Football NSW’s ‘Don’t Cross the Line’ handbook addresses sport rage

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After seeing a rise in sport rage related incidents across some associations in the state, Football NSW has published the ‘Don’t Cross the Line’ handbook, in order to take action against this increase.

In response to undesired media condemnation and the efforts taken by some associations in admonishing clubs with the potential of a competition shutdown, Football NSW views the document as a guide towards future prevention of harm from abusive actions.

The guide seeks to provide associations with the tools to develop an optimal, safe and enjoyable football environment for all, whilst addressing the causes of sport rage and the measures that can decrease the number of incidents. Clubs can become equipped to adequately deal with and sanction inappropriate behaviour.

Feedback was retrieved from a variety of football associations and participants across the state regarding their experiences with sport rage, all of whom were instrumental in the creation of the new document.

In a statement co-written by Football NSW’s Chairman Anter Isaac and Chief Executive Officer Stuart Hodge, the pair acknowledged the need to proactively address sport rage in an effective manner.

“Sport rage is violence, bad language, abuse and general unacceptable behaviour that does not meet community expectations,” they said in a joint statement.

“Sport rage is a growing concern as we live in a faster, competitive, technology driven (social media) and more stressful society today.

“It is simply not acceptable that children and young people are exposed to any form of abuse whilst participating in football and there is a pressing need to address poor behaviour to ensure we foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of our participants.”

Football NSW, in tandem with Football Australia and all of the other Member Federations, has worked to produce a ‘Safeguarding Children’ toolkit, which will set the principles and benchmarks that need adhering to by associations in order to protect children and young people.

Additionally, Football NSW is seeking to initiate sessions to be run by communities and associations dedicated to dealing with sport rage, including methods of conflict resolution to be put in place on the side line.

You can view the ‘Don’t Cross the Line’ handbook here.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Football NSW supports Female Coaches CPD as Women’s Football Surges

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football NSW has used the platform of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup to deliver a targeted professional development workshop for female coaches, bringing together scholarship recipients for an evening of structured learning and direct engagement with elite women’s football.

Held at ACPE last month, the session was open to female coaches who received C or B Diploma scholarships through Football NSW in 2025. Coaching accreditation carries a financial cost that disproportionately affects women, who are less likely to have their development subsidised by clubs or associations operating in underfunded community football environments. Scholarship access changes that equation at the point where many women exit the pathway.

Facilitated by Football NSW Coach Development Coordinator Bronwyn Kiceec, the workshop focused on goal scoring trends from the tournament’s group stage, with coaches analysing attacking patterns and exploring how those insights could translate into their own environments. The group then attended the quarter-final between South Korea and Uzbekistan at Stadium Australia.

The structure of the evening mattered as much as its content. Female coaches in community football rarely have access to elite competition environments as a professional resource. The gap between the level at which most women coach and the level at which the game is analysed and discussed tends to reinforce itself. Placing scholarship recipients inside a major tournament, as participants rather than spectators, closes that gap in a way that a classroom session cannot.

Female coaches remain significantly underrepresented across all levels of the game in Australia. The pipeline that will change that depends not only on accreditation access but on the professional networks, peer relationships and exposure to elite environments that male coaches have historically taken for granted.

The workshop forms part of Football NSW’s ongoing commitment to developing female coaches through scholarships and structured learning opportunities.

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