'We bully them': Launceston clubs pursuing more respectful culture

The East Launceston Junior Football Club vice-president was coaching an under-12s game at the time and his son later showed him the image.

"I was actually really embarrassed by that," d'Emden said.

Plenty has changed since.

Bringing on board Rod Campbell and his program Learning Life Through Sport, the NTJFA club has undergone a significant change in culture based around respect.

"It's quite confronting. Rod asked the question in the program, what sort of coach are you? Are you a irresponsible coach or a responsible coach?" he said.

"To be honest, I was probably falling to the irresponsible coach previously."

But following his time with Campbell, d'Emden's approach towards umpires has changed completely and so has the club's.

"I'd now call myself a responsible coach. We tell the boys, 'zip your lips, put your hands up [after] a decision'," he continued.

"I don't think we've given away a 50-metre free-kick this year, which is fantastic. The boys are embracing it, they love it and it's just really changed the way we go about football at a junior level."

Umpire scrutiny continues to apply repeated pressure on umpires at all levels and the number of umpires are still concerningly low, in all sports.

As a result, Adelaide-based Campbell has made it his mission to fundamentally change the mindset of players, parents, coaches and supporters when it comes to how they treat umpires.

"They're sort of the forgotten people," Campbell said.

"The way that we treat them we found - and it's inherited behaviour - is really poor and in a society at the moment where we're really concerned about mental ill health or mental fitness, we really need to start looking after our young people.

"It's just about these three values; sportsmanship, respect and trying your hardest."

Despite being just a year old, the program is gaining nationwide traction, with former AFL player Luke Darcy hosting Campbell on his podcast Empowering Leaders.

While in Launceston, Campbell will speak with multiple junior football clubs before hosting South East Launceston Devils Basketball Club and the NTJSA.

"It starts with parental behaviour, but it's the coaches that have maximum impact, so if we want to change environments, firstly, we need to agree on a culture definition," the firefighter said.

"In one of the presentations, someone once said to me, 'do we not want the umpires to have fun?', and if you put that to anyone, I don't even think we think about that as a concept.

"I'll say, 'do you want a safe and inclusive environment for your children that you're coaching?', and they'll say yes, and I'll say 'do you want the same safe, inclusive environment for the umpires then?, and they have to think about it, because we actually bully them.

"Where else in society would it be acceptable for two adults to stand on the side of the ground and hurl abuse at a teenager?"

Such behaviour is unwelcome at the NTCA Ground.

d'Emden is confident that East Launceston is already enjoying a major cultural shift.

And for parents who still want to feel like they can barrack and support their children, d'Emden added that there is still plenty of room for that, but it cannot come at the cost of the umpires' wellbeing.

"You can still encourage, it's not taking away the spirit of wanting to win, but it's a complete attitude change, it's about sportsmanship, it's about respect," he said.