Officials’ Views on Working with Schools on Sportsmanship

Member schools across all state associations are working diligently to establish behavior expectations during contests. These guidelines include respectful behavior and positive sportsmanship for not only participants, but spectators as well.

Contest officials are often the target of biting criticism and unsporting behavior by participants and fans. There are occasions, as well, when those behaviors escalate to unlawful actions that put officials in harm’s way.

High School Today reached out to four veteran officials for their perspective and reflection on proactive ways to create partnerships with school administrators to curb, and eliminate, the unsporting behaviors.

Bryan Kemnetz
Stillwater, Minnesota

“Sportsmanship is only as strong as everyone working together to achieve. Providing appropriate guidance by the head coach and the assistants is the key. Student-athletes need real-life examples of good sportsmanship.

“Coaches, in the way they respond to calls, especially the ones that do not go their way, set a strong tone. For officials, we need to be approachable in responding to a question. The interaction of coaches and officials is such good tool to lead by example. If a coach gets angry at an official for a call, what example is that for a student participant? That can lead to an official getting defensive and reacting in a manner that will not set a good example.

“Human emotion is such a challenging aspect of any game, but as adults we need to go above and beyond. And I would be remiss if I did not mention parents to be included in this process. School administrators, specifically athletic directors, are crucial to establishing expectations of the coaching staff, student participants and parents.

“Reviewing these expectations each and every season is a continual learning tool. Following through with the outlined ramifications if going outside of those expectations needs to be stressed and applied. Don’t stop with the initial meeting or outline, but actively monitor and meet with student participants during the season to review expectations. Celebrate the successes and address the issues. Yes, it creates another level of burden, but reaching the goal of sportsmanship will not be achieved without hard work.

“Administrators should be available at contests to monitor and interject themselves among the student body. Having established protocol in meeting game officials at the door or providing gate/ onsite staff direction on where to go is incredibly important to paving the way to a successful event. You might not think that speaks to sportsmanship, but it does establish a tone that the site cares about how all individuals are treated and respected.”

Kenny Leffle
Antioch, California

“The sportsmanship of our youth is a very hot topic among officials nowadays. When school administrators are onboard in providing support for the officials, that goes a long way. In many of our contests, the official asks who the administrator is for the game and where that person is located. The purpose of this is to not make the head coach to be responsible for issues outside the playing fields. When the coach is responsible for his players, the fans and making sure the officials are protected, it causes them to lose focus on the contest itself.

“We have had an increase in onsite administrators at our contests and that has been very helpful. The fact we have a hard time getting new officials or even keeping the veterans is directly related to how they are treated when they arrive at a game site. We all know when a call is made that 50 percent of the fans already hate the call. But with the officials feeling they are supported and taken care of by the administrators it is very important as it eases the anxiety level of those officials and makes them feel worthy of doing their job. When school administrators and coaches handle the decorum of the players, it helps support the officials when they must enforce rules.

“Currently a big issue in football is the players wearing the protective equipment correctly. The fact that this should be taken care of in advance by the coaches is not always possible, yet when enforced, the coach respecting the decision and making the players correct their actions is helpful.

“When a coach loses his temper, the players naturally follow the example set. So, when administrators support bad behavior, that becomes a trickle-down effect where nobody wins. Having a coach ask a question in a positive manner to an official allows his players to see they can get information without screaming and yelling, which in the long term, supports sportsmanship between officials, coaches and participants. This allows all to do their jobs without blaming the others.”

Zac Stevenson
Albuquerque, New Mexico

“For years we have broached the topic of shortages in both officiating and coaching at the scholastic level. Trends have shown that coaches, athletic directors and officials are stepping away at an alarming rate and each of these groups point toward the behaviors and pressures of an increasingly scrutinizing fan base.

“Each of these groups invest hundreds of hours, contribute money, and take time away from their own families to provide an opportunity for student-athletes to compete. We are expected to provide great experiences and perfection while managing outside pressures and expectations. Cameras are everywhere, critics take to the anonymity of social media, and entitlement is at an all-time high.

“Officials are not collegiate and professional officials, but they are often compared to that standard. Sportsmanship begins with us. Officials can help to curtail bad behaviors by listening to each other, turning down the volume on interactions, and modeling positive body language in the heat of the battle. To that end, coaches, athletic directors and officials share a common bond, and it is more important than ever to recognize that while we wear different shirts, we are on the same team.”

Tim Widiker
Hammond, Wisconsin

“The culture of any organization starts and ends with its leaders. A truly successful district administrator is responsible for all things in his/ her school district purview, including athletics. The critical importance of good behavior must trickle down the chain of command to the athletic director, principals, coaches, fans, etc. It starts at the top of the chain of command.

“The behavior of fans, parents, coaches and players is a direct reflection of the district administrator. There will be poor behavior that doesn’t align with the district administrator’s beliefs and philosophies, but when there is accountability and follow-through, things change, and eventually good sportsmanship will become an expectation. It’s frustrating when school leaders say that the field/ court is an extension of the classroom, yet permit a culture of poor sportsmanship/behavior. ‘What we permit, we promote’ are words to live by in all aspects of life, but are critical in creating a culture where we respect others.”

“Some folks apply 'The Golden Rule' to the church, the grocery store, the home, the classroom, yet completely ignore it at an athletic contest or on social media. It’s like the rules book and the Bible – either it’s all true, or it’s not. We can’t pick and choose. Either it applies all the time, or none of the time. We can’t pick and choose when/where to treat others with respect and dignity. The athletic contest is an extension of the home, the classroom, the church, the community and the team."