Decline of Sportsmanship

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Just finished reading Jim Arehart's article in that Referee mag concerning sportsmanship (December '04, Not My Problem). 6000 officials polled; first 550 responses used for development of the article.

Poor Sportsmanship is the #1 problem in our games today? 76% said, Yes.

#1 reason officials quit? 44% said problems with coaches/players/fans.

What effect does poor sportsmanship at higher levels have at the lower levels? 77% said HUGE effect. 22% said some. That's 99% who feel there is an influence.

Do officials and their associations do enough to improve sportsmanship? 65% said NO.

Are officials satisfied with the level of support they receive from their assigners or supervisors? 22% said NO.

Which group of people has the most responsibility of improving sportsmanship? Officials - 2%. Coaches - 64%.

Those were the statistics discussed but other statements made were:

What tool do officials most lack when it comes to making a significant impact on improving sportsmanshsip? COURAGE. 1)Officials lack the courage to use the tools (technical foul in basketball) 2)Officials don't feel their bosses will support them when they do use the tools.

Gary Welchel, commissioner of Arizona Interscholastic Association (past NASO chair) has apparently established a very worthy and strong program within that state.

"In our role as officials we must be part of the solution... we train our officials on what is expected of them... Their job is to set boundaries at the start of the athletic contest that hold the participants accountable for their behavior... they're gone and they sit out the next game. We send a message through our officials that we will not tolerate abuse from the participants.

Because of this program, "We don't have a problem recruiting officials ... because we've addressed the one problem that causes officials to leave - poor sportsmanship."

"What you permit, you promote." Which I paraphrase as Whatever you are willing to tolerate, is exactly what you will have.

"...importantly, we support our officials 100%"

There was also a statement made that Oregon and Florida schools and or players can be "fined significant dollar amounts for such things as ejections or using profanity." Now the fact that players can be fined, I found startling.

"...in the official's role as caretakers of the game, ... officials can help foster an environment that make[s] the games about sportsmanship, ... not about championships."

My comments:
I was shocked that players can be fined. Is that really true for Oregon and Florida? Any others? I know in Idaho schools can be fined but generally not for ejections or profanity.

I feel officials really have a much much larger responsibility for sportsmanship than the 2% the survey showed.

Coaches' responsibility as 64% is probably true but that is because most of the poor sportsmanship seems to start with poorly acting coaches.

100% support of officials is great. But there are many officials that I know, who I feel, are not worthy of 100% support - they and their poor sportsmanship often creates problems.

I wonder about the 78% that say their bosses adequately support them (22% said no). What if the officials stepped up and started enforcing good sportsmanship; would the officials still feel adequately supported? Basically would the administrator still support his troops if the technical fouls/complaints/problems/ejections tripled?

Somebody from Arizona tell me/us about your program. The article said their is some manadatory joint training (officials and school representatives) that creates a partnership... and "train our officials on what is expected of them." What is expected of you? How do you set these "boundaries at the start of the athletic contest that holds the participants acountable for their behavior?"

Any further insight or comments concerning sportsmanship would be appreciated.

Oooh, and I T-boned a childish putz of a coach last night for commenting "Your calling a horrible game." Probably should have just agreed with him and said "You're right. This is a horrible game... Coach."

[Edited by DownTownTonyBrown on Dec 22nd, 2004 at 03:27 PM]

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

DTTB:

I don't want to even get started on sportsmanship. BUT it starts at home. Parents are a child's first teachers. The reason that we see poor sportsmanship is just part of the general lack of civility in our society today. Since I work for myself, I have substituted teaching math and science in the Toledo Public School District because of the shortage of teaches in those areas, and my wife and I are quite active in school affairs. So I was aghast one time when I was teaching at East Toledo Jr. H.S. and the assistant principal told me that students at her were not required to exhibit good manners because they were not taught it at home therefore it would not be required of them in school. This is a great example of two wrongs making a third wrong.

MTD, Sr.

[Jimgolf]

Customs are handed down from generation to generation. When families are split apart and there is no communication between the generations, then customs are not passed on. The anti-family culture that is promoted in the media leads many to feel that everyone is an island, and that there are no societal norms to abide. Sportsmanship is just another custom that is no longer passed down from grandparents to kids, along with civility, manners, respect for others and contributing to society instead of lining your own pockets.

