Guidelines for bettering fan behavior

One of my greatest pleasures is having the opportunity to cover high school athletic events.

Football games on Friday nights in the fall, weekend basketball games during the winter months and baseball games when temperatures finally begin to rise in the spring -- with volleyball, swimming, soccer, softball, track and more sports in between.

In victory and defeat, it is a joy to watch student-athletes compete mostly for the love of the game while raising school and community pride to new levels.

However, this week, I've had a difficult time trying to block out the rumblings of a select few.

While covering a varsity girls basketball game between conference rivals last weekend, I couldn't help but overhear the voice of one fan in particular -- mostly because that person never stopped yelling from his perch in the top row of the bleachers.

From the opening tip to the game's final seconds, this voice could be heard throughout the gymnasium.

The only problem was that the fan wasn't just shouting words of encouragement to his favorite team.

He decided he'd rather spend the majority of the 90-minute game berating the officials, calling out players from the opposing team and offering coaching advice for his favorite team's head coach.

And these sounds weren't coming from a face-painted high school student caught up in the hoopla.

More like a middle-aged parent who couldn't contain himself.

Long ago, the Illinois High School Association adopted a code of conduct policy for its student-athletes.

Perhaps the policy should include a section on how to deal with unruly adult spectators.

Last year, the Colorado High School Activities Association compiled a "Game Management and Sportsmanship Expectation Guide" for its players, coaches and parents.

While reading the section devoted to parents, a few items stood out:

• Remember you're at a contest to support and yell for your team and to enjoy the skill and competition; not to intimidate or ridicule the other team and its fans.

• A ticket is a privilege to observe the contest, not a license to verbally assault others and be generally obnoxious.

• Show respect for the opposing players, coaches, spectators and support groups.

• Respect the integrity and judgment of game officials. Understand that they are doing their best to help promote the student-athlete and admire their willingness to participate in full view of the public.

• Be a positive role model through your own actions and by censuring those around you at events whose behavior is unbecoming.

The second item, in particular, caught my eye.

"You don't notice it (what fans are saying) as much when you're playing or coaching," said St. Charles North basketball coach Tom Poulin, who played high school basketball for legendary St. Charles coach Ron Johnson. "But I do hear it when I'm out scouting (at games). I usually roll my eyes at it.

"I'd like to ask the unruly fans, 'What are you watching for?' What they don't realize is that they're not helping your cause. They're hurting your team more than helping it."

At St. Charles East, basketball coach Brian Clodi annually addresses the parents of his players during a 'Meet the Team' outing held before the beginning of each season.

"That's when we try to lay down the groundwork, talk about playing time and our expectations for the players and parents," said Clodi. "If people don't know the expectations, how can they follow them?

"We want to have the classiest team with the classiest fans."

While "America's Original March Madness" has long been a registered trademark of the Illinois High School Association, the actual girls and boys basketball postseason begins in February.

Let's call it, "February Frenzy."

Here's hoping a select few won't ruin it.