Sportsmanship

THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL LEAGUE (ISL)
Brooks School is a member of the Independent School League. The school is proud of the behavior and the high level of sportsmanship displayed by its players, coaches and fans. Brooks School supports fully the league's "Sportsmanship Creed," adopted in the spring of 1994.

Independent School League Sportsmanship Creed
The ISL is proud of the behavior and sportsmanship displayed by its players, coaches, and fans. We value spirited and fair play as well as positive support for our players and teams. To ensure that our expected level of decorum continues each season and each game, we ask that all members of the ISL community continually renew their efforts to abide by the ideals of our league.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to coach this group of young men.
They are obviously very talented, but we talk a lot about how we don't
measure true success in life by wins and losses or points scored.

 boys 1st basketball team coach

Athletic competition in the ISL is guided by the following ideals:
Players shall at all times represent themselves and their school with honor, proper conduct, and good sportsmanship. They shall understand that competitive rivalries are encouraged but that disrespect for opponents is unsportsmanlike and lessens the value of the rivalries. They shall confine the competitiveness of the game to the field, and in particular behave properly on the sidelines and in the locker rooms both before and after games.

The Players and Coaches
Players and Coaches shall comply fully with the rulings of the officials. In no way, either by voice, action, or gesture, shall they demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the decisions made. Players must never forget that they represent their school.

The Spectators
ISL schools will not tolerate at their athletic contests any spectator, either student or adult, whose behavior is disrespectful towards players, officials, coaches, or other spectators. Nor will ISL schools permit any type of spectator behavior that either detracts from the proper conduct of the game or disadvantages a player or team. If fans cheer for, not against, all shall be well.

Examples of Unacceptable Behavior

Some examples of unacceptable behavior during competition under guidelines of the ISL Heads' and Athletic Directors' Committee:

  • Use of profanity or displays of anger that draw attention away from the game
  • Booing or heckling an official's decisions, criticizing officials in any way, or displaying temper with an official's call
  • Trash talk or yells that target and antagonize opponents
  • Verbal abuse or intimidation tactics
  • Any use of racially and ethnically charged language
  • Disrespectful or derogatory yells, chants, songs, gestures, signs, posters, or banners
  • Any distracting activity such as yelling, waving arms, or feet stomping during an opponent's free throw attempts
  • Use of artificial noisemakers of any kind (Legitimate pep-bands, however, are encouraged.)

These guidelines apply equally to players, coaches or fans. The ISL asks officials to apply these guidelines strictly, especially with regard to players and coaches.