The solution: Keep your families together, stop watching television, stop working three jobs so that you can keep up with the neighbors, listen more than you speak, kiss your family and tell them you love them every time you go out.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.
I don't want to even get started on sportsmanship. BUT it starts at home. Parents are a child's first teachers. The reason that we see poor sportsmanship is just part of the general lack of civility in our society today. ... students at her [school] were not required to exhibit good manners because they were not taught it at home therefore it would not be required of them in school.

I couldn't agree with you more, Mark. But don't you feel that part of this decline in civility and thereby, also in sportsmanship, is due to NO PENALTY for these poor actions. Our society does not impose any repercussions on those displaying poor citizenship. We just ignore them and they find some other low-lifes to associate with.

As a whole we need to not accept poor sportsmanship on the court and more readily penalize those acts.

Our tolerant society however has an additional characteristic - enforcement actions, such as a T, must be justified. For example, I call a technical foul on a player. Coach wants to know why. So I justify. Coach questions my justification and this is allowed, or even worse, felt to be the coach's responsibility to question my authority. So "justified" becomes your justification must meet the approval of everyone involved. And if it doesn't, or it is questionable, then your penalty was inappropriate.

That makes for a terrible situation that we, as officials, can't possible win - at least not every time.

[TimTaylor]

In Oregon, at least, it's the schools that are fined, not the players or coaches. The fines also escalate for each UC ejection, and are cumulative across sports seasons for the current school year. For example, say a school got hit with subsequent level 1 & 2 fines in football and/or soccer - the first qualifying ejection in basketball would automatically elicit a level 3 fine. Outrageous conduct can go beyond that - within the last couple years a baseball coach was barred for intentionally making contact with an umpire, and if memory serves me correctly, the school was fined something in the $500-$800 range.

The question I have about this is how many officials have to get their own games which are assigned by the schools AD's or coaches? I know that right now in Indiana we have to get our most of our own games that are assigned by the Ad's and Coaches.

Let me ask you guys that are trying to move up to the Varsity levels or want to continue to get the varsity games you are getting, How likely are you to allow a coach a little more leash because you them or the AD is assigning your game?

This is just a thought I had when reading this, that because of the way the games are assigned an official is more likely to let more go. I feel that there might be a correlation between the way games are assigned and the sportsmanship of a coach, which in turn makes the players on the team have a little less sportsmanship.

Just throwing this out to see what people think.

[Robmoz]

Originally posted by Jerry Blum
The question I have about this is how many officials have to get their own games which are assigned by the schools AD's or coaches? I know that right now in Indiana we have to get our most of our own games that are assigned by the Ad's and Coaches.

Let me ask you guys that are trying to move up to the Varsity levels or want to continue to get the varsity games you are getting, How likely are you to allow a coach a little more leash because you them or the AD is assigning your game?

This is just a thought I had when reading this, that because of the way the games are assigned an official is more likely to let more go. I feel that there might be a correlation between the way games are assigned and the sportsmanship of a coach, which in turn makes the players on the team have a little less sportsmanship.

Just throwing this out to see what people think.

You got that right Jerry. Sure sounds like a conflict of interest when you have to deal with the AD/Coach to get your games.

[zebraman]

Originally posted by Jerry Blum
The question I have about this is how many officials have to get their own games which are assigned by the schools AD's or coaches? I know that right now in Indiana we have to get our most of our own games that are assigned by the Ad's and Coaches.

Let me ask you guys that are trying to move up to the Varsity levels or want to continue to get the varsity games you are getting, How likely are you to allow a coach a little more leash because you them or the AD is assigning your game?

This is just a thought I had when reading this, that because of the way the games are assigned an official is more likely to let more go. I feel that there might be a correlation between the way games are assigned and the sportsmanship of a coach, which in turn makes the players on the team have a little less sportsmanship.

Just throwing this out to see what people think.

When I read about officials who have to get games from A.D.'s, I feel pretty fortunate to be in a state where our local association does all the assigning.

