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Sportsmanship

Great sportsmanship is something that Youth Sports hopes to instill in all of our participants, parents/guardians, coaches, staff, and spectators. Sportsmanship is a key virtue that can help youth in not only their sports career, but in school and life. Please review the sportsmanship information for Youth Sports’ aspirations in our programs.
 
According to the National Alliance of Youth Sports, 70% of kids quit playing youth sports by the time they are 13 because it isn’t fun anymore. Youth Sports wants to change that, but we can’t do it alone. We ask everyone, including participants, parents/guardians, coaches, staff, and spectators to play an active role in keeping the game fun and demonstrate great examples of sportsmanship.

 

Equal Play

All Youth Sports programs are equal play programs. This means equal opportunity to participate in both playing time and positions. Staff and volunteer coaches must follow this philosophy as it allows all youth to not only grow in the sport, but gain self-confidence and have fun as well! 

 

Scorekeeping and Standings

• It is important to know that our programs are about having fun and developing in the sport, not what the score is, wins vs. loses, or individual stats. With that being said, we do feel there is an age when it is appropriate to begin keeping score.
• League divisions of kindergarden-2nd grade will not keep score. League divisions of 3rd-12th grade will keep score. Changes may be made at the discretion of Youth Sports.
• We ask that all participants, coaches, parents/guardians and spectators concentrate on the fundamentals and love of the game rather than the score.

 

Youth Sports’ Policies on Sportsmanship

• Participant Code of Conduct and Guideline
• Spectator Code of Conduct
• Coaches Code of Ethics

 

Books on Sportsmanship

• Just Let the Kids Play by Fred Engh
• Why Johnny Hates Sports by Bob Bigelow, Tom Moroney, and Linda Hall

 

National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS)

• Youth Sports certifies all coaches and officials through NAYS affiliations
• Recommendations For Communities
  • “The Recommendations for Communities is a 30-page document developed as a part of the National Alliance for Youth Sports' ongoing effort to help eliminate violence and other negative behaviors plaguing youth sports programs around the country. The Recommendations represents what respected leaders in the parks and recreation field believe needs to be done to alter the violent climate that is prevalent in many of today's programs.”

 

Please feel free to call or email Youth Sports staff at any time with questions, concerns, or suggestions. Your feedback is very important to us!

 

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