Sportsmanship Code of Conduct

Definitions

• Sportsmanship is defined by the demeanor of a youth participating in sports and her conduct, such as fairness, respect for her opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing. A code of conduct is described as a set of conventional principles and expectations that are considered binding on any person who is a member of a participating group. In some respects, codes of conduct are the rules that define proper behavior by athletes, coaches and fans.

Specifics

• Sportsmanship codes of conduct are similar around the country. For example, in the California Interscholastic Federation’s Central Coast Section, high school athletes must sign an athlete’s code of conduct to participate in sports. The code states that an athlete must display certain characteristics, including trustworthiness, integrity, honesty, respect for opponents and officials, commitment to his schoolwork and fairness. It also instructs him to avoid disrespectful behavior like profanity, obscene remarks, offensive remarks of a sexual or racial nature, trash talking, taunting and boastful celebrations.

Benefits

• A sportsmanship code of conduct gives clear rules to participants, whether they are athletes, coaches or fans, about the type of behavior that should be displayed. In youth sports, a code can be used as a teaching tool for young players learning to play the game in how to react to unfavorable situations, like a disputed referee call, or even just being on the losing side in a competition. Good sportsmanship proponents say that it also allows the athlete to enjoy the game. She learns to respect her teammates, opposing players and coaches, and those in authority, like umpires and referees.

Differences

• Sometimes it's not clear whether behavior that qualifies as good sportsmanship also falls into the realm of a code of conduct. For example, consider the situation when a football team has a significant lead late in the game and keeps its first team in to score additional points. That effort to do what is referred to as “running up the score” may be fall into code of conduct rules, but it may be considered by many as poor sportsmanship. Some coaches, like Frank Oliver, girls basketball coach at H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C., argue that winning by big margins is not showing poor sportsmanship. He argues that if the winning team doesn’t play the game hard, they are being unfair to the winning and losing teams.

Unsportsmanlike Actions

• There are a number of actions that are clearly examples of poor sportsmanship and that would violate the code of conduct in any sport, such as confrontations or fights between players, coaches, parents or spectators. Fights not only potentially cause serious injury, but also lead to criminal charges and being banned from the sport. In some cases, the sport may be canceled in that venue or school altogether. In many youth sports today, organizers need to perform background checks on coaches and other adult participants, including parents who get too involved in the outcomes of their children's games. Shouting and screaming in a negative way at players, coaches and referees is clearly both poor sportsmanship and also a violation of code of conduct policies.