A Dedication by the Select Panel
To the Student-Athletes of Maine: Past, Present and Future
The mystique of Maine is famous around the world. Our physical environment boasts bold gems of natural beauty; few places have such a mosaic of rivers, mountains, islands and the sea. Indeed, Maine is a special place to live, work and play.
Maine’s physical beauty is matched though—perhaps exceeded—by another extraordinary treasure: our children. Our greatest assets, the young people of Maine, are a talented lot. They hail from small villages, small towns and small cities. They study and compete in schools, on athletic fields, in arenas and in gymnasiums—in communities like Lewiston and Bangor, even on islands like Vinalhaven and Islesboro.
These young people of Maine are a special cast: invariably hard-working, of strong character and will, they participate in sports in large numbers from their early years through high school. Nationally, our youth do well, reflecting strong academic performance and a determination to do better. While high school completion has been a hallmark for Maine, many more of our student-athletes now have their hearts and minds focused on a college education. Their dreams are growing; their potential is limitless.
Throughout the state these student-athletes come to play important roles in their communities. Budding citizens seeking a strong foundation of learning, they compete seriously as athletes, representing their perceptive observations of today’s communities on sports teams that carry much importance and pride as they travel the highways and back roads of Maine.
As student-athletes, they represent their communities at home and away, serving as hosts to visiting youth and fans, and as emissaries in their travels to other places. These student-athletes collect themselves as teams, complete with mascots, nicknames, school colors, songs, and of course, long-standing traditions and rivalries. Their sports experiences are intended to complement, to support and to add to the learning they are experiencing in their academic programs. The promise of participation in sports helps to shape these young people—contributing to what they know and the character of who they are—fulfilling the vision of our state to graduate smart students who are good people.
[Offset quote] Special Thanks To Maine's Present Student-Athletes
The validity of this report is based, in significant measure, on the frank and strong student-athletes of Maine. They were significant participants at the Maine Sports Summit, held at the University of Maine, and they offered insightful and substantive comments at meetings of the Select Panel.
These honest young voices ensured that in writing this report we would know the realities of sports today: how much our student-athletes love the games and how much they are troubled by the problems that occur. These student-participants have helped to make the sports experience an even better one for their successors. [End of offset quote]
As members of the Select Panel, charged with examining and defining healthy interscholastic sports, our best thinking and recommendations are intended to help shape the best possible environment for learning for our student-athletes. Throughout more than a year of deliberations we have been committed to seeking and honoring the voice of student-athletes. Whether in small group discussions among middle school and high school students or at the extraordinary Maine Sports Summit held at the University of Maine and attended by delegations of student-athletes from every corner of the state, what we heard was the same: Our student-athletes are astute participants and observers of sport. They are articulate in describing what is—the good, the bad and the ugly—and they are capable of identifying and charting a new course for sports, one built on the best that athletics offer now, while committing to needed corrections and improvements.
So, we offer thanks and a salute to the past, present and future student-athletes of Maine. We hope that our work and recommendations prove worthy of implementation in schools and communities across Maine and America. Our service to the Common Good is set squarely on our greatest natural treasure: the youth of Maine.
[Offset quote] "To promote sportsmanship and foster the development of good character, school sports programs must be conducted in a manner that enhances the academic, 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."
The Arizona Sports Summit Accord, May 25, 1999 [End of offset quote]
Select Panel Members
Walter Abbott, Associate Professor of Physical Education, University of Maine
Wendy Ault, Executive Director, MELMAC Education Foundation
Michael Brennan, Maine State Senator (Portland-Falmouth); President, Center for Sports Counseling and Education
Dick Durost, Executive Director, Maine Principals’ Association
Barbara Eretzian, Superintendent of Schools, Auburn School Department
Jack Hardy, Director of Athletics, Greely Middle School/High School (MSAD #51—Chebeague Island, Cumberland, Cumberland Center, North Yarmouth)
Allyn Hutton, Principal, Falmouth High School; former Athletic Administrator, Sacopee Valley Jr-Sr High School (MSAD #55)
Larry LaBrie, Assistant Executive Director, Maine Principals’ Association
Keith Lancaster, Past Director, Maine Center for Sports and Coaching, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine
Dr. Robert McAfee, Retired surgeon; former President of the American Medical Association Colleen Quint, Executive Director, Senator George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute; Chair, Minot School Committee
Martin E. Ryan, CMAA, Director of Athletics, MSAD # 71 (Kennebunk/Kennebunkport); Executive Director, Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association
Joan Benoit Samuelson, Nordic coach, Freeport Middle School; Olympic Gold-Medalist, Marathon Julia E. Treadwell, CAA, Director of Athletics, Activities and Wellness, Maine Central Institute; Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Executive Board Member
Jeff Ward, Director of Athletics, Bowdoin College Don Wilson, CAA, Director of Athletics, Biddeford High School; Past President, Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association
