Throughout the school year, TSSAA-registered contest officials report incidents of unsporting behavior to the TSSAA in order for the Executive Director to insure that schools are respecting association bylaws regarding unsportsmanlike conduct.
The TSSAA and its member schools believe strongly that the major purpose of education-based athletics is to be a part of the total educational program. A major part of this purpose is to stress to coaches, players, officials, and fans the vital importance of sportsmanship. It is critical that all parties understand the role they play in maintaining an atmosphere of good sportsmanship and being a positive role model for others.
A finalized list of incidents and responses is maintained by the state office staff and presented to the Board of Control each year at its June meeting.
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To address these issues, coaches and school administrators can teach and demonstrate positive behavior by emphasizing the importance of respect and sportsmanship. Coaches should lead by example, treating officials, opponents, and their own players with respect at all times. They should emphasize the importance of fair play and encourage their players to display good sportsmanship. Additionally, coaches and administrators should create a positive game environment by promoting crowd etiquette and addressing any fan behavior that goes against the values of sportsmanship. It is crucial to educate everyone involved in the game about the importance of positive behavior, both on and off the court, to create a more enjoyable and respectful atmosphere for all participants.
Based on these umpire reports, unsportsmanlike conduct in high school baseball most often stems from disagreements with ball and strike calls, leading to players and coaches verbally abusing umpires, sometimes with profanity. Actions such as throwing equipment, prolonged arguments after warnings, and even physical contact or threats against umpires are not uncommon triggers for ejections. Furthermore, malicious or aggressive play, such as deliberately colliding with fielders, and taunting opposing players also contribute to a negative atmosphere and result in penalties.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on these reports, the most common unsportsmanlike scenarios in high school boys' basketball involve physical altercations after fouls (pushing, shoving, and even punches), persistent verbal abuse directed towards officials by players, coaches, and fans (including profanity and questioning calls), and fans either entering the court or engaging in threatening behavior towards officials and players. Ejections are frequently handed out to players for accumulating technical fouls due to unsportsmanlike behavior, especially after previous warnings or technicals. The overall trend is a lack of control and respect, both on and off the court, leading to disruptions and potentially dangerous situations during games.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on these reports, the most common unsportsmanlike scenarios in girls' basketball involve fan misconduct, particularly the use of profanity and aggressive behavior toward officials, often leading to ejections from the game. Player misconduct includes fighting or throwing punches, instigating altercations, and unsportsmanlike technical fouls for actions like taunting or disrespect toward officials. Additionally, bench personnel leaving the designated area during incidents on the court is a recurring problem, triggering technical fouls and occasionally ejections, highlighting the need for better control of players and coaching staff during heated moments.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on the officials' reports, the most common unsportsmanlike scenarios in high school football involve physical altercations, disrespect towards officials, and leaving the bench area during an altercation. Players frequently get ejected for throwing punches, kicking opponents, or engaging in shoving matches. Unsportsmanlike conduct also includes using foul language directed at officials or opponents, making obscene gestures (such as grabbing the crotch or flipping the bird), and intentionally making contact with officials. Leaving the bench or team box to participate in on-field scuffles is another recurring action that leads to disqualification.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on the reports, the most common unsportsmanlike scenarios in high school soccer involve disrespectful and aggressive behavior. Dissent towards officials, often escalating to offensive language (sometimes in Spanish), is frequent, as is fighting and violent conduct, including reckless fouls, shoves, and stomping. Additionally, unsporting behavior like taunting oppponents or the intentional handling the ball to stop a promising attack accounts for many of the cautions and ejections issued. These types of actions lead to yellow and red cards, impacting gameplay and team dynamics.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on these officials' reports, the most common unsportsmanlike behaviors in high school girls soccer stem from a combination of on-field frustrations and fan involvement. Players frequently get ejected for using offensive and abusive language towards opponents or officials, sometimes escalating to violent conduct like kicking, punching, or hair-pulling. Dissent toward referees, whether verbal or through gestures, also results in ejections. Beyond the players, disruptive fan behavior is a recurring problem, featuring loud, abusive language directed at officials and opposing players, and even the use of noise-making devices like air horns, leading to ejections and game stoppages.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on these reports, the most common unsportsmanlike scenarios in girls' volleyball revolve around coaches and fans exhibiting aggressive and disrespectful behavior towards officials, players, and opposing fans. Coaches frequently lose their composure over perceived bad calls, arguing excessively, using profanity, and even resorting to physical acts like throwing items or refusing to comply with official directives. Fans often contribute to a hostile environment through yelling, making derogatory comments, throwing objects, and generally failing to respect players, officials and other fans. These actions disrupt the integrity of the game and create an uncomfortable and unsafe atmosphere.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.
Based on these reports of wrestling tournaments across the state, the most common forms of unsportsmanlike conduct in high school wrestling appear to stem from frustration and anger, both during and after matches. There's a recurring theme of wrestlers using profanity, directed at opponents or officials, often in response to perceived slights or unfavorable calls. Physical altercations, such as throwing punches, head-butting, slapping, or aggressive crossfaces after the whistle, are also surprisingly frequent. Biting is also mentioned several times, an extreme form of physical unsportsmanlike behavior, along with wrestlers removing their uniforms in protest and throwing gear like headgear and mouthguards. Coaches and parents also get in on the act, by arguing with officials which results in penalties and ejections.
The full list of disciplinary actions is only available to school personnel. Sign into the Portal and return to this page to view the report.