I'd hate to ref a game and get the feeling (conscious or otherwise) that I might get less games if I gave a deserved technical foul to a coach.

I'd also hate to ref in an area where coaches can have input to my ratings.... seems like giving a well deserved technical foul in that case might hurt too.

Z

[Rich]

Originally posted by zebraman

When I read about officials who have to get games from A.D.'s, I feel pretty fortunate to be in a state where our local association does all the assigning.

I'd hate to ref a game and get the feeling (conscious or otherwise) that I might get less games if I gave a deserved technical foul to a coach.

I'd also hate to ref in an area where coaches can have input to my ratings.... seems like giving a well deserved technical foul in that case might hurt too.

Z

I get many of my games from ADs and I would be 0% less likely to whack a deserving one. If it costs me a school, great -- I'd probably rather not work there anyway.

I've called one head coach T in the last ten or so years, though.

--Rich

[imaref]

Noticed that you're a Wisconsin Ref....What are your thoughts regarding having to file reports to the WIAA for the Technicals you call? Personally, I feel it's kind of a double edged sword. Technicals are occassionally "part of the game". Generally they create emotional responses from Coaches, players and fans...Coaches ratings (supposedly objective) of officials generally are impacted by "Ts". Agree?

Point I'm trying to make and find out from you is....are you affected by the requirement of filing a report to the WIAA as to how patient you are in "T"-ing up a coach? And the secondary action of getting "torpedoed" on your rating from that coach?

Just wanted to see what another Wisconsin ref's perspective is on these two issues.

wl

[zebraman]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

I've called one head coach T in the last ten or so years, though.

--Rich

I pride myself in having great ref/coach relationships, but to be quite honest, 1 technical foul in ten years seems a little out of whack (pun intended). Unless you are only working 15 games per year, you might be letting your partners take care of business or you might not be managing your coaches (and maybe that system you work under lends itself to that).

Z

[David B]

Originally posted by zebraman

I pride myself in having great ref/coach relationships, but to be quite honest, 1 technical foul in ten years seems a little out of whack (pun intended). Unless you are only working 15 games per year, you might be letting your partners take care of business or you might not be managing your coaches (and maybe that system you work under lends itself to that).

Z

I dont' agree with that at all. In the last 10 years I have only called 2 T's on a head coach (one last week) And I don't have any problems with coaches.

I am approachable, but I also let them know that I won't tolerate anything but respect. Maybe since I've been doing baseball for 24 years I've just learned how to properly handle a coach since in baseball you have no penalties except the ejection.

Now I've had many many T's on a player and also 8-10 on an assistant coach.

The one thing I will NOT tolerate is a lack of sportsmanship from the players and the coaches. I think when coaches know what is expected they will go a lot further in helping you reach that goal.

This year our state has also let us start evaluating the schools which includes the coach. The last three years the coaches could grade us, but we got no feedback on them.

I think that is much better because the coach knows that he is going to be evaluated also when he's doing his reports.

There are many guys I know who love to hand out the T's, but they don't get the respect of the coaches at all. If you can achieve that without the T, then I think it goes further. JMO

Thanks
David

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown
But don't you feel that part of this decline in civility and thereby, also in sportsmanship, is due to NO PENALTY for these poor actions. Our society does not impose any repercussions on those displaying poor citizenship. We just ignore them and they find some other low-lifes to associate with.

I don't think penalties alone are the answer. The problem isn't that there are no negative consequences, but that there is no one demonstrating any alternative. There is a bigger problem behind the sportsmanship issue, and that is the difficulty of convincing people that they aren't the center of the universe. This isn't just the players, it's everyone. We make rebellion and individuality into a religion, and then wonder why kids don't conform and obey. Hmmm...

[Mark Padgett]

We need to bring back flogging.

[blindzebra]

The Arizona program is called Pursuing Victory with Honor, every school goes through the program.

Since the program has started ejections have been down dramatically across the state.

The officials have a program in place called Walk Worthy in the Uniform, and the main emphasis of the program is promoting the Pursuing Victory with Honor program.

An official last season lost his state tournament game because he was not wearing the PVWH patch on his uniform.