John Wolfgram, English teacher, South Portland High School; Assistant Football Coach, Bowdoin College
Facilitator
Dick Card, Senior Consultant, Spurwink Institute; former Director of Teacher Education, USM; former Deputy Commissioner of Education Project Staff
J. Duke Albanese, Co-Director, Sport and Coaching Education Initiative, University of Maine; Policy Advisor, Great Maine Schools Project, Senator George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute; former Commissioner of Education
Karen Brown, Director, Maine Center for Sport and Coaching, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine
Robert A. Cobb, Dean, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine; Co-Director, Sport and Coaching Education Initiative
Lisa Daniel, Administrative Assistant, Dean of Continuing and Distance Education, University of Maine
Ruth Fitzpatrick, Field Specialist, National Center for Student Aspirations, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine
Kay Hyatt, Communications Coordinator, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine
Theresa McMannus, Administrative Assistant, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine Heather Pullen, Administrative Assistant, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine
Writing and Editing Team
J. Duke Albanese, Dick Card, Kay Hyatt, Elinor Multer, Colleen Quint, John Wolfgram
Sports Done Right:
A Call to Action on Behalf of Maine’s Student-Athletes
If a visitor "from away"—a distant place, a distant planet—came to America to observe this gathering of people, their homes, churches, places of business that we call community, it wouldn’t take long, nor a keen eye, to observe young people engaged in organized games and sport. Indeed, such a visitor would be struck by the many sporting events and the throngs of adults in attendance at these games.
A closer examination would reveal that sports occur everywhere in this vast America—in urban neighborhoods, sprawling suburbs and in the rural villages. Yes, that visitor would report that these people love their sports. Our culture proudly basks in the sunlight of freedom and liberty, free enterprise and rugged individualism. But, alas, it is our love—yes, our obsession—with sports that is a grand hallmark of American life.
Sports are everywhere: youth programs, collegiate teams and professional leagues. And they are a major program in our schools. In fact, it is a rarity in America today to find public and private schools serving middle and high school age students that do not offer an interscholastic sports program. The identity of a community is often tied intrinsically to the local high school and to the mascot chosen to symbolically represent the community and school teams.
In school settings across America and here in Maine, these sports teams take a position of prominence in the daily goings-on of the school, in the lives of our student-athletes and in the eyes of our public—parents and fans.
From Helena, Montana to Columbia, South Carolina, to Montpelier, Vermont, school sports are big. Make no mistake: interscholastic sports programs are high profile in Maine and enjoy huge support from Bingham to Portland and from Caribou to Calais. In some of Maine’s smallest communities the school teams are front and center, representing a strong sense of pride and tradition and often compensating for a struggling economy and an ever-elusive prosperity.
Yes, sports are big in Maine.
[Offset quote] It is our love—yes, our obsession—with sports that is a grand hallmark of American life. [End offset quote]
As our public schools respond to calls for improvement and greater accountability for student achievement, it is timely for all of us to examine sports in the school setting. Whether referred to as extracurricular or co-curricular, thousands and thousands of Maine middle school and high school students are participating in sports: competing in our gymnasiums, in our arenas and on our athletic fields. There is tremendous support for school sports programs and an abiding desire by educators and citizens to make involvement in sports a truly enjoyable, developmentally sound experience for our student-athletes.
Talk to scores of Mainers about their experience in school, and many former student-athletes will report that much of what shaped them happened through sports. Many report that the academic side of school may not have been so remarkable or fulfilling. However, the opportunity to compete interscholastically, to represent school and community, is embossed on the personal portraits of many of us. We remember the championship teams, the great hard-fought contests against perennial rivals. And we remember our teammates and our great coaches as well as we remember that very special, talented teacher who made a difference in our lives.
Much is written about the benefits of participating in sports. In many select private schools across the nation, sports are held in such high esteem that they are an integral part of the curriculum; there’s no reference to extracurricular or co-curricular. Every student plays sports. The learning and benefits derived from participation in sports are viewed as essential to the aims of education. In this era of reform and accountability, commentators are searching for ways to improve schooling for our young people. Clearly, there are important lessons to glean from athletics.
The highly regarded ethnographer Herb Childress wrote a national piece on learning and secondary education. Entitled "Seventeen Reasons Why Football is Better than High School," the author chronicles the practices and structures that are exemplified in sports. He makes the point that we should be examining our academic and instructional programs, asking why students lack motivation and drive and refer to school as boring, yet invest extraordinary effort in performing to the highest levels on the athletic field, in the theater, in music and in club activities.
Having acknowledged the prominence of sports in our nation and our state, we need to acknowledge a concern with how we conduct school sports. Can we serve our student-athletes better? Is there a way to describe healthy school sports? Is there an urgency to make some corrections?
The answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES!
Our interscholastic sports programs do need careful examination. Like the call for a higher academic literacy for all of our students, there is a clear need to make a series of mid-course corrections in our efforts to offer student-athletes healthy learning experiences through sports.
Let’s face it. Our everyday news has been punctuated with stories of the transgressions and wrongdoings of corporate and political leaders. But even these common stories are being overshadowed by alarming reports from the field of sports, often citing professional and collegiate athletes and coaches who have made poor, self-centered and unethical decisions while displaying misguided behaviors that receive extraordinary public attention.
Today’s aggressive media roll out these sad stories in all their color and specifics.
[Offset quote] In many select private schools across the nation, sports are held in such high esteem that they are an integral part of the curriculum; there’s no reference to extracurricular or co-curricular. [End offset quote]
Whether on the playing field or in their personal lives, these sports figures are setting a troubling tone and style for our youth.
Even in Maine––in our idyllic collection of small cities, towns and villages with the smallest schools this side of the Mississippi––we find ourselves struggling with balance and appropriateness in conducting school sports programs in ways that complement academics and provide healthy opportunities for youth.
Stories and unfortunate events occur here, as elsewhere: about fans harassing officials, coaches and even our young student-athletes; about coaches’ thoughtless handling of their young charges; about bands of parents pressing for the removal of coaches who are short on the winning side; about athletes abusing drugs and alcohol; and about the too-frequent spectacle of out-of-control parents and fans screaming at each other, embarrassing their children and setting poor examples.
These problems are real even in Maine. In too many Maine school districts, the local school board and superintendent find themselves embroiled in a sports-related controversy each year, requiring tremendous amounts of time to resolve and taking a high toll on relationships and the public trust. While there is much good to be reported about sports in Maine, there is also a significant need for correction. Students are leaving sports programs early. The turnover rates for coaches and athletic directors are alarming. The reports of lost enjoyment and mounting pressures are cause for serious concern.
What can be done? How do we ensure that Maine’s student-athletes can access healthy interscholastic programs? How can our school districts address our sports programs so that all that is good about athletics is maximized while negative aspects are addressed? Presented here for thoughtful consideration are measures designed to prevent the erosion of the positive values that interscholastic sports can offer to our youth.
A major part of the answer lies in the recommendations that follow, highlighted by Core Principles and Core Practices that describe healthy sports programs and point out ways to retain what is good while resisting troubling trends. The product of the best thinking of a Select Panel of knowledgeable, committed citizens, these recommendations have been shaped after hearing first-hand from hundreds of student-athletes, educators, parents, school board members, officials, coaches and the public. Examination of the literature and research into best practices has guided this work as well.
It is our hope that all Maine communities "sign on" to these Core Principles and Core Practices, demonstrating an intention to be considered as "compact" schools and communities. As such, they pledge at all levels—from the student-athlete to the coach, from the school and the school district to the entire community––to provide exceptional opportunities for young people to experience the very best of interscholastic athletics in a setting where sports are "done right."
Introduction — Sports Done Right: A Call to Action
Core Principles, Core Practices and Out-of-Bounds
Middle Level Sports: Matching the Program to the Needs of the Young Adolescent
Making the Core Principles Stick: Using Compacts to Improve School Sports
Sports Compact for the School Community
Sports Compact for Parents and Student-Athletes
"Middle Level Co-Curricular Recommendations," Maine Principals’ Association
[Offset quote] "It’s almost like a town’s mentality is tied into how the sports teams do. We’re only in high school, not professional athletes. This is a learning experience for us and we’re doing it because we enjoy it." Trevor Paul, Falmouth High School, student-athlete [End offset quote]
[Offset quote] QuickTake
Sports programs can recognize values beyond athletic prowess. Team dinners and their recognition for outstanding athletics are a fond tradition that one high school converted to a celebration of higher values. It held a single end of-season banquet for all teams, parents and fans. Instead of awards for high scorers and most valuable players, the school saluted outstanding athletes and their academic achievements – the scholar-athletes. New leadership awards recognized accomplishments on and off the field, and team community service work received recognition. The spring extravaganza became a celebration of interscholastic sports as an incubator of great young citizens whose character had been shaped, in part, by the opportunity to be a team player. This all sports banquet is an event worthy of a program of Sports Done Right. It sets a tone consistent with the concept of sports as an arena for learning. [End offset quote]
Core Principle
Athletic participation must be healthful, positive and safe for everyone involved, conducted in an environment that teaches values and ethics, strengthens the community, promotes competition without conflict and enriches the lives of the athletes.
