As a basic principle, we believe that the lessons learned from fairly played athletics, whether interscholastic or not, and including games and practices, are of benefit to our students and our schools. The purpose of this Code of Ethics and Conduct is to define what "fairly played" means and to provide guidelines for NEPSAC athletes, coaches, officials and spectators alike to follow.
Proper Conduct and Good Sportsmanship:
At the heart of this matter lie several terms which are often hard to define-yet no more important task confronts teachers and coaches than to set standards which are fair and honorable. Throughout this Code, when such terms as "proper conduct" and "good sportsmanship" are mentioned, they refer to such standards as these:
Treat other persons as you know they should be treated, and as you wish them to fairly treat you.
Regard the rules of your game as agreements, the spirit or letter of which you should not evade or break.
Treat officials and opponents with respect.
Accept absolutely and without quarrel the final decision of any official.
Honor visiting teams and spectators as your own guests and treat them as such. Likewise, you behave as an honored guest when you visit another school.
Be gracious in victory and defeat; learn especially to take defeat well.
Remember that your actions on and off the field reflect on you and your school.
