Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
American National
Family and Fans Code Of Ethics
And
Sportsmanship Campaign
Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
Family and
Fans Code of Ethics
I hereby pledge to provide positive support, care and encouragement for my
child participating in the Bradley-Bourbonnais Little League by following this
Family and Fans Code of Ethics:
I will encourage good sportsmanship by demonstrating
positive support for all players, coaches, and officials at every game,
practice or other Little League event.
I will place the emotional and physical well being
of my child ahead of my personal desire to win.
I will insist that my child play in a safe and
healthy environment.
I understand that the coaches are offered training
in the responsibilities of being a Little League coach and that the coaches
will act in accordance with the Family and Fans Code of Ethics.
I understand the coaches are the leaders of the team
and I will give them the respect that they deserve for their volunteer service.
I will support coaches and officials working with my
child, in order to encourage a positive and enjoyable experience for all.
I will demand a sports environment for my child that
is free from drugs, tobacco, alcohol and profanity and will refrain from their
use at all Little League events.
I will remember that the game is for youth - not
adults.
I will do my very best to make Little League fun for
my child and will assure that people in the stands and around the field of play
will exhibit behavior consistent with this Family and Fans Code of Ethics.
I will ask my child to treat other players, coaches,
fans and officials with respect regardless of race, sex, creed or ability.
I will help my child enjoy the Little League experience
by doing whatever I can, such as being a respectful fan, assisting with
coaching, or providing transportation.
Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
Sportsmanship
Campaign
Of The Athlete:
Accept
and understand the seriousness of your responsibility, and privilege of
representing the community.
Learn
the rules of the game thoroughly and discuss them with parents, fans, and
fellow players. This will assist both
them and you in the achievement of a better understanding and appreciation of
the game.
Treat
opponents the way you would like to be treated, as a guest or friend. Who better than yourselves can understand
all the hard work and team effort that is required of your sport? Never direct remarks at opponents in a
taunting manner.
Wish
opponents good luck before the game and congratulate them in a sincere manner
that you like to be greeted following either victory of defeat.
Respect
the integrity and judgment of game officials.
The officials are doing their best to help promote you and your
sport. Treating them with respect, even
if you disagree with their judgment, will only make a positive impression of
you and your team in the eyes of the officials and all people at the event.
Of The Spectators:
Remember
that Tee-ball, Minor League and Little League baseball are learning experiences
for the players and that mistakes are sometimes made. Praise the players in the their attempt to improve themselves as
athletes and as people.
Being
a spectator is a privilege, not a license to verbally assault others.
Learn
the rules of the game, so that you may understand and appreciate why certain
situations take place.
Show
respect for the opposing players, coaches, spectators, and support groups. Treat them as you would treat a guest in
your home.
Respect
the integrity and judgment of game officials.
Understand that they are doing their best to help promote the athlete,
and admire their willingness to participate in full view of the public.
Recognize
and show appreciation for an outstanding play by either team.
Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
Sportsmanship
Campaign
Player Sportsmanship:
Acceptable Behavior:
Applause during introduction of players, coaches,
and officials.
Accept all decisions of officials.
Shake hands with participants and coaches at the end
of the contest, regardless of the outcome.
Treat competition as a game, not a war.
Coaches and players should search out opposing
participants to recognize them for outstanding performance or coaching.
Applause at the end of the contest for performances
of all participants.
Everyone shows concern for an injured player,
regardless of team.
Encourage surrounding people to display only
sportsmanlike conduct.
Unacceptable
Behavior:
Yelling or waving arms when batter is up.
Disrespectful or derogatory chants, yells, or
gestures.
Booing or heckling an officials’ decision.
Criticizing officials in any way; displays of temper
with an officials’ call.
Yells that antagonizes opponents.
Refusing to shake hands or give recognition for good
performances.
Blaming loss of game on officials, coaches or
participants.
Laughing or name-calling to distract opponent.
