[CYO Butch]

Below is a letter sent our by our league director. I have been fortunate that none issues being addressed have occurred in division, and the overwhelming number of coaches support the stiffining of the rules of conduct. These rules are in addition to very strict rules vis-a-vis coaches. One T and I'm out for the next game. One ejection, and I'm out for the season and would have to apply for reinstatement. I like it this way.

The following, although talking a lot about damage to the facilities, was the direct result of two separate instances of people approaching officials in the parking lots after games, and a couple of other times people screaming at the score keepers.


From: xxx xxx, Director of CYO Programs

Date: January 20, 2004

Subject: Behavior at CYO basketball games

We have had an alarming number of incidents already this year, involving parents/fans/spectator's behavior in the stands and parents/fans/spectators leaving the stands. These incidents have occurred at all levels of CYO Basketball.
The last time we had problems in an area of CYO Basketball (the High School Divisions) we stiffened the penalties to the players involved. This has done more to calm the situation than any memo or plea for sensibility. So, it appears now, we will have to treat adults like we treated the children.

I do not think parents understand, we are guests of the facilities in which we play our games. Our hosts do not like to hear that the police had to be called to remove an unruly fan. Our hosts also do not like to have their property damaged. This usually occurs when unsupervised children play in the hallways, while their parents are inside watching their sibling play. Some other youth leagues in our area have lost the use of some gyms because the schools did not want that type of behavior in their facilities.

We have a contract with two referee associations, they do not have to renew their contracts with us; or they can make the price so high it becomes prohibitive to use their services. Both associations have already chosen not to renew contracts with youth leagues were there have been problems with fan behavior and referees felt threatened.

We provide objective scorekeepers and timers at all of our CYO games so there will not be any accusations of favoritism at the table during the games. The majority of these scorekeepers and timers are teenage boys and girls. The next time you as a parent begin to yell at the adolescent
scorekeeper, think how you would feel if it was your son or daughter was being yelled at or spoken to disrespectfully by a stranger.

We have started our own referee association to referee all of our Non-Tournament Leagues games. We are in the second year of this program and it seems to be progressing nicely. The reason we chose to institute the program was that both referee associations no longer wanted to referee this
age group and skill level. Their fees for these games was becoming cost prohibitive. Again we are employing mostly teenagers and young adults.

As a parent/fan/spectator at a CYO basketball game you have the right to attend the game in a mature manner, support your child and their team in a mature manner, and voice your feelings in a mature manner. You do not have the right to verbally assault or verbally threaten any of the game
officials; before, during, or after the game.

From now on any parent/fan/spectator or player who comes onto the court, is ejected from a game, or confronts either the referees or scorekeepers following a game will be suspended from attending ANY CYO game for the next two weeks (cancellations do not count as a week) following the incident. Any further disturbance by this parent/fan/ spectator/player will result in suspension for the remainder of the year from all CYO basketball games.