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Prevention Action Alliance
Know! To Practice Good Sportsmanship
The benefits of participating in sports are vast. Sports help build
character, boost self-confidence, strengthen perseverance, promote
discipline, enhance physical and emotional health, develop teamwork
skills, and promote healthy competition. Sports also provide children
with additional supervision and additional mentors to help guide them
as they grow, which is monumental. In fact, a study by Big Brothers Big
Sisters shows that youth are 52% less likely to skip school and 46%
less likely to use drugs when they have a caring adult mentor in their
lives. Sports also give young people a focus, and another reason to say
“no” to substance use and other risky behaviors.
As parents, we should recognize the importance of athletics, and show
appreciation for our team coaches and sports officials, who are most
likely out there not only because they enjoy the sport, but because
they care about our young people.
Yet, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA),
sports leaders are not feeling the love. When over 2,000 high school
athletic directors were asked in a national survey what they liked
least about their job, 62% said it was “dealing with aggressive parents
and adult fans.” Sports officials agreed, with nearly 80% having quit
their job after the first two years - due primarily to unruly parents.
Because of this, there is a growing shortage of high school officials.
No officials would mean no more games, which would be tragic for so
many youth. For this reason, the OHSAA issued a stern warning to
parents and fans in a recent press release. Though it is geared toward
high school athletics, it can be a lesson applied to parents of various
age groups.
If you are a parent attending a high school athletic event this year, you can help by following these six guidelines:
Act Your Age. You are, after all, an adult. Act in a way that makes your family and school proud.
Don’t Live Your Life Vicariously Through Your Children. High school
sports are for them, not you. Your family’s reputation is not
determined by how well your children perform on the field of play.
Let Your Children Talk to the Coach Instead of You Doing It for Them.
High school athletes learn how to become more confident, independent
and capable—but only when their parents don’t jump in and solve their
problems for them.
Stay in Your Own Lane. No coaching or officiating from the sidelines.
Your role is to be a responsible, supportive parent—not a coach or
official.
Remember, Participating in a High School Sport Is Not About Getting a
College Scholarship. According to the NCAA, only about 2% of all high
school athletes are awarded a sports scholarship, and the total value
of the scholarship is only about $18,000.
Make Sure Your Children Know You Love Watching Them Play. Do not
critique your child’s performance on the car ride home. Participating
in high school sports is about character development, learning and
having fun—not winning and losing.
In closing, the OHSAA reminds parents and other fans that purchasing a
ticket to an athletic event does not give them the right to be rude,
disrespectful or verbally abusive. Instead, all fans are encouraged to
cheer loud and proud, while being responsible and respectful, and to
keep in mind that the future of sports - and the well-being of many of
our children - depend on it.
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