Use of profanity or displays of anger that draw
attention away from the game.
Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
Sportsmanship
Campaign
Parent Sportsmanship:
I
will cheer for good plays or players on either team.
I
will not use or direct Profanity or cursing toward officials, players, coaches,
managers or anyone else when at a Little League event.
I
will respect the abilities and sensitivities of our opponent, the officials,
and coaches regardless of the outcome of the contest.
I
will accept responsibility for my actions.
If I become unruly, I will be asked to leave the baseball complex for
the day. If I become unruly a 2nd
time, I will be asked to leave the complex permanently.
I
will learn the rules of the game, so that I may understand and appreciate
participant’s actions during a contest.
Parental Support is the Key
to Peak Performance:
Let
the coach’s coach. This includes
motivating, psyching your child for practice, after game critiquing, setting
goals, requiring additional training, etc.
You have entrusted the care of your child to these coaches and they need
to be free to do their job. If a player
has too many coaches, it is confusing for him or her. Performance usually declines.
Support
the Little League by getting involved.
Volunteer and help out anyway you can.
This can be by working in the concession stand, car-pooling, helping to
get the field ready after a rain, etc...
Support
and root for all players on the team.
Your child’s teammates are not the enemy. When they are playing better than your child, your child now has
a wonderful opportunity to learn.
Do
not offer incentives to your child. Although incentives provide good intentions, they may distract
your child from concentrating in practice and / or game situations.
Be
your child best fan by supporting him or her unconditionally. Do not withdraw love when your child
performs poorly. Your child should
never have to win your love.
Encourage
your child to talk with the coaches. If
your child is having difficulties in practice or games, encourage them to speak
directly to the coaches. This
“responsibility taking” is a big part of becoming a big-time player. By handling the off-field task, your child
is claiming ownership of all aspects of the game preparation.
Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
Sportsmanship
Campaign
Understand and display appropriate game behavior by remembering that your child’s self esteem and game performance is at stake. Be supportive, cheer, and be appropriate. To perform to the best of his or her abilities, a player needs to focus on the parts of the game that they can control - positioning, decision-making, skill, and aggressiveness. If the child starts to focus on what he or she cannot control - the field condition, weather, opponent, umps, etc... - he or she will not play to their ability. If a lot of people are telling him or her what to do or are yelling at the umps, the child’s attention is diverted away from the task at hand.
Monitor
your child’s stress level at home by keeping an eye on them to make sure that
they are handling stress effectively from all the variables in their life.
Help
your child keep his or her priorities straight. Help your child maintain a focus on schoolwork, relationships and
other things they like besides baseball.
Also, if you child has made a commitment to baseball, help them fulfill
that obligation to the team.
If
your child comes off the field when his or her team has lost, but he or she has
played the best they can, help them to see this as a “win”. The child’s fun and satisfaction should come
from “striving to win” and by knowing that they have performed the best they
possibly could.
Keep
baseball in its proper perspective.
Baseball should not be larger than life for you. If your child’s performance produces strong
emotions in you, suppress them.
Remember your relationship will continue with your children long after
their baseball days are over. KEEP YOUR
GOALS AND NEEDS SEPARATE FROM YOUR CHILD’S EXPERIEINCE.
Most
off all, remember to HAVE FUN. That is
what Little League is all about! Be a
role model, explain to your child why it is important to be a good sport, and
set an example for your kids!!!
Bradley-Bourbonnais
Little League
Family and
Fans Code of Ethics and
Sportsmanship
Campaign
Being either a Player, Manager, Coach, Parent or any other Little League Fan, I agree to abide by this Code of Ethics and Sportsmanship Campaign throughout the entire year. I pledge to help enforce the acceptable and unacceptable behavior as outlined to better the environment of the Bradley-Bourbonnais Little League.
Team _____________________________________________________________________________
Signature League
Representation (Player, Parent, Coach, etc) Date
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