As summer sport season kicks off, Australian sporting heroes, including Olympic and Paralympic athletes, are encouraging parents and spectators to ‘Shoosh for Kids’ and promote positive behaviour at junior sports events. The campaign, launched by the NSW Government, aims to create a fun and supportive environment for young athletes.

NSW sporting clubs, associations, and State Sporting Organisations are joining forces to spread the Shoosh for Kids message through a range of resources, including posters, signage, and social media content.

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper emphasised the importance of keeping junior sport enjoyable, highlighting that negative sideline behaviour impacts not only children but also referees, coaches, and volunteers. “Let’s keep the focus on fun and let the kids play the game,” he said.

Olympic Silver Medallist Sienna Hearn, an Australian Stingers Water Polo representative, echoed these sentiments, sharing her personal experience of how junior sport shaped her career. “Negative behaviour can be damaging, and we need to protect the positive environment that helps kids thrive in sport.”

Sports can sign up to the summer campaign on the NSW Office of Sport website: sport.nsw.gov.au/shooshforkids

Courtesy: Sporting heroes urge spectators to Shoosh for Kids at summer sport | NSW Government