At their best, school sports provide an opportunity to teach good sportsmanship and other values. As a public activity with clear rules, immediate accountability and a real outcome, Sports Done Right creates an environment in which to instill core values such as discipline, respect, responsibility, fairness, trustworthiness and good citizenship. Positive competition and a spirit of excellence are defining values promoted through sports. Given their entrenched popularity and capacity for shaping character, effectively implemented sports programs are a positive social force in Maine’s culture.
Core Practices
Out-of-Bounds
[Offset quote] "72% of both males and females say they would rather play on a team with a losing record than sit on the bench for a winning team." - Josephson Institute of Ethics, Sportsmanship Survey 2004. www.charactercounts.org. [End offset quote]
[Offset quotes] QUOTES
"I feel compelled each year to pass along the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, unselfishness, commitment, dedication, hard work, cooperation and appreciation, which are far more beneficial to the athlete than all of my best-designed plays." - Roger Reed, Basketball Coach and Teacher, Bangor High School
"Unfortunately, we measure the value of a coach by wins and losses, not by being a mentor, teacher and leader." - Jack Cosgrove, Head Coach, Football, University of Maine
"Character evolves from the culmination of life experiences and exposures. Athletic participation provides access to some of the most challenging and rewarding experiences to prepare for future success. It helps build the personal foundation from which individuals can elevate mind, body and soul." - Dean Smith, Systems Engineer, Former UMaine Basketball Player, 1990 NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Fellowship (top male student-athlete in the country)
"Shouting derisive remarks to players, coaches and officials is demeaning, detracting and distracting to all aspects of play. This is a very difficult problem for student-athletes. No matter how loud the crowd, players say they hear these embarrassing, conflicting remarks from spectators. Let’s find a way to tame this out-of-control behavior." - Parent of student-athlete [End offset quotes]
[Offset quote] QUICK TAKE
Quality sports programs recognize the importance of the "student" aspect of the student-athlete. At one large high school this is accomplished, in part, by special leaders. Sports teams pick captains based on various values: out of friendship, as a sign of respect or as a recognition of athletic talent. But these attributes don’t translate automatically into leadership skills. The way that one small college sought to enhance those skills can easily be adapted for high school teams.
The captains of all the teams come together for three days of training. The training covers communication skills, clarification of a captain’s role, the importance of being a model of good sportsmanship and good citizenship and the setting of goals. Former student-athletes become part of the cadre of instructors. The program makes the point that being a captain is both an honor and a responsibility; such a Captains’ Academy helps captains to become more effective as team leaders and to develop lifelong leadership skills. [End offset quote]
Core Principle
Learning and personal growth form the foundation for interscholastic and intramural sports.
The intrinsic qualities of sports create a strong learning dynamic that complements the academic program. On the playing field, student-athletes learn skills, strategies, relationships, leadership and responsibility. They also learn the importance of planning, of setting goals – for one’s self and for the team. They learn to make plans for achieving those goals. Young people who play sports make a voluntary—and often passionate— commitment to their activity, enhancing their learning opportunities. Sports provide a performance-based, real-life experience, not an abstract concept. Sports also provide students with an opportunity to shine in a different setting, and to increase their engagement with school. Authentic events improve the learning potential and offer opportunities for the personal growth of the individual athlete.
Core Practices
Out-of-Bounds
[Offset quote] Results from a U.S. Department of Education Center for Educational Statistics study of 18,500 students found that those who participated in athletics generally had higher grade point averages than those who did not. Similarly, a 1996 study concluded that student-athletes had fewer discipline problems, were less likely to drop out, were better prepared for post-secondary education and had a higher sense of self-worth than non-athletes. - Athletics & Achievement, Report of the Commission on High School Athletics in an Era of Reform, National Association of State Boards of Education, 2004 [End offset quote]
[Offset quotes] "Student-athletes learn how to handle adversities and successes of life through sport." - Norm Gagne, Hockey Coach, Gorham High School
"Over the past 10 years, we have lost sight of what is really important and what it means to be part of a team. Winning is valuable, but you learn so many more lessons by losing. A healthy team atmosphere is more important than anything." - Amy Bernatchez, Head Coach, Field Hockey, Colby College, Veteran Maine High School Coach
"I am a huge believer in the value of athletics as a teaching experience. Sports are a real-life experience with an outcome." - John Wolfgram, Teacher, South Portland High School, Assistant Football Coach, Bowdoin College
STATS
92% of student-athletes believe participating in sports helps them to be a better person.
97% of student-athletes say the main reason they play sports is because it is fun and exciting.
