YAIAA Code of Conduct
In order to promote good sportsmanship and fair play a= nd to insure the safety of participants and spectators, the YAIAA adopts the following rules and suggestions including the PIAA Athletic Courtesy Code:<= /p>
a= ) Interscholastic athletics should exhibit the highest standards of conduct. It is the responsibility of every person connected with athletics to exemplify these principles in his own actions and to advocate them before others.
b=
) Visiting
teams and spectators are to be treated as honored guests of the home team.<=
/p>
c=
) Remember
that the student spectator represents his school the same as does the athle=
te. d=
) The
practice of “booing,” “baiting” of players,
“riding” officials, and general name-calling is regarded as
discourteous and unsportsmanlike. e=
) Any
spectator, student or adult, who continually evidences poor sportsmanship,
should be requested by the proper authorities to refrain from attending fut=
ure
contests as determined by member school policy. f=
) =
Only
authorized personnel of the schools involved shall be permitted into the lo=
cker
rooms and officials’ quarters; specifically, athletic director and
administration shall be allowed in the officials’ quarters and both
participants’ quarters, and coaches of the sport shall be allowed into
their respective team locker rooms. g=
) There
shall be no visits made to a school prior to a game for the purpose of
displaying school spirit or to ridicule and deride opponents. h=
) There
shall be no destruction or defacing of school property or collecting of
“souvenirs” such as basketball nets, goal posts, and other simi=
lar
items. i=
) =
Bands and athletic teams shall adhere to the rule w=
hich
specifies the time they may be on the field or playing surface. j=
) =
Inside the gym, no sirens, whistles, or artificial
noisemakers will be permitted. No banners, signs, shakers, or pom-poms shal=
l be
in the stands. Cheerleaders m=
ay use
pom-poms as part of their cheerleading equipment. Confetti or any similar
material shall not be brought into the building. There should be no leaving=
the
stands during play except for emergencies. When emergencies occur, spectato=
rs
should attempt to leave the gym during a “time out” in order no=
t to
interfere with the playing or viewing of the game. Spectators shall remain =
in
their seats until the game is completed. When leaving the gym, spectators
should avoid walking on the playing court whenever this is possible. k=
) Signs
displayed in the gym shall be of a positive nature and refer only to the ho=
me
team. l=
) =
Each school should designate an area for the
cheerleaders to warm up prior to the beginning of the events. Such area sho=
uld
be as private as possible with limited or no access to the fans. m=
) The
YAIAA endorses the concept of the cheerleaders being as the name implies,
“leaders of cheers.” Their efforts to involve the spectator in
possible cheering will eliminate spontaneous and potentially disruptive che=
ers
originating in the crowd. n=
) A
sportsmanship announcement must be made before each contest where a sound
system is available. o=
) By
PIAA regulations an administrator or designee must be in attendance at all =
home
football, wrestling, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, baseball,
softball, and volleyball contests. p=
) Failure
to comply with YAIAA and PIAA Code of Conduct may be cause for removal of o=
ffenders
from sports complex, sanctions, legal action, and/or other appropriate acti=
on.