How is your crew handling the sportsmanship conversation?

[zebraman55]

With the new change this year to discuss sportsmanship with the coach and captains prior to the game, how is your crew/local association/state interpreting the rule? When will you have the conversation with the coach? captains?

[Huskerblue]

In Iowa, we were given a card entitiled "Sportsmanship Statement", that we have been asked to read to the Coaches and Captains of each time prior to the coin toss. The card reads as follows:

We want to take a moment to discuss good sportsmanship. It is a priority of the Iowa High School Athletic Association that all participants in this contest exhibit good sportsmanship. Your cooperation in role modeling sportsmanship will ensure that this contest displays the positive values of high school sports.

I grabbed two cards at this years rules meetings. I laminated them both and will carry them with me on to the field. I will hand one to the coaches to read along with while I read the statement out loud also.

[Zeke5]

I think it is a great thought, but how much of this
yackity-yack do you really sinks into a captain's head at a
coin toss? You could show these guys a 2 headed coin and
the captain will still call tails. They don't want
introduced to any of the officials, or reminded that its
wet so watch their footing ... they just want to get it on.

Does reciting this buy us anything? Can we dart someone at
the beginning of the game for running his mouth and tell
them that he's not getting a warning since we already
addressed his coaches and captains about sportsmanship?
Doing this does not change the way in which I will
officiate the game.

But, it's a nice thought ...

[stevegarbs]

In Illinois we are required to hold a mid-field conference with the captains and head coaches to discuss sportsmanship (no set text). The coin toss can be held following this conference, after excusing the head coaches.

For the past several years the IHSA had provided a standard message, ala the Iowa post above, that most announcers read before the game.

[stevegarbs]

Oops, sorry I forgot to mention the conference is to be held 10 minutes prior to kickoff.

[stripes1977]

We used to have a "script" in NC, now we are just supposed to emphasize sportsmanship to the coaches/captains. Every crew I've worked on has done this anyway, so it isn't much of a change. And I agree with Zeke in that it sounds like a good idea, but you're lucky if you can get the captains to look in your direction, much less actually pay attention. I think (and I know this is going out on a limb) that the coaches are the ones this should be emphasized to because they have the control over the players. I too don't plan on changing how I officiate based on this. A few added words aren't going to change the attitudes of the players, actions (i.e. - flags) will.

[Ed Hickland]

In New York we are required to read the following to all players and coaches:

"The New York State Public High School Athletic Association requires officials to enforce all sportsmanship rules for athletes and coaches. We will not tolerate negative statements or actions between opposing players, especially trash-talking, tauting or baiting of opponents. If such comments are heard or actions seen, a penalty will be assessed immediately. We have been instructed not to issue warnings. Let today's contest reflect mutual respect."

About five years ago we read this to the captains who were suppose to convey this to the other players and coaches. That did not work. SO now we read it directly to players and coaches.

Does it work? My answer is no simply because football is a highly emotional game and no one stops and thinks about what we read.

[Kelvin green]

In Utah we also read a statement to coaches. I dont have it here but it is similar to ones listed It specifically states though that we will not tolerate unsportsmanlike acts....(taunting, baiting etc) that we have been instructed not to give warnings and to penalize it.
The question above was "do they pay any attention to it?' Probably not but if a kid gets a flag tossed coach can never come back and tell us we were never warned. I thin they should add another line that includes something to the effect that they have the right to coach heir team but anything they say directed towards an official can and will be used against them in ejections

[Tom Cook]

In Indiana, we have the head coach get one of his captains and go over the sportsmanship request as soon as we meet the coach. (Basically the first thing when we walk onto the field.) We do this right after meeting the coach and asking about planned fumbles etc. We then meet the other coach and repeat the prodeedure.
I really don't think that this is worth the time. The coaches who really need to be reminded aren't listening. The kids are missing part of their warmup time. I think all of us have talked to the kids at the coin toss and I think that that is the best time to emphasize sportsmanship. The coaches who try to practice good sportsmanship will and the ones who don't, won't be changed by a rushed or canned speech rightbefore a game.


[Edited by Tom Cook on Aug 26th, 2001 at 08:06 AM]

[zebraman55]

Over this past weekend, Our crew chief (alsoi an IHSA State Interpreter) covered the sportmanship ideals during the coaches meeting. Overall, it went very well. We then covered it (as always) with the captains at the coin toss (held 10 minutes prior to the kick off).

neither of our games were controversial, and the coaches and players were very cool during the contests.

What makes the most sense?

zeb