On Sportsmanship, Respect and Standards

At the end of the year, the Jeffco coaches get together to vote for the players from Jeffco 4A who will be selected All-Conference. Additionally, we select players of the year- Offensive, Defensive, and Overall League MVP. I lobby hard for our EVG players to be recognized, and feel the conference does a great job selecting and honoring those players.

There is one vote for which there is no lobbying at the meeting - the Sportsmanship award. Coaches may choose three opponents they feel are the most sporting in the conference...and the choice is determined in advance - by our conduct and actions on the field, and in the stands. While many votes go to schools who are less competitive, and garner sympathy votes, it really says a lot if our program is included in the Top 3 at the end of the year, precisely because we are  a top finisher and play so competitively. I am happy to say that we have a respected program and that we traditionally are in this Top 3.

With that in mind, I feel it necessary to remind our program that playing in a sporting manner benefits us - it implies discipline, not giving up needless fouls in dangerous areas, not incurring yellow or red cards, and staying focused on positively impacting the game through our skill, positioning and soccer IQ. Finally, it keeps the tenor of the games at a competitive but not violent or out of control level, thus insuring better safety for our players.

On the other hand, on-field play...AND off field behavior from the stands that is unsporting...often accomplishes the opposite - it ratchets up the heat of the game and almost always endangers our young athletes. It also leads to undisciplined play that will be punished at crucial times in big games.

With that in mind, here are a few things to repeat after yourselves as you enter the stadium - whether as a competitor or spectator.

Honor and respect the coaches, the referees, the opponent, the stadium crew, and, yes, the opposing team's fans.

Ignore the worst behavior of your opponents or their fans, and trust that personnel (referees or administrators) will handle it. At the least, if we are behaving well, it makes it a lot easier for administrators and referees to know who or what it is they are addressing.

Be leaders and be courageous - ask OUR spectators and guests to be better, to be positive, and to represent our school and community well. If someone asks that of you, understand how difficult it is for them to have done so, and double down on your efforts to be POSITIVE and sporting.

Demand of ME and my coaches that we are true to this word - that if we see unsporting behavior from OUR players, that we will discipline, correct, counsel or correct that behavior. We have already done so on multiple occasions this year.

I want to win games, and I want to win our conference, but at the end of the season, I sit in a room with my fellow coaches and some administrators, and it is a lot more important to me that we are genuinely respected as a program. There is NOTHING better than pulling off the double of being named Conference champs AND Most Sporting Team.

Thanks much for reading and continuing to work on our program's culture! Coach