Respect Awareness Sports Weekend shows value of respectful communities

The initiative organised by Respect Awareness aims to promote the importance of good sportsmanship and being respectful to others both on and off the field.

Respect Awareness President Ronda Lampe said the event, including all winter sports like AFL, rugby league, soccer, netball and hockey, had about 6000 people participating.

"All schools were invited too, be it public, private or catholic, and they bought tear drop banners to pin up around schools and sporting fields to show support," she said.

"We want to encourage the community to have respect for other people's rights and property in all facets of life."

While sport is competitive, Ms Lampe said there was an important difference between playing hard and playing unsportsmanlike.

"There has been a hefty penalty recently for a player's misconduct and that is what we really want to rule out," she said.

"But it goes to every aspect of living, on the road, in shopping areas, schools, and workplaces, the bottom line is just treat others as you would like to be treated."

Ms Lampe said the Wagga community would be better off with more respect, even as far as saving the council money to put to better use.

"There are so many big issues debated like water and roads, and the council would have money to fix that if it wasn't spent on mopping up these other issues of disrespect," she said.

The Respect Awareness group invited the community to join their next general meeting on Tuesday, August 13 at the RSL Club where guest speaker and senior constable Lee Matthews will be addressing the group.