"The Athletes Speak Survey 2002-2004," a survey of pilot projects conducted by the National Center for Student Aspirations involving Maine and Massachusetts student-athletes. [End offset quotes]
[Offset quote] QUICK TAKE
Reaching out to parents can score points for the coach. The high school field hockey coach decided to hold a pre-season meeting of her staff with the parents of her student-athletes. The agenda included guidelines on how the program operated, and familiarized the parents with the way in which the coach viewed her charge and her challenge. Parents were able to ask questions about any aspect of the program and got a real opportunity to know and understand the coach who would play a big part in their daughters’ lives. The meeting contributed to a better rapport and gave parents clearer expectations and a heightened level of comfort with the program and the coach. [End offset quote]
Core Principle
Parents and community are actively involved in creating and supporting an environment that fosters positive athletic experiences for student-athletes.
Regardless of the size of the stadium, the magnitude of the game or the volume of the cheers, it is the attitudes displayed by their communities, their parents and their student peers that constitute the real arenas in which young people play.
Parents and other community members attend, direct and help sponsor sports activities for young children and for adolescents through high school. This involvement of adults in school sports enhances the experience for young people when the engagement is positive and when it reflects an understanding of the developmental levels of children and youth. Also critical to a well-run program is respect exhibited by adults for coaches, for officials and for student-athletes. The sports programs that thrive are characterized by strong mutual support offered in a positive spirit by parents, coaches and the greater community.
Core Practices
Parents
Community
Out-of-Bounds
Parents
Community
[Offset quotes] QUOTES
“The problem comes with the amount of pressure for perfection placed on coaches.” - Jim DiFrederico, Basketball Coach, Nokomis High School
“Parents represent the best and darkest sides of sports.” - Richard Card, Senior Consultant, Spurwink Institute
“Vague policies and inconsistent enforcement have been two of the main sources of controversy involving student-athletes. At a time when parental pressure on school boards and administrators often weakens authority within the athletics department, coaches and athletic directors say clearly defined policies are more necessary than ever.” - The Union Leader, Manchester, N.H. March 9, 2004
[End offset quotes]
[Offset quote] QUICK TAKE
Sometimes, a bad move on the field can have a good outcome. A reserve player entered the game as a runner at first base. Unsure of the number of outs, he hesitated before heading for second on the infield grounder and was an easy out. Some of the regular players taunted him for his indecision. The coach talked with the regulars. He said the errant player should have time to think about what happened and all should remember that this is a team. The next day, the team talked about the difficulty of keeping your head in the game when you’re not playing. They acknowledged that the reserve felt even worse than they did about his poor base running and his failure to capitalize on an opportunity to shine and to earn more playing time. This “coachable moment” provided an opportunity to heighten the sensitivity of the regulars to the plight of a reserve player.
Motivation can play a big part in the game. Sally was a senior and tended to warm the bench for a major portion of each varsity basketball game. This game was different and Sally played significant minutes and played well. The team was proud of her. Asked why he took a chance with her, the coach offered this explanation: Sally’s father, a member of the military who was home on leave from Iraq, had never seen his daughter play. By his next visit, the season would be over. Sally’s game time made her father proud and Sally expressed her gratitude for the opportunity the coach had given her. The coach knew that he had done the right thing for one of his players and her family and it had not harmed the team. [End offset quote]
Core Principle
The coach is the key to making the student-athlete experience appropriate, positive and educational.
The most important factor in a successful, educationally sound athletic program is a well-qualified coach. The autocratic coaching model of the past will no longer suffice. Today’s coach must have multiple skills—in organization, communication, motivation and especially in teaching. The coach must understand the holistic needs of young people and know how to balance the needs of individual student-athletes with the promotion of continuous improvement, competitive spirit and the pursuit of excellence. The 21st century coaching environment is complex and stressful. Coaches assume more roles and deal with more issues than ever before. Young people are participating in sports in record numbers and the role of the coach has never been more important.
Core Practices
Out-of-Bounds
[Offset quote] "Great coaching is great teaching." - Tim Whitehead, Head Coach, Men's Ice Hockey, University of Maine [End offset quote]
[Offset quotes] Quotes
"The profession of coaching is at a critical stage. It needs direction, and this work will provide a common place to start." - Julia E. Treadwell, CAA, Director of Athletics, Activities and Wellness at Maine Central Institute and Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Executive Board Member
"There is no denying the complexity of coaching. It is very difficult … to move away from the paradigm of autocracy that has long held sway. Work is needed to foster a relationship of mutual respect and honest communication [in] the coach-player alliance." - Parent of student-athlete
"Ethical problems in coaching that are now a center story in college and professional sports also exist at the secondary level, perhaps even begin there." - Gary Thorne, ESPN and ABC Sportscaster
"Training coaches more like we train teachers could have a huge impact." Scott Atherley, Head Coach, Women’s Soccer, University of Maine
[End offset quotes]
[Offset quote] QUICK TAKE
Cooperation among local officials can open up more sports opportunities. After a coastal Maine high school announced the names of students who had made the basketball team, many young people had no place to play. The situation came to the notice of the municipal recreation department and the department approached the high school about a joint effort to create an intramural program.
