National Sportsmanship Day – Anybody Care?

(RACINE, Wis.) – The Institute for International Sport, a not-for-profit organization has declared today "National Sportsmanship Day." It has been an annual pronouncement on the first Tuesday of every March for the past 13 years.

The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) salutes the organization’s effort to draw attention to the need of teaching sportsmanship.

"More officials are being assaulted today than at any time in history," notes NASO President Barry Mano. "Talking about sportsmanship is a start, but more needs to be done."

Mano points to recent incidents such as one in nearby Milwaukee, Wis., this weekend when a mother came on the court and physically assaulted a teenage basketball referee. The game was a contest of children under 10 years of age.

"It doesn’t seem to matter anymore what age level," says Mano. "Fans – mostly parents – seem to think it is perfectly acceptable to challenge the officials authority and become physical or verbally abusive. We’re losing good officials, potential mentors to new officials, because they have had enough."

Mano encourages league administrators to become more supportive of the human aspects of officiating and teach tolerance to parents, coaches and players – especially at the youth level.

"Parents and coaches need to understand that, just as the coaches are teaching skills to their children playing the game, so too are the officials learning at these levels. There will be mistakes made but they are not done with malice or on purpose. Officials make mistakes because they are human. Accept mistakes for what they are and let the game move on."

NASO recently produced a pamphlet for league’s and officials’ called Accountability and Sports Officials. The brochure provides a recommended code of conduct for officials (no matter what level they work) and recommendations for league leaders to follow to improve their officiating program – a "covenant" Mano calls it.

"If we don’t stop this trend of attacking officials," Mano say, "we will continue losing our best and that will have an impact on the future of sports reaching farther than anyone sees today. Officials are part of the game and without them the games will disappear. NASO will continue to be an advocate for sporting-like behavior."

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