 |
|
Stanford vs. California
Great Rivalries are something to cherish and enjoy. A rivalry to be proud of involves:
- Intense competition between the lines.
- Behavior that Honors the Game by athletes, coaches and fans.
Cal/Stanford is one of the great rivalries in college sports. And we want to keep it that way by making Honoring the Game an integral part of the culture of Cal/Stanford competitions. Culture is simply "The way we do things here."
Honoring the Game gets to the ROOTS of the matter and means that athletes, coaches and fans show respect for
- Rules - refusing to bend the rules to win
- Opponents - recognizing that a worthy opponent brings out our best
- Officials - acting with respect even when we disagree
- Teammates - refusing to do anything that reflects poorly on our team
- Self - living up to our own standards regardless of what others do.
The University of California and Stanford University are partnering with Positive Coaching Alliance, a nonprofit organization with the mission to "transform youth sports so sports can transform youth." Cal and Stanford athletic departments intend to set a positive example for youth sports coaches, athletes and parents.
How YOU can help keep Cal/Stanford A Rivalry to be Proud of.
Exemplary actions / Many people can do these
- Cheer for your team, not against the opposition.
- Proudly wear your "Honor the Game" button so others will see it.
- Refrain from gloating if your team wins. Simply enjoy it.
- Focus on the good plays your team made if your team loses. Refrain from expressing negativity to the other team's fans.
Extraordinary actions / Not everyone can do these!
- Cheer politely for the opposition and the officials when they are announced.
- Refrain from booing the officials even when they make a questionable call - this is an advanced behavior!
Action Requiring Moral Courage*
- Gently remind others on your side to honor the game.
- Hand them A Rivalry to be Proud of card.
- Tell them: "Remember to Honor the Game" or "That's not the way we do things at Cal/Stanford games!"
*Moral courage is the public exercise of personal power to stand up for what's right even when others disapprove For information on how to make Honoring the Game part of other rivalries at the youth sport, high school or college level, contact Positive Coaching Alliance at:
Website: www.positivecoach.org,
Email: pca@positivecoach.org
Phone: 650-725-0024.
* According to the National Alliance for Youth Sports, approximately 15% of youth sports games played today involve a confrontation between parents or coaches with officials. This is up from about 5% a few years ago. The National Association of Sports Officials reports that 76% of the 60 high school athletic associations surveyed said that many officials are quitting because of increased spectator interference.
