Printable Version (PDF) (Printable page will print bigger than it looks) We will mail you some of the resources mentioned below if you will email us at kindness@kindness-counts.org including your address. This is a sample program. As a practical matter, it is impossible for most groups to initially implement more than one or two steps. Followup is a key. 1. Parents, coaches, and players sign a Sportsmanship Pledge form spelling out appropriate conduct and the reasons why good sportsmanship is so important. Two copies should be handed out, one returned and one kept by families. 2. Coaches attend mandatory preseason meetings that are used in part to reinforce this program. 3. Preseason parent meetings by team are held after the booklet Build Your Child's Self-Esteem Through Sports has been distributed to parents and coaches. The meeting includes a discussion of the booklet and the showing of our Kids Come First video. Then at future meetings, as an alternative, the pledges may be used. 4. Parent representatives are chosen from each team who become visual reminders of the program at matches. They attend a league seminar on sportsmanship using our resources or others. They might then wear shirts, buttons, or something else with the sportsmanship program name or another message, or other identifier. To avoid confrontations, the parent representatives should use a gentle approach. We are encouraging all adults who hear negative comments to NOT react quickly and/or emotionally. After a pause, no reaction or a pleasant "Relax and enjoy the game" or "Remember that we are trying to encourage respect for everyone" is often best. We do appreciate any parents and coaches who help by reporting disrespectful behavior, anonymously if desired, to their clubs for follow-up. Exaggeration should be avoided. There must be followup. The potential consequences of inappropriate behavior must be written and distributed to parents and coaches before each season. Those in this paragraph are examples. This may include just a conversation with the offenders or mandating that they attend a sportsmanship seminar. They also may include, but are not limited to, suspension from attending games or the last thing any of us wants, mandating that a child will not be permitted to play. The league may set penalties for certain misconduct in writing before a season. 5. Signs for fields and brochures for distribution at two or so games per season. 6. Brief oral reminders occasionally just before game time are generally very helpful. 7. Give rewards. For younger players, something as simple as helping an opposing player up after a trip or fall might be worthy. For older athletes, complimenting an opposing player after a good play or having each player shake hands with the ref/umpire at the end of the game would be examples. Coaches and game officials should report sportsmanlike behavior but coaches would not be able to vote for their own teams. Rewards could include tickets to see a semi-pro or professional game if in your area, a patch or chevron for their uniforms or for the younger players, ice cream, pizza or another special treat funded by the league. 8. Establish rules to prevent lopsided scores. While losing by a big margin can help teach that this is a normal part of sports just as setbacks are part of life, we believe an established differential is enough. Teaching that kicking someone when they're down is inappropriate is an important life lesson. Removing the starting lineup and playing the subs will not harm the starters in any way and will give subs the playing time they crave, and therefore the confidence to improve if they have coaches/managers who praise their effort and improvements.