Sportsmanship Expectations
Hanover Public School District is a member of the York-Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association. In order to promote good sportsmanship and fair play and to insure the safety of participants and spectators, the YAIAA adopts the following rules and suggestions including the PIAA Athletic Courtesy Code:
A. Interscholastic athletics should exhibit the highest standards of conduct. It is the responsibility of every person connected with athletics to exemplify these principles in his own actions and to advocate them before others.
B. Visiting teams and spectators are to be treated as honored guests of the home team.
C. Remember that the student spectator represents his or her school the same as does the athlete.
D. The practice of "booing", "baiting" of players, "riding" officials, and general name-calling is regarded as discourteous and unsportsmanlike.
E. Any spectator, student or adult, who continually evidences poor sportsmanship, should be requested by the proper authorities to refrain from attending future contests as determined by member school policy.
F. Only authorized personnel of the schools involved shall be permitted into the locker rooms and officials' quarters; specifically, athletic director and administration shall be allowed in the officials' quarters and both participants' quarters, and coaches of the sport shall be allowed into their respective team locker rooms.
G. There shall be no visits made to a school prior to a game for the purpose of displaying school spirit or to ridicule and deride opponents.
H. There shall be no destruction or defacing of school property or collecting of "souvenirs" such as basketball nets, goal posts, and other similar items.
I. Bands and athletic teams shall adhere to the rule which specifies the time they may be on the field or playing surface.
J. Inside the gym, no sirens, whistles, or artificial noisemakers will be permitted. No banners, signs, shakers, or pom-poms shall be in the stands. Cheerleaders may use pom-poms as part of their cheerleading equipment. Confetti or any similar material shall not be brought into the building. There should be no leaving the stands during play except for emergencies. When emergencies occur, spectators should attempt to leave the gym during "time out" in order not to interfere with the playing or viewing of the game. Spectators shall remain in their seats until the game is competed. When leaving the gym, spectators should avoid walking on the playing court whenever this is possible.
K. Signs displayed in the gym shall be of a positive nature and refer only to the home team.
L. Each school should designate an area for the cheerleaders to warm up prior to the beginning of the events. Such area should be as private as possible with limited or no access to the fans.
M. The YAIAA endorses the concept of cheerleaders being as the name implies, "leaders of cheers". Their efforts to involve the spectator in possible cheering will eliminate spontaneous and potentially disruptive cheers originating in the crowd.
N. A sportsmanship announcement must be made before each contest where a sound system is available.
O. Failure to comply with YAIAA or PIAA code of conduct may be cause for removal of offenders from sports complex, sanctions, legal action, and/or other appropriate action.