Under 12s junior football coach caught on camera swearing at players’ parents

The league has detailed its immediate actions over footage of a dispute between a coach and parents after a Geelong junior footy game, as social media leapt to the coach’s defence.

Families and members of the public have thrown their support behind an under-fire junior coach that was caught swearing at his players’ parents after the last game of the season.

The Northern Stars under-12s coach was filmed in the post-game huddle, telling disagreeable parents to stop complaining about a volunteer and to pull their kids out of the team if they did not approve of his style of coaching.

But people have taken to social media to support coach Paul Vaccaro, with Phill De Francesco one of them.

Paul-Alan Viccaro is the coach of the Northern Stars under-12s team.

“Whilst swearing at kids trying to have fun is not acceptable being a coach myself I understand the frustration this coach is going through without the support of the players’ parents and the backstabbing,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Help the guy out, put your hand up and support the fella trying to teach (your) kids the values of good sportsmanship and respect of the game.”

Mark Wiffen said this situation was “nothing new”.

“There are always parents in all types of sport that love to voice their opinions about their precious cherubs,” he wrote on Facebook.

“But none step up to help run the clubs or events, (they) just stand back and complain.”

AFL Barwon region general manager Edward Wilson confirmed the league was investigating the outburst at Saturday’s game.

Wilson said the investigation was not to penalise Northern Stars, but to discover how this incident unfolded.

“I’ve spoke with members of the club’s junior program about how this incident transpired,” he said.

“It’s not about providing sanctions or penalties for the club, but more to learn how this happened and also how to better educate those involved in the incident.

“We have a zero tolerance for any abuse, whether that’s coming from parents, players, volunteers, coaches, spectators or umpires, so we do need to have a look at what has happened here.

“We want football and netball clubs to be a safe place for kids to be involved in sport.”

League probes coach’s tirade, parents’ complaints

AFL Barwon is investigating after a junior footy coach was filmed swearing at the players’ parents in the wake of a Northern Stars game.

Northern Stars under-12s head coach Paul Alan Vaccaro has been caught on camera swearing at the parents of the 10 and 11-year-olds, while defending his actions at the end of the side’s last game of the season last weekend.

Multiple parents have complained to the Northern Stars junior committee, saying they had been told their concerns had been passed on to AFL Barwon.

But region general manager Edward Wilson said he had not received any complaints from the organisation through the season and had only heard about Vaccaro’s most recent outburst after being contacted by the Geelong Advertiser.

Paul-Alan Vaccaro is the coach of the Northern Stars under-12s team. Picture: Facebook

Concerned parent Emily Alford was the First-Aid officer for the team and said complaints were made to the club.

“We’d film him each week and send the footage to the committee, the language was disgusting,” she said.

Footage of Mr Vaccaro after the last game of the season showed the coach calling the players and parents into a huddle and telling them he was sick of the criticism surrounding his performance in charge.

“I heard a bit of mouthing off behind my back just before and I’m not really happy, you wonder why we struggle to get effing coaches here,” he was heard saying in the video.

“This is voluntary, I told you’s at the start of the year, this is f***ing voluntary. I’ll walk at any time, because nobody had the balls to stand up and take over.

“If you don’t like the way the coaches talk to your children, take them out.

“It’s the coach’s job.”

During the stand-off between the parents and himself, Mr Vaccaro said he would not return to coach at the club in 2023.

Mr Vaccaro could not be reached for comment about the complaints levelled at him, while several Northern Stars junior committee members also refused to comment.

Ms Alford said several children would be moved to play at Bell Park in 2023.

“I’ve pulled all three of my kids out,” she said.

“It’s shocking for us.”

Mr Wilson said the league had been made aware of the incident.

“It was disappointing to learn about what transpired at Saturday’s game,” he said.

“We want the kids to enjoy football and netball, and the incident was not that for them.

“I have spoken with the club’s junior co-ordinator and the club is working with the coach to develop his skills.

“We’ll be launching an investigation into the situation, and will be working with the club to understand what transpired.

“The club received feedback from parents throughout the season, we weren’t made aware of that feedback but we empower the clubs to make the right decision on escalating issues.”

Originally published as Under 12s junior football coach caught on camera swearing at players’ parents