What support is available for our event?

Sport Taranaki has umpire vests, teardrop flags, and sandwich boards for you to borrow to get you started. You may want to invest in additional materials. You can also access logos, social media graphics, and more to promote your event. Some existing partners may have materials available to borrow.

Will this affect the competitive nature of our sport?

Not at all. Positive Vibes Only is about maintaining high competition standards while ensuring positive supporter behaviour. The Waikato pilot proved this works even at highly competitive tournaments.

What's Next?

Ready to bring Positive Vibes Only to your organisation? We will work with you to:

Understand your specific context
Provide training for your team
Supply resources and materials
Support your implementation
Help you measure success

Get Started

Contact us to arrange a meeting:

Rachael Berndt: rachael.berndt@sporttaranaki.org.nz
Guy Honnor: guy.honnor@sporttaranaki.org.nz

Let's create sporting environments where everyone feels proud to participate and support.

Positive Vibes Only

Young people are leaving sport because of negative adult behaviour on the sidelines. Positive Vibes Only (PVO) is changing that—one event at a time.

The Challenge

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