While last season saw 94 per cent of all football played within Cumberland played without any incidents of disciplinary action, the start of the 23-24 season within the Cumberland FA has seen a small increase in the number of indiscipline reports, particularly in youth football.
As a result, several county leagues have collaborated with the Cumberland FA to launch a new initiative in the form of a Behaviour-Consequence Ladder for youth teams.
The Cumberland FA have been joined by Carlisle Glass Longhorn Youth Football League, Penrith and District Junior Football League, West Cumbria Youth Football League, and Cumberland FA U16 Women’s League.
The ladder is a collective approach and demonstrates a shared commitment from all youth leagues in trying to ensure that football within the county is a positive and safe place in which to participate.
The Behaviour-Consequence Ladder aims to reward teams who have installed a positive behavioural culture and regularly create a positive football environment.
However, it also provides incremental consequences and actions for teams who demonstrate undesirable or continued unacceptable behaviour throughout the season which, in exceptional cases, could result in a team’s membership of leagues being voted upon by member clubs at a Special General Meeting.
Cumberland FA CEO and positive football environment lead officer, Ben Snowdon, said: “The initiative is based on the work of The FA League of the Year, The Young Elizabethan League, who have a traffic light system which they use to monitor and improve standards of behaviour, and I would like to thank their league secretary for their help and guidance in creating this ladder.
“The idea is that all teams start at the top of the ladder (Level 1 – Green) and will hopefully stay there throughout the course of the season. However, teams can move down and back up the ladder, dependent upon standards of behaviour and in particular the number of proven misconduct cases they have within the FA discipline system.
“The related consequences look to recognise and rewards teams who consistently meet or even exceed expectations around positive behaviour, whilst working with clubs who have incidents of undesirable behaviours to ensure that responsibility and appropriate actions are taken to try to ensure that this is challenged so that behaviour improves and that team climbs back up the ladder.”
Richard Lewthwaite, chair of The West Cumbria Youth Football League, added: “The West Cumbria Youth League committee is delighted to be involved with the new Behaviour Ladder. We recognise that rewarding positive behaviour is every bit as important as punishing poor standards.
“We are sure our member clubs will buy into this new scheme and help to further build the positive environment we all want for our players.”
Penrith & District Youth Football League secretary, Peter Renwick, said: “The Penrith & District Junior League fully support this new initiative from the County FA. The message is simple, good behaviour will be rewarded, bad behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Carlisle Glass Longhorn Youth Football League secretary, Sharron Willis, added: “We fully support and endorse the behaviour consequence ladder to support clubs to address unwanted behaviour and poor practice within their club and celebrate teams that go above and beyond to uphold the expected standards, to enable children (players and referees) to play and learn their game in a calm, controlled, safe and positive environment.”
