On why we don’t have forfeits – an opinionated explainer

This is the second instalment in a series explaining why we do things. It is certainly not required reading but hopefully of interest to our members and possibly helpful to other organisations

PPT has many aspects to it including its refereeing, juniors, women’s, and representative programs. However the main thing that we run and that most are familiar with is our week night social touch competition. There are many things about PPT that are unique and this one is very different to similar organisations, and that we were recently asked to explain, it is the fact that forfeits are not allowed and do not happen at PPT.

This above fact should not come as a surprise to anyone who is playing regularly at PPT. We talk about how they can easily be avoided both in our playing member FAQ (which every regular player is expected to be familiar with) and the captains expectations (which all captains are expected to be familiar with).

But this essay explains why we believe this is vital and to do so its probably best to start with our aims and circumstances.

Our aims are:

To further social opportunities through touch football and other social sports for juniors and adults in the City of Melbourne and adjoining areas

Notice that “social opportunities” are at the forefront. At PPT, we often say we’re not a touch football organisation, we are a social organisation that happens to play touch. Our competitions exist primarily to foster fun and social relationships. That doesn’t mean we don’t take the games seriously, in fact quite the opposite. We are fanatically committed to making sure every game happens, and we expect our captains to share that same commitment, because it is social.

Being “social” means that everyone involved; teammates, opponents, referees, coaches, and officials should treat each other like friends, or potential friends. And when friends compete, they usually do so with intensity and respect and goodwill.

When a game is scheduled, players, referees, and volunteers have all kept that night free to play, officiate, and connect. They’ve made a commitment, and we believe the right thing to do (and what a friend would do) is to honour that commitment.

Forfeits are avoidable and worth Avoiding

Forfeits are easy to prevent with communication and coordination. In competitions where they’re tolerated, forfeits occur in 10–20% of matches. But at PPT every game goes ahead every season. That’s not a coincidence, it’s the result of deliberate culture-building.

It’s about culture, not convenience

Most adult sports competitions are run by businesses or bureaucracies, and many of those are seeing adult participation decline. PPT is different. We’re a member-driven organisation built on relationships, and we’ve grown consistently over time. We believe that’s because we both encourage and require a culture of mutual respect and accountability.

Insisting that every game is played isn’t just about enforcing a rule, it’s also about reinforcing our values. Our games are not transactions. Everyone involved from players to officials contributes their time voluntarily. Each match is an opportunity to connect, to build friendships, and to be part of a community. Competition is part of that, but it comes second to relationships.

Our policy might seem idealistic, but it works and it works because we set standards and uphold them.