Clearly there is no single solution to the problem of poor sportsmanship in the game today. It is a monster with many tentacles. But officials can and should play a role in improving the situation. Associations can provide initiatives for their officials to follow. That includes doing what is necessary when fan behavior crosses the line. How often have you heard officials in your association complain about a coach’s behavior, but when you ask him or her what was done about it, the response is, “Nothing.”
In order to develop consistency in addressing poor sportsmanship, your association will need outreach that targets various groups. Those groups include assigners, administrators, coaches, students and finally, the parent and fans.
Step 1 — Develop committees in your association related to sportsmanship in each sport you cover. Behaviors can change depending upon the sport and different areas will need to be addressed. Formulate a list per sport that can be reviewed with officials in your association and has procedures for dealing with negative sportsmanship. For example, if a parent verbally abuses an opponent on the other team, here is how you should react. There will be some commonality across the board, but also specific instances particular to each sport.
Step 2 — Clearly communicate to your membership what are acceptable levels of behavior at the various levels of competition your group officiates.
Step 3 — Have a point person in the organization to track and detail all reports and correspondence dealing with poor sportsmanship. That person should review reports that are written and track. If a particular school has caused significant problems and you have 13 reports on file to prove it, your credibility will skyrocket when dealing with commissioners and administrators. Differentiate between the negative game action behaviors that occur between players, coaches, fans and parents. The more specific, the better.
Step 4 — Outreach to schools and commissioners. Offer your services to give presentations before the season on sportsmanship and expectations from officials. By outlining expectations ahead of time, the school will have no way of indicating ignorance. And athletic directors will appreciate your help in communicating acceptable forms of behavior. Work with the state association to provide examples of positive sportsmanship and encourage officials to commend schools that work to create a positive sporting environment.
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