Sportsmanship

The development and display of good sportsmanship by their team should be the prime objective of each coach in our athletic program. The coach through his/her comments, actions, and emphasis in the program will set the example which will be modeled by the players. No action by a coach, official, player, or spectator which downgrades, embarrasses, or ridicules any other player, coach, official, or spectator can or should be tolerated or encouraged. Coaches or athletes who cannot subscribe to the principles of good sportsmanship should and must be eliminated from the program.

1.              Each coach should spend time on the importance of good sportsmanship with his/her team and review these standards as necessary during their season.

a.              No disputing of an official’s call either by word or action (only team captain or the coach may talk to the official.)

b.              No use of profanity or obscene gestures on/off the field of play, locker room, bus, etc.

c.              No commission of intentional/flagrant fouls.

2.              Officials are human and will commit errors in judgment and rule interpretations. Players and coaches should be aware of this and should make allowances for it. Everyone should understand that over a game and/or season, “breaks” will even out. If a team spends time worrying about the officiating or the actions of the other team, it may well take away from their concentration and adversely affect their play. If the officiating is so poor that it is making the activity dangerous to the players, the TWO coaches should discuss it and go to the officials together and get the situation corrected. Under no circumstances should a coach challenge a judgment call. Rule interpretations may be questioned in an appropriate manner (generally helpful to involve the other team’s coach when this is being done.)

3.              Good sportsmanship revolves around thinking of the other person or your team and another team in any way. We should not go for school record, run up the score, and play our first unit the whole game, etc, when we know the other team is in no position to compete with us.

4.              The display of good sportsmanship will enhance our athletic program and enable us to turn out student-athletes who will respect the game and one another.

5.              Procedure for handling conflicts in games. If coaches see that a game is getting out of hand or may get out of hand (fouls not being called, rough play, comments being made, etc.) Both coaches should go to the officials and state their case.

6.        If you feel that the game should be played under protest, let the officials and opposing coach know immediately the reason the game should be protested.  You will then need to contact your school's athletic director immediately after the game.  The athletic director will follow-through with league policy to correctly file your request with the league.  The athletic director has 24 hours to submit the protest request.