May/June 2019 - 6

THE FRONT COURT
States doing more to combat
FAN ISSUES
By Kevin Hoffman, Editorial Director
Most of us would agree that fan behavior
at games is an issue, whether it's at your
home court or the hostile territories you
visit on the road. The question we wrestle
with is who bears the responsibility of
keeping spectators in check.
Some states believe it should be the
schools themselves. Last year, New
Mexico adopted a rule that allows the state
association to levy penalties on any high school where fan
conduct is a problem. The organization was nearly forced to
take action in February, when it warned one high school that
referees had complained of fan behavior. The state's message
was to right the ship, or face the prospect of having all fans
barred from games.
A high school coach in Nevada pushed for similar measures
after an altercation with a parent left him with a broken jaw.
State leaders planned to discuss this spring whether they
would adopt rules similar to those in New Mexico.
" I think the whole state understands that we have a
sportsmanship issue, " New Mexico Activities Association
Executive Director Sally Marquez told the Albuquerque
Journal. The NMAA's board of directors overwhelmingly
approved the measure with a 59-12 vote.
" First and foremost, I'll continue to work with ADs and the
school and see if we can come up with a solution. If we can't, I
believe that's when this rule will be put into place. "
Schools may not like being held accountable, but the
approach by states like New Mexico makes sense. We count
on coaches to keep athletes in line, and to educate parents
on appropriate conduct at games. However, they're not in a
position to police fan behavior during games when they have
their hands full on the court.
That responsibility falls on the lap of the athletic program
and the school. They can remove belligerent fans from games,
and hire security to keep a close watch on the stands. They're
also in charge of coaches, making sure there are no outbursts
toward the officiating crew. The schools are best positioned to
squash inappropriate behavior.
That doesn't mean the onus rests entirely with the schools.
Coaches must still do their part to curtail problems with
parents and their players, and that opportunity comes at the
preseason meetings. They also can meet with athletic directors
to combine efforts and cover all bases with respect to fans,
parents, athletes, staff, security and volunteers. We often find
that lack of communication is the catalyst for most problems,
so there's no harm in taking such a simple approach.
Whether you like it or not, your fans say a lot about your
program and school. Be mindful of the message that you're
sending through their behavior. If you're not, you have to
accept that the state might take matters into its own hands.
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6 MAY/JUNE 2019
May/June 2019

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