Conduct

Each coach should read sections 27-11-6 (Sportsmanship Rule) – 27-11-8 (Code of Interscholastic Athletics) of the VHSL Handbook.   Since the attitude and conduct of a coach is reflected by his or her team, the coach should make every effort to demonstrate high ideas, good habits, and desirable attitudes.  A coach should set a good example for his or her athletes in personal conduct and demand that each athlete follow that example.  A Beach District Coach is, first and foremost, a teacher; therefore, a coach should use his or her leadership and authority to impress upon students that the most important values of competition are derived from playing the game fairly, and not solely from winning.

 Code for Interscholastic Athletics

 The Athlete Should:

A.            Be courteous to visiting teams and officials.

B.        Play hard and to the limit of his or her ability, regardless of discouragement.  The true athlete does not give up, nor does he or she quarrel, cheat, bet or grandstand.

C.        Retain his or her composure at all times and never leave the bench or enter the playing field or court to engage in a fight.

D.        Be modest when successful and be gracious in defeat.  A true sportsman does not offer excuses for failures.

E.        Maintain a high degree of physical fitness by observing team and training rules conscientiously.

F.         Demonstrate loyalty to the school by maintaining a satisfactory scholastic standing and by participating in or supporting other school activities.

G.        Play for the love of the game.

H.       Understand and observe the rules of the game and the standards of eligibility.

I.          Set a high standard of personal cleanliness.

J.          Respect the integrity and judgment of officials and accept their decisions without question.

K.         Respect the facilities of host schools and the trust entailed in being a guest.

 The Coach Should:

A.        Exemplify behavior that is representative of the educational staff of the school and a credit to the teaching profession.

B.        Demonstrate high ideals, good habits and desirable attitudes in personal behavior and demand the same standards of the players.

C.         Emphasize to his or her players and bench personnel the importance of proper sideline behavior and the necessity of not entering the playing field or court to engage in a fight.

D.        Recognize that the purpose of competition is to promote the physical, mental, social, and emotional well being of the individual players and that the most important values of competition are derived from playing the game fairly.

E.      Be a modest winner and a gracious loser.

F.      Maintain self-control at all times, accepting adverse decisions without public display of emotion or of dissatisfaction with the officials.

G.      Cooperate with the school principal in the planning, scheduling and conduct of sports activities.

H.      Employ accepted educational methods in coaching; giving all players an opportunity to use and develop initiative, leadership, and judgement.

I.        Pay close attention to the physical condition and well being of players, refusing to jeopardize the health of an individual for the sake of improving his team’s chances to win.

J.        Teach athletes that it is better to lose fairly than win unfairly.

K.       Discourage gambling, profanity, abusive language and similar violations of the true sportsman’s code.

L.        Refuse to disparage an opponent, an official or others associated with sports activities and discourage gossip and questionable rumors concerning them.

M.       Properly supervise student athletes under his or her immediate care and specifically observe a coach’s responsibility in conjunction with district and state contest.

 The School Administrator Should:

A.        Encourage and promote friendly relationships and good sportsmanship throughout the school by requiring courtesy and proper decorum at all times, by acquainting students and others in the community with ideals of good sportsmanship and by so publicizing these concepts and attitudes that all members of the school community will understand and appreciate their meaning.

B.        Insist upon implicit compliance with all rules and regulations of the Virginia High School League.

C.        Secure qualified officials for all contests.

D.        Insist upon adequate safety provisions for all activities, for both participants and spectators.

E.        Approve only those activities and schedules, which are educationally and physically, sound for the school pupil.

F.        Encourage all to judge the success of the athletic program based on the attitude of the participants and spectators, rather than based on the number of games won and lost.

G.        Insist that the school cheerleaders exemplify the highest standard of good sportsmanship as a means of inculcating desirable spectator attitudes.

H.        Provide adequate hygienic, sanitary and attractive facilities for the dressing and housing of visiting teams and officials.

I.         Provide for the efficient handling of all athletic funds, with such safeguards as audits, insurance and proper bookkeeping, in order that maximum benefits may be had from available funds.

J.         Review with staff the Sportsmanship Rule.