The school agreed to promote the program and engage the students while the recreation department took responsibility for organizing the league, running games and finding coaches. The outcome: Rewarding opportunities for nearly 100 students, who would otherwise have been benched for the season, to enjoy team play and competition. [End offset quote]
Core Principle
Each student who meets the eligibility standards has the opportunity to participate and learn through sports.
Opportunities and participation in sports have expanded greatly during the past two decades. More students are participating in more sports. Socio-economic status must never be a barrier to participation. Pay-to-play practices, though understandably tempting for income-strapped schools, remain an inappropriate answer to the need for greater resources. The lessons of sports must not be denied to any student whose grades and behavior merit the privilege of participation. Athletics—and other co-curricular activities—are an important component of education. Effective interscholastic sports programs provide students with athletic and personal skills while building positive lifetime values.
Core Practices
[Offset quote] "Michael Jordan’s experience of being cut from his high school basketball team is, perhaps, the best known example of a "late blooming" talent. By only focusing on those deemed to have the skills early, many students are denied the opportunity to gain confidence, exposure and skills by playing a variety of sports." - Athletics & Achievement, Report of the Commission on High School Athletics in an Era of Reform, National Association of State Boards of Education, 2004 [End offset quote]
Out-of-Bounds
[Offset quote] "It is important to keep young people engaged in as many sports as possible." - Joan Benoit Samuelson, Nordic Coach, Freeport Middle School; Olympic Gold-Medalist
"Money gives advantages to high schools in the wealthiest neighborhoods because they have better facilities and bigger budgets but also for less obvious reasons. Perhaps the biggest one is this: As high school athletes become more specialized and increasingly play one sport year round, wealthier parents are more able to afford summer camps and travel teams." - USA Today, June 17, 2004 [End offset quote]
[Offset quotes] QUOTES
"If I had one wish to guarantee the future good health and well-being of our country, I would hope to instill in our youth the value of commitment to one’s self, one’s family and one’s team. That commitment to a healthy mental and physical lifestyle is enhanced by participation in athletics at any level. The lifetime legacy of such early decisions makes not only the individual, but all those whose lives are touched by sports, enjoy healthier, more productive lives." - Robert McAfee, MD, Retired Surgeon; former President of the American Medical Association
"Those who participate in a variety of sports and specialize only after reaching the age of puberty tend to be more consistent performers, have fewer injuries, and play longer than those who specialize early." - American Academy of Pediatrics, as cited in U.S. News & World Report, June 7, 2004 [End offset quotes]
Core Principle
Participation in sports builds self-confidence while teaching good health and fitness habits to last a lifetime.
Done appropriately, athletics provide the instruction, incentive, and setting for developing and maintaining sound, active minds and bodies. Participation in sports can build a sense of personal responsibility for making healthy lifestyle choices and can help to combat the deteriorating fitness of Maine youth, a deterioration that, in adulthood, contributes to increased levels of chronic disease and premature death and disability. Being part of a team also creates a sense of belonging and offers a supportive network that contributes to emotional well-being and positive interactions in society.
Core Practices
[Offset quote] "Some of the problems we now have in high school sports mirror the problems they have at the professional and college level. Winning is becoming the most important thing." - Patrik Jonsson, "High School Athletics Under A Microscope," The Christian Science Monitor, April 1, 2003 [End offset quote]
Out-of-Bounds
[Offset quotes] 67% of males and 52% of females indicate significant to very high amounts of pressure/ stress as a result of participating in sports. Maine Sports Summit, March 9, 2004
95.8% of student-athletes say participating in sports gets them in shape. "The Athletes Speak Survey 2002-2004," a survey of pilot projects conducted by the National Center for Student Aspirations involving Maine and Massachusetts student-athletes. [End offset quotes]
[Offset quotes] Quotes
"As a sports medicine physician, I have seen the many benefits of sport, as well as the damage that unrealistic expectations, improper play and poor coaching can wreak …on young bodies and minds." - Dr. Gary Parker, Sports Medicine Physician
"With few exceptions, parents can be invaluable allies if they really know that a coach’s first priority is the health, safety and development of their child." - Robert Cobb, Dean, College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine; Co-Director, Sport and Coaching Education Initiative
"One sport is one-dimensional; athletic creativity comes from learning a variety of sports." - Terry Kix, Head Coach, Women’s Field Hockey, University of Maine [End offset quotes]
[Offset quotes] Quick Takes
When sports fundraisers compete for the community dollar, some teams may lose. Multiple booster clubs can offer great support for their respective teams, but overlapping fund-raising campaigns can be tough on the community supporters and pose problems for school administrators obligated to approach sports funding in an equal-handed manner. One five-town school district found an answer when a businessman who was also an athlete, a parent of athletes, a sports fan and a previous head of two booster groups, recognized that the numerous fund-raising drives were becoming unsupportable. The businessman contacted the athletic administrator to urge the development of a single, all-sports booster club. The timing was just right. All the stakeholders worked together to present a proposal, adopted by the school board, calling for a single booster organization and banning clubs for individual teams. The plan was successful. Funding has not been lost, more volunteers are helping out and community respect has been achieved. [End offset quotes]
Core Principle
High-quality athletic programs are built upon a foundation of strong leadership, clear policy, adequate resources and effective organization.
