Respect: Play Your Part in 2019/20
With the new youth season about to kick off, Hertfordshire FA will continue to spread a positive message of Respect across youth football
The ‘We Only Do Positive’ campaign – part of The FA’s wider Respect initiative – returns for the beginning of the youth football season this weekend, helping to create a positive environment for players, following a successful launch last season.
The campaign aims to highlight the importance of positive behavior on and off the pitch for young footballers, educating parents and coaches on their role in creating a fun, safe and inclusive environment for children to play the game.
Campaign showing positive results
Results from last season showed increased awareness of the Respect initiative amongst grassroots participants across the country, particularly within youth football. This included widespread positive feedback from over 200,000 coaches and club officials, with 86% saying that fixtures were being played in a positive environment.
The FA’s wider Respect initiative launched in the 2008 after a build-up of behavioural problems in the national game. Other recent campaigns include 21 Days of Positivity, which was taken up by thousands of coaches across the country and supported by England Manager Gareth Southgate and players across England’s senior teams.
Karl Lingham, CEO of Hertfordshire FA said: "The Respect campaign remains hugely important – particularly in youth football. We want Hertfordshire to be the best place to play and understand that everyone has a part to play in creating a fun, safe and inclusive environment for all to be able to enjoy the game".
Richard Drake, Hertfordshire FA Designated Safeguarding Officer and Respect lead said: "Positive encouragement is crucial in giving young people confidence and enabling them to develop their skills. The priority must be to create an environment in which players can flourish. We are here to support any club or league who want to ensure children have great experiences throughout their football journey.”
Find out more
For more information about the Respect campaign and how you can play your part, including Codes of Conduct for different roles in the game, visit our Respect page.
