My Parents are Ugly? Watch the cartoon with all the family. Come on Mum and Dad – sort out your sideline behaviour! While most parents are great sideline supporters, some aren’t. My Parents are Ugly is a book from New Zealand Rugby as part of their Applaud initiative, based on a boy’s view of his parents at a game of rugby.
We're up and running again this weekend with the new Rate my Game application, allowing you to write your own match report on your kids' Saturday morning sports games - and from this week, the best reports will win prizes.
Rate my Game allows you to quickly andeasily file a match report on any game, big or small. You can send it live from the sideline on your smartphone, or when you get home to your computer
Last weekend, mums, dads and other fans flocked to file their own match reports on grassroots sports around New Zealand. Supporters filed their reports to the new interactive Rate my Game site - and the reports were overwhelmingly positive in a celebration of heartland sport.
From this weekend, L'Oreal has come aboard to support great behaviour in community sport, with two dozen prizes of his and hers health and beauty packs. For men, we are giving away a dozen L'Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Packs, valued at $40 each, with a bonus sports towel. For women, we have a dozen L'Oreal Youthcode Luminosity Packs, each valued at $95.
Just file your match report on any grassroot sports game you attend, include your name and email address, and you could win.
Filing a short match report is simple: Click on the "Submit a report" button above the map, and then tell us about the game you're watching. Where is it? What code? Which teams are playing? Who's put in a starring performance? How are the mums and dads on the sideline - are they supportive, or are they ugly fans?
Most importantly, you can rate the game by giving the sideline behaviour a big thumbs up.
The Herald on Sunday and nzherald.co.nz will celebrate New Zealand's Sideline Champs by running some of the best match reports from around the country each week.
It's your chance to be a published sports writer but, more importantly, it's a chance for all of us to celebrate the best of grassroots sport around the country.
Rate my Game will collate all the reports, showing which teams and their supporters are setting an example as good sports, and which are not.
The Herald on Sunday has launched a far-reaching campaign to support good behaviour on the sidelines of sports fields and courts, and to back the work being done in the big winter sports codes - rugby, league, netball, football, hockey and basketball - to combat increasing numbers of "ugly" fans.
The paper has published a Sideline Code, encouraging supporters to cheer loud, cheer fair and cheer proud. You can pledge your support for the code at facebook.com/HeraldonSunday, and to do your bit to help New Zealanders enjoy and excel at their sports.
Ambassadors including injured All Black Richard Kahui, Silver Fern captain Casey Kopua, league's Manu Vatuvei and World Cup football star Ivan Vicelich are all joining the call for sideline supporters to set an example to kids.
If you see remarkable behaviour on the sidelines this winter - good or bad - please get in touch by phoning 09-3739340 or emailing news@hos.co.nz