Athletic program quality and effectiveness are contingent upon strong leadership, adequate resources and effective policy and decision-making procedures that combine to create a robust organizational structure.
Core Practices
Out-of-Bounds
[Offset quotes] Quotes
"Participation of schools is integral to the success of Sports Done Right and the beliefs and practices that are embedded. Its potential to be a national model for quality sports programs that complement academic standards and overall school objectives rests with voluntary compliance, not prescription. We want this model to be developed so well that people will want to run their programs this way." - J. Duke Albanese, Co-Director, Sport and Coaching Education Initiative, University of Maine; Senior Policy Advisor, Great Maine Schools Project, Senator George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute, former Commissioner of Education
"Participation in sports offers valuable real-time feedback of real-life lessons: how to share responsibility, develop strategies, attain goals and learn to enjoy the company of friends with mutual interests." - Parent of student-athlete [End offset quotes]
[Offset quote] QUICK TAKE
Academic failure is not seen as an option in this middle school sports program. One southern coastal school believes success in academics and sports are closely linked and successful athletes should have assistance in reaching academic success. Student-athletes who fail to meet academic requirements are placed in a probationary environment for two weeks. They receive specific instruction and support from teachers after hours, until their academic performance improves. These students continue to practice with their teams but do not play in games. This "failure is no option" approach supports the concept that all students can be successful in both athletics and academics. Just as the structures and practices that define schooling at the middle level are different from those used at other levels, appropriate sports programs for middle school students should differ from the programs for high school students. Some advocate for "little high schools" where programs focus on the "feeder system" dimension, championships and serious competitions. Others argue for a focus on skill development and enjoyment, nurturing the notion of the whole child. Approximately 240 Maine schools educate students aged 10–15 in a varied configuration of grades such as K–5, K–8, 6–8 and 7–8. The opportunity to participate and have fun in a variety of sports is based on the middle level philosophy that honors the needs and interests of young adolescents. Yet in many middle schools, students begin dropping out of sports in large numbers never to participate again. During these critical years, young adolescents are experiencing one of life's greatest periods of physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth. [End offset quote]
The question of what constitutes the best educational environment to meet the complex and changing growth and development needs of young adolescents continues to generate conversations and debates, guidelines and policy at the local, state and national levels. Perspectives regarding sports programs, espoused philosophies and day-to-day practice also vary. Just as the structures and practices that define schooling at the middle level are different from those used at other levels, appropriate sports programs for middle school students should differ from the programs for high school students.
Some advocate for "little high schools" where programs focus on the "feeder system" dimension, championships and serious competitions. Others argue for a focus on skill development and enjoyment, nurturing the notion of the whole child.
Approximately 240 Maine schools educate students aged 10–15 in a varied configuration of grades such as K–5, K–8, 6–8 and 7–8. The opportunity to participate and have fun in a variety of sports is based on the middle level philosophy that honors the needs and interests of young adolescents. Yet in many middle schools, students begin dropping out of sports in large numbers never to participate again.
During these critical years, young adolescents are experiencing one of life’s greatest periods of physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth. An important challenge and role for middle schools is to help students incorporate these dramatic changes into the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to succeed in high school and later in life.
A major hallmark of middle schools is their focus on being developmentally responsive: they recognize and incorporate the unique characteristics of young adolescents into curriculum, instruction and co-curricular activities. Middle school students need an educational environment—including sports— that emphasizes:
Transition is also an important component of Middle level athletics.
Many of the students entering middle school will have had experience on recreation or youth sports teams, and their expectations—as well as the views of their parents—might be different from those of students entering organized sports for the first time. Likewise, students leaving the Middle level must be prepared for the more competitive atmosphere of high school athletics. Middle school sports should be a transitioning—not a sifting process—for high school athletics.
Through the work of state and national organizations and educators, today’s society knows a great deal more about Middle level education and about young adolescents and how they learn.
Through the work of the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), Maine middle schools for the first time have guidelines to direct problem solving, decision-making and policy in the often controversial area of appropriate sports and other co-curricular activities for young adolescents. The MPA Committee on Middle Level Athletics, with assistance from the statewide Middle Level Task Force, developed guidelines, which were approved by principals statewide in November 2003.
