Abusive junior league coaches ordered to lay off umpires amid spate of attacks

A coach has been dismissed and a trainer suspended for 10 weeks in a string of abusive incidents at junior footy across Melbourne’s suburbs.

Abusive junior league coaches have been ordered to lay off umpires amid spate of attacks Picture: Stephen Harman

Junior footy coaches in charge of players as young as nine have been warned to lay off umpires after a string of abusive incidents.

In one junior league alone, a coach has been dismissed, others stood down and a trainer “suspended for 10 weeks” following shocking outbursts last week.

Yarra Junior Football League boss Tim Murray said in a message to all clubs that he was “most concerned” that many of the incidents were linked to under-10s and under-11s matches.

“The behaviour is completely unacceptable, and in several cases has led to umpires considering if they will bother continuing,” he said.

DO YOU HAVE A LOCAL FOOTY STORY TO SHARE? Email [e-mail]

He also urged club presidents to “remind your officials that as adults they are charged with setting an example of good behaviour to players”.

“Adults need to be leading by example, not by abusing or attacking umpires or other club officials,” he said. “Some of the reports indicate players have joined in with adults in abuse of umpires, which should not be tolerated.”

One junior footy umpire claims they received “death threats, consistent abusive language”.

After inquiries from the Herald Sun, Mr Murray told club officials he would not comment and hoped “you would do the same”. The league is the state’s biggest grassroots competition for kids with 33 clubs and 530 teams.

One junior footy umpire told the Herald Sun they had received “death threats, consistent abusive language”.

“If I took it to heart I would’ve retired many years ago,” the umpire said. “It is leading to a huge downturn in umpires, it impacts on development, and it is certainly going to hurt the game.”

One club vice-president said a small group of parents had been stressed and “unusually feisty” post-COVID.

Some coaches are in charge of players as young as nine.

Another, Balwyn Greythorn Junior Football Club president Andy Millar, said he was “disappointed but not surprised”.

“I’ve come across some pretty angry coaches,” he said.

“Umpires are often young and are learning, so when they have parents screaming over the fence, it is incredibly hard.”

Bundoora Junior Football Club president Paul Trapani said those who “resort to violence or abuse” were out of order. “There are people who treat this as life and death,” he added.

In the South Metro Junior Football League this year, an under-16 girl copped a 15-match penalty for offences that included umpire abuse.

In the Southern Football Netball League, the tribunal this week handed a five-game ban to a player for “abusive, insulting or ­obscene language’’ to the official. “That verbal abuse won’t be tolerated,’’ said league chief Lee Hartman.