Pursuing victory with honor

1. The essential elements of character building and ethics in CIF

sports are embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core

principles: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring

and good citizenship. The highest potential of sports is achieved when

competition reflects these “six pillars of character.”

2. It’s the duty of School Boards, superintendents, school

administrators, parents and school sports leadership-including coaches,

athletic administrators, program directors and game officials-to promote

sportsmanship and foster good character by teaching, enforcing,

advocating and modeling these “six pillars of characters.”

3. To promote sportsmanship and foster the development of good character,

school sports programs must be conducted in a manner that enhances the

academics, emotional, social, physical and ethical development of

student-athletes and teaches them positive life skills that will help

them become personally successful and socially responsible.

4. Participation in school sports programs is a privilege, not a right.

To earn that privilege, student-athletes must abide by the rules and they

must conduct themselves, on and off the field, as positive role models

who exemplify good character.

5. School Boards, superintendents, school administrators, parents and

school sports leadership shall establish standards for participation by

adopting and enforcing codes of conduct for coaches, athletes, parents

and spectators.

6. All participants in high school sports must consistently demonstrate

and demand scrupulous integrity and observe and enforce the spirit as

well as the letter of the rules.

7. The importance of character, ethics, and sportsmanship should be

emphasized in all communications directed to student-athletes and their

parents.

8. School Boards, superintendents, school administrators, parents and

school sports leadership must ensure that the first priority of their

student-athletes is a serious commitment to getting an education and

developing the academic skills and character to succeed.

9. School Boards, superintendents, principals, school administrators and

everyone involved at any level of governance in the CIF must maintain

ultimate responsibility for the quality and integrity of CIF programs.

Such individuals must assure that education and character development

responsibilities are not comprised to achieve sports performance goals

and that the academic, social, emotional, physical and ethical well-being

of student-athletes is always placed above desires and pressures to win.

10. All employees of member schools must be directly involved and

committed to the academic success of student-athletes and the

character-building goals of the school.

11. Everyone involved in competition including parents, spectators,

associated study body leaders, and all auxiliary groups have a duty to

honor the traditions of the sports and to treat other participants with

respect. Coaches have a special responsibility to model respectful

behavior and the duty to demand that their student-athletes refrain from

disrespectful conduct including verbal abuse of opponents and officials,

profane or belligerent trash-talking, taunting and inappropriate

celebrations.

12. School Boards, superintendents, and school administrators of CIF

member schools must ensure that coaches, whether paid or voluntary, are

competent to coach. Training or experience may determine minimal

competence. These competencies include basic knowledge of: 1) The

character building aspects of sports, including techniques and methods of

teaching and reinforcing the core values comprising sportsmanship and

good character; 2) the physical capabilities and limitations of the age

group coached as well as the first aid; and 3) coaching principles and

the rules and strategies of the sport.

13. Because of the powerful potential of sports as a vehicle for positive

personal growth, a broad spectrum of school sports experiences should be

made available to all of our diverse communities.

14. To safeguard the health of athletes and the integrity of the sport,

school sports programs must actively prohibit the use of alcohol,

tobacco, drugs and performance enhancing substances, as well as a demand

compliance with all laws and regulations, including those related to

gambling and the use of drugs.

15. Schools that offer athletic programs must safeguard the integrity of

their programs. Commercial relationships should be continually monitored

to ensure against inappropriate exploitation of the schools’ name or

reputation. There should be no interference or undue influence of

commercial interests. In addition, sports programs must be prudent,

avoiding undue dependency on particular companies or sponsors.

16. The profession of coaching is a profession of teaching. In addition

to teaching the mental and physical dimensions of their sport, coaches,

through words and example, must also strive to build the character of

their athletes by teaching them to be trustworthy, respectful,

responsible, fair, caring and good citizens.