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BASKETBALL ETHICS
FOR COACHES

Instruct your players according to the letter and spirit of the .
Rules.

Insist that your players do not question the judgement decisions
of a referee. In disputes covering misinterpretation of rules

have your captain call time out and discuss in a gentlemanly
manner with the referee the situation in so far as the rules

cover it.

Treat the visiting team coach with the same friendly attitude that
you would hope for when your team played on an opponent's court.

. Secure honest and capable officials, preferably members of the

National Association of Approved Basketball Officials. Do not at-
tempt to intimidate them or talk to them prior to the contest
regarding the faults of your opponents. It is advisable to stay
away from the officials before the genie and between the halves.
There is no one more vitally interested in having a well officia-
ted game than the official himself. A basketball official is
Called upon to make many judgement decisions and occasionally

he will make mistakes. Usually, however, the average official

does not make the number of mistakes that the average coach or
player is guilty of during the course of a game.

The Coaching Ethics Committee of the National Association of
Basketball Coaches intends making a National Drive to improve
spectator sportsmanship. From the reports of our predecessors on
this committee we find that the attitude of the coach on the
bench either encourages good spectator and player sportsmanship

or throws fuel on the fire of poor sportsmanship which The
National Basketball Coaches Association is attempting to eliminate,
If the coach is in the habit of making uncomplimentary gestures
everytime the official calls a foul on one of his players, then
you can be assured that the partisans of his team will break

loose in their loud disapproval of the decision. This condition
sometimes leads to worse situations on the court as spectators
exercise a tremendous influence in determining the sportsmanship
attitude or the lack of it among the contestants.

The coach should make efforts prior to the opening of the season
to encourage good spectator sportsmanship. This can be accomplishec
if the coach would request The College vean or The High School
Principal for permission to audress one of the school assemblies
prior to the opening of the basketball schedule. Notices in the
school's weekly publication before the season opens is another
means, especially in large universities where it is impossible to
contact directly all the students. Similar publicity in the local
newspapers may help educate local fans who are not connected with
the institution. The coach should stress the fact that it is un-
ethical, unsportsmenlike, and ungentlemanly for a student or spec-
tator to express disapproval in a vociferous menner the decisions
of an official. The coach also should encourage students and spec-
tators to regard the opposing tean players as friendly rivals,

who happen to be the guests of the institution, and not as hated
opponents. iiaking disconcerting noises when an opposing player is
attempting a free throw and booing an opponent are the principal
faults in unsportsmanlike conduct. it is advisable for coaches to
seek the co-operation of other members of the faculty in helping
promote good sportsmanship among the student body. & vrief comment
in a class or group by a teacher or professor, not directly con-
nected with the Athletic association, may help students continue
good sportsrianship within their own school.