âPositive Cheering â The ONLY answerâ
At the start of the 2008 high school season athletic directors and school administrators came to the Oregon School Activities Association with an evolving problem.
âSchools came to us and noted that sportsmanship in general had begun to erode across the State,â noted Cindy Simmons State Assistant Executive director, âand, in some cases, the poor sportsmanship was even organized.â
Student crowds all across America have become more-and-more influenced by famous groups such as âthe Cameron Craziesâ at Duke University. The âCraziesâ are well know to camp out long before home basketball games to get the choice seats near floor level to participate in organized activities that are often directed to visiting players.
Chants of âAir Ball â Air Ballâ often fill television screens across America as the âCraziesâ look for new ways to upset visiting athletes.
âHigh school and college are so different in terms of maturity and even accomplishments that the âcollegeâ staged shows of poor sportsmanship just donât fit in high school sports,â commented Peter Weber State Assistant, âwe view a high school contest as an extension of the classroom and a learning experience.â
The OSAA, through the Executive Board, took time to review all issues involved and develop a well thought-out plan to help turn the issue around.
âPositive Cheering, my what a concept,â said Simmons, âwe just lost site of what high school contests were about and had to remind all fans that high school is singulary different than all other ports.â
As the OSAA started to define negative cheering the list grew and grew: booing and negative comments to sports officials soon opened the list to the âCameron Craziesâ action of either acting bored (reading a newspaper or simply turning their backs to the floor) when visiting teams were announced pre-game. The OSAA found that a specific list would be too long and open to many issues of the specifics of negative cheering.
Weber added: âWe just started to recognize that all we had to do was accent Positive Cheering and ask schools to self police issues that are outside that direction.â
The system drew the wrath of some âfansâ in 2008. Newspaper message boards were full of comments attacking the premise and the âlack of creativityâ that fans were allowed to bring to games.
The OSAA has stood firm.
âThe best thing is,â mentioned Simmons, âthat this summer when the athletic directors met we specifically asked if they wanted us to end this rule â their reaction was immediate and strong.â
Their answer: âKeep it as it is!â
âWhat we discovered when we reviewed the rule is that school size (Oregon has six classifications) really didnât have anything to do with it,â intoned Weber, âwhat we did find that sometimes it was a specific league that had troubles and that is probably based on the concept of: âWeâve always done it this way!ââ
Again, except in a very serious violation the system is self reporting.
âSome time the OSAA is looked at as a sheriff,â commented Simmons, âwe really arenât â we are just clearing house for when things come up that need a true neutral review and a look from outside the issue.â
The Oregon School Activities Association has their hands full. Noted Executive Director Tom Welter, âwe have pressing issues with eligibility, with open enrollment that allows any student to transfer simply by showing cause that becomes paramount â and we also deal almost daily with the Oregon Legislature and the State Department of Education.â