The Official Forum - Sportsmanship ...

Got this email this morning:

Dear Basketball Official,

This message is addressed to every registered basketball official in CT. It not only outlines the CIAC's new DQ regulation for coaches, but it highlights the expectations for education-based athletics, demonstrates the commitment the CIAC is making to improve sportsmanship and in particular the treatment toward officials. Together and with the help of school administrators, we can help eradicate the poor behaviors we are unfortunately seeing in some athletic contests.

Good Morning High School Basketball Coaches,

A few weeks ago, we had a Zoom call to go over all of the new rules and regulations with the state interpreter. At the beginning of that call, I had the opportunity to speak to you about our expectations for coaches in the upcoming basketball season. I want to reiterate some of the most important points that I made that night.

In education-based athletics, coaches play one of the most vital roles in creating an environment that promotes sportsmanship. We continue to have problems in a handful of sports where some coaches do not display good sportsmanship especially in their interactions with officials. Basketball coaches consistently have the highest number of disqualifications each year. This has to come to an end. I am asking you to be self-reflective about the way you treat officials as a new season gets underway. It is not a surprise to any one of you that there continues to be trouble recruiting new basketball officials to help replace the many officials who are retiring. Without officials---we do not have a game. Young officials continue to leave officiating after one or two years with the number one reason being treatment by coaches. As varsity coaches, please monitor and mentor your sub-varsity coaches in a way that fair treatment of officials is one of your highest priorities. Teach young coaches to focus on coaching rather than yelling at officials.

The CIAC Sportsmanship Committee with the support of the CIAC Board of Control has increased the penalty for coaches who are disqualified. The enhanced penalty is below.

Please note that "the CIAC reserves the right to review any incident that results in a coach’s disqualification and may assess additional game suspensions up to and including a one-year ban."

Coach Disqualification Rule – All coaches who are disqualified at any level will be suspended for the next two games (see page 104) in the CIAC Handbook), take two NFHS coaching courses (“Teaching and Modeling Behavior” and “Sportsmanship”) and the school will pay a $50 fine. In addition to the two-game suspension and fine, the CIAC reserves the right to review any incident that results in a coach’s disqualification and may assess additional game suspensions up to and including a one-year ban. The fine and proof of taking the coaching courses must be submitted to the CIAC office before the coach can resume his coaching responsibilities.

Our member schools' athletic directors and principals are aware that the CIAC has a zero tolerance for poor treatment of officials. Several schools this fall fired coaches who were disqualified and others suspended coaches for the rest of the season. Poor treatment of officials is going to come to an end, and you can be part of the solution or part of the problem---it is your choice.