Sportsmanship

SPORTSMANSHIP POLICY
Written May 2005
Modified Dec. 2018

This policy has been written by the Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC) Administrator and approved by school principals to help maintain a healthy balance between fair play and safety.  Our plan is to define sportsmanship and integrity.  This policy is a guideline to maintain good relationships between coaches, officials, and students.

Definitions

  • Sportsmanshipis defined as the practice of participating in sports with a conduct and attitude considered to be befitting of a participant in that sport, especially fair play, courtesy, striving to win and accepting results, win or lose. It encompasses both Ethical Behavior and acts of Integrity.
  • Ethicsis defined as the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a group. It is a system of principles governing acceptable conduct.
  • Integrityis defined as a firm adherence to a code of values that incorporates the principles of honesty.

With these definitions in mind, the MSAC would like to challenge all administrators and coaches to work very hard at teaching these principles of ethics and integrity to our student/athletes, coaches, parents and fans.  We will then be able to achieve our goal of maintaining good sportsmanship.

Handshaking is to be carried out by all athletic teams and their entire coaching staff.  The sportsmanship hand shaking will be done after the event.  All coaches will supervise the entire hand shaking procedure for the safety of the athletes and to promote good sportsmanship.

Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated in MSAC contests.  The specific acts defined in the appropriate National High School Federation rule book that also defines the penalty.  We are also governed by the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission (SSAC) rules and regulations.  Contest officials are obligated by the SSAC to report Unsportsmanlike instances to the office in Parkersburg.

The officials working football and basketball in the MSAC are instructed to send a report to the Director of Officials regarding player ejections, penalties on the sidelines, and technical fouls on the bench.  These are to be sent within 48 hours of the contest.  This information is passed on to the Commissioner

Situations that may require further investigation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the schools involved and the conference administration.

Everyone involved with the MSAC understands it is one of the outstanding athletic conferences in West Virginia.  We should continue to have the best athletic teams and contests in the state, which will include the best possible sportsmanship demonstrated through our athletes, school personnel, and fans.