Champions
Steve Renouf
Footballer
Steve, can you tell us about your involvement with schools?
I'm currently working with the Queensland Department of Sport and Recreation and we've just visited Cooktown and Atherton with that program. I've also worked with schools in Brisbane and the country throughout my career, so I've had a fair bit of involvement with schools over the last fourteen years.
You've been described as bringing dignity to the sports field and everywhere else. What can sportspeople teach kids about appropriate behaviour?
I think they need a bit of discipline, but they also need support with that.
Kids will be kids, and they will do the odd thing that isn't right… but
if they've got support I think it's a lot easier for them.
Have you, personally, experienced bullying, harassment, or discrimination?
Oh yeah, I think most kids do. We had a bit of bullying at school - I think most schools do. But we were taught to just ignore that sort of thing. I've tried to teach my boys the same thing. They cop it because they're Steve Renouf's boys, but they just ignore it and walk away.
Have you seen any evidence of bullying, harassing or violent behaviour among kids and their peers at school or on the sports field?
You hear about it when you talk to teachers. It can happen just because a kid just doesn't like someone else. From the kid's point of view, that kind of behaviour isn't worth it because of the penalties involved. The youngsters can miss out on a lot by participating in bullying.
How do you advise kids to respond?
I would advise kids to ignore it or report it to a teacher straight away if it's too bad.
What kind of challenges do you think the kids you work with are facing?
In everyday life, they're up against alcohol, single parents and TV. That's stuff they've got to face.
How can adults support kids through their issues?
I think we've got to be there and talk to them. In my family we sit down and listen to the kids when they get home from school. That's when they're full-on and will tell you what happened. Communication is the main thing.
What do you think we can do to increase the sense of fair play in the community?
Create awareness. The more people who know what's going on, the better. There's safety in numbers. It will definitely help if there's a lot more awareness.
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