Great Rivalries
are something to cherish and enjoy. A rivalry to be proud of involves:
- Intense competition between the
lines.
- Behavior that Honors the Game
by athletes, coaches and fans.
Cal/Stanford
is one of the great rivalries in college sports. And we want to keep it that
way by making Honoring the Game an integral part of the culture of Cal/Stanford
competitions. Culture is simply "The way we do things here."
Honoring the Game gets to the
ROOTS of the matter and means that athletes, coaches and fans show respect for
- Rules - refusing to
bend the rules to win
- Opponents - recognizing
that a worthy opponent brings out our best
- Officials - acting
with respect even when we disagree
- Teammates - refusing
to do anything that reflects poorly on our team
- Self - living up to
our own standards regardless of what others do.
The University
of California and Stanford University are partnering with Positive Coaching
Alliance, a nonprofit organization with the mission to "transform youth
sports so sports can transform youth." Cal and Stanford athletic departments
intend to set a positive example for youth sports coaches, athletes and parents.
How YOU can help keep
Cal/Stanford A Rivalry to be Proud of.
Exemplary actions / Many people can do these
- Cheer for your team, not against
the opposition.
- Proudly wear your "Honor
the Game" button so others will see it.
- Refrain from gloating if your
team wins. Simply enjoy it.
- Focus on the good plays your team
made if your team loses. Refrain from expressing negativity to the other team's
fans.
Extraordinary actions / Not
everyone can do these!
- Cheer politely for the opposition
and the officials when they are announced.
- Refrain from booing the officials
even when they make a questionable call - this is an advanced behavior!
Action Requiring Moral Courage*
- Gently remind others on your side
to honor the game.
- Hand them A Rivalry to be Proud
of card.
- Tell them: "Remember to Honor
the Game" or "That's not the way we do things at Cal/Stanford
games!"
*Moral courage is the public exercise
of personal power to stand up for what's right even when others disapprove For
information on how to make Honoring the Game part of other rivalries at the
youth sport, high school or college level, contact Positive Coaching Alliance
at:
Website: www.positivecoach.org,
Email: pca@positivecoach.org
Phone: 650-725-0024.
* According to the National Alliance
for Youth Sports, approximately 15% of youth sports games played today involve
a confrontation between parents or coaches with officials. This is up from about
5% a few years ago. The National Association of Sports Officials reports that
76% of the 60 high school athletic associations surveyed said that many officials
are quitting because of increased spectator interference.