YCLA: ROOTS: Sportsmanship

In an effort to promote good sportsmanship and honor the game of lacrosse, the YCLA has adopted the US Lacrosse Youth Council's Sideline Manager and Sportsmanship Card concepts for the middle school and youth levels. Club teams will designate a Sideline Manager at each contest, home and away. These Sideline Managers will help to maintain a positive environment by issuing the Sportsmanship Card as a warning to any fan or group of fans from their own club who are acting in a behavior that can be considered unsportsmanlike.

The Sportsmanship Card program procedures serve as an effective deterrent to abusive behaviors and create a set of constraints that should:

Eradicate the "unsportsmanlike behavior" that is creeping into sport
strengthen sportsmanship
Contribute to the retention of officials
Honor the game.

The front side of the card, which is displayed to the right, provides a warning for unsportsmanlike behavior. The reverse side of the card encourages all associated with the sport to respect the ROOTS of positive play. To do so means to respect:

R	Rules	We refuse to bend the rules to win.
O	Opponents	A worthy opponent is a gift that brings out or best.
O	Officials	Show respect even when we disagree.
T	Teammates	Never do anything to embarrass our team.
S	Self	We live up to our own standards even when others don't.

Click here for more information on the Sportsmanship Card Program from US Lacrosse (New Window).