HHS spreads good sportsmanship
Staff writer
Principals and athletic directors in Mid Central Activities Association were concerned about sportsmanship at athletic events.
"If we say we're concerned about something, we should do something about it," said Dale Honeck, Hillsboro High School principal.
The response to this concern was the first MCAA Sportsmanship Conference Nov. 10 in Lyons at Rice County Community Foundation Building.
Following the summit, students were asked to sign a pledge. The pledge stated they would exemplify good sportsmanship through the year and pass it on to others.
This is what HHS students have been doing — passing on good sportsmanship. Since the sportsmanship conference, the 18 HHS students that attended the summit have helped to educate others in the school system at two assemblies, one for high school students and one elementary school students.
Max Heinrichs, HHS activities director, said they plan to have another assembly for middle school students.
Monday at the elementary school assembly, Heinrichs and six seniors talked to the kids about the importance of positive cheering.
"We had a sportsmanship summit long before the NBA fight," said Heinrichs.
They encouraged the students to respect players and other teams when they attend sporting events and to pass along the idea of positive cheering to adults.
"We want great athletes, but we want to have a great cheering section as well," Dana Suderman, cheerleader, and HHS senior, told the fourth and fifth graders at the assembly.
Heinrichs asked the students not to boo or harass visiting teams, and said that they wouldn't be allowed to be down on the court to slap players hands as their names were announced this year.
"It's against the rules," he said, and it can get dirt on the floor that could cause an accident.
The group discussed how to cheer for basketball players as they came onto the court for both the home team and visitors.
"We'd like to have our cheerleaders, fans, and band coordinate their efforts for positive results," said Honeck. "Negative cheering doesn't build spirit."
"We hope the students come away with better school spirit, respect for our opponents, and an understanding that referees are human and make mistakes, that's just part of the game," said Honeck.
"I did feel like it was a good experience," said Gina Andrews, a cheerleader and HHS senior. "I learned a lot about cheering positively versus just picking on the bad call."
At the sportsmanship conference, the 12 schools in the league that attended brought together 240 students along with principals and administrators to learned the do's and don'ts of being a good crowd member. They learned about supporting their teams in positive ways as well as focusing on rule 52 from the Kansas State High School Activities Association handbook.
Rule 52 relates to citizenship/sportsmanship, and states: "All actions are to be for, not against; positive, not negative or disrespectful!" and "Sportsmanship is a general way of thinking and behaving."
Speakers from across the region including Rob Miller, director of development for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Gene Haydock, president of MCAA, Gary Musselman, executive director of the KSHSAA, Fort Hays State University track coach, Jim Krob, and Smoky Valley student president Brad Radatz, told students and administrators about the importance of sportsmanship.
After the speeches, students broke into groups to discuss the rules of sportsmanship and how to be a positive force at sporting events.
Eighteen high school students, including representatives from the cheerleading squad, made up the HHS group.
"We randomly chose kids that we were pretty sure would be there in the crowd," said Honeck.
According to Honeck "we've got one of the best schools in the league," as far as good sportsmanship. But he's hoping for a better feeling at league schools, "and to make ourselves better."
"We need to have respect for and a responsibility toward guests on the field, referees, and fans," said Honeck.
Rule 52 says it best — "Sportsmanship is good citizenship in action!"