In its Philosophy of Middle Level Activities, the MPA states: "An understanding of the physical, social and emotional complexities and of the great variation among students at the middle level is of vital importance in developing a philosophy for activities at this level. The emphasis should be on creating a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for students, while broadening their education in areas such as sportsmanship, leadership, citizenship and participation in life-long activities."
In the Select Panel’s work with students, middle level youngsters emphasized the school/sports connection. For instance, they are motivated to go to school and to get their schoolwork done so they can play sports; they enjoy the social aspects and friendships sports offer; and a coach is highly influential in their lives as a role model and accessible mentor. On the other hand, they feel parental, coach and peer pressure to perform well as an athlete and to balance conflicting school-sports demands, and
they recognize that financial resources and lack of transportation are barriers to participation for many kids. They need and enjoy their parents’ positive support of all players, coaches and officials, but they are dismayed by parents who have negative attitudes, emphasize winning over fun and constantly pressure them to be better.
Change—in their bodies and emotions —is a daily constant for middle school students. They are worried about "fitting in" themselves, but also are sympathetic and understanding toward peers who are struggling with situations they have no control over. They want sports to be an enjoyable in-school experience. They are saddened when a friend or potential friend is cut from a team, although they understand that it might be necessary. Their concern—which should be heeded by adults in their lives—is that the cutting process be as private, encouraging and painless as possible, and that those students have available other opportunities to participate in sports.
Maine schools serving Middle level students should conduct sports according to the following cornerstone practices and embedded beliefs:
Offering Maine Middle level youth an expansive sports and co-curricular slate of activities at the middle level is important as a complement and extension to learning standards based on Maine’s Learning Results; as an avenue for developing strong leadership, citizenship and character; and particularly as an essential for physical fitness activities.
[Offset quote] STATS
Only 20% of middle level coaches are required to complete a coaching education program similar to that required of high school coaches.
53% of male and female students in Maine’s middle level schools participate in interscholastic sports.
Maine Center for Sport and Coaching: Middle Level Athletics Survey, 2002 [End offset quote]
[Offset quotes] Quotes
"Our job, as well as teaching the game, is to turn these kids onto sports, not turn them away. We want them to have a positive experience so they will return in another year and grow from the experience. Lessons learned from being on a team are important life lessons in the athletic arena as well as in the business sector." - Youth sports coach and educator
The Maine Center for Sport and Coaching Middle Level Athletics Task Force identified four major areas as issues to address: the lack of qualified coaches; the need for professional training of coaches; the need for coaches to be perceived as educators; and the stress and pressure on students stemming from the push toward early specialization. - Presented to Select Panel, Spring, 2004
"Inadequate preparation for coaching; undue expectations and pressures from parents and communities on students and coaches; poor sportsmanship and incivility; peer pressure involving unhealthy practices. These concerns are now… [moving] down into middle school and youth sports. We need to support kids and communities in a positive way." - Richard Durost, Executive Director, Maine Principals’ Association [End offset quotes]
[Offset quote] QUICK TAKE
A coach’s off-the-field life experiences can bring something to the game beyond his team-building talent. In the days of the cold war, a nervous, sweating, quaking 8th grader was practicing with the freshman football team and bemoaning the dreaded double- sessions. One day at practice his coach remarked: “Two years ago I was patrolling the Czechoslovakian border; now I’m teaching kids to do jumping jacks.” For the 8th grader, that comment changed his perspective instantaneously; double sessions looked a bit more like a privilege. When the first freshman game was played, his nerves had subsided, his confidence had grown and the 8th grader was a starting left tackle. At the end of the 4 and 4 season he was a proud player, giving credit for the change in his view of life and his sense of self to the relentless optimism of a coach who "drove us all to do our best." For that 8th grader, it was a season of growth and awakening. - Today that 8th grader is a successful Maine dentist, Dr. Nathan Goff of Portland. His former coach is General John W. (Bill) Libby, Adjutant General of the Maine Air & Army National Guard and Commissioner of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management [End offset quote]
[Offset quote] STATS
Post High School Athletics
- 59% of high school football and basketball players believe they will receive a college scholarship.
- 1-2% of high school athletes will receive a Division I athletic scholarship.
- 12,999 out of 13,000 high school athletes will never be professional athletes.
- Mike Blackburn, Interscholastic Athletic Administration, "The Purpose of High School Athletics is Not for the Development of Professional Athletes," Volume #31, Number 1, Fall 2004 [End offset quote]
Out-of-school sports typically include community recreation programs, youth programs such as those involving the AAU, and such elite or select programs as those focused on developing Olympic athletes. Some youth programs include extensive travel to league play throughout New England and beyond. Out-of-school programs can be available to students of all age groups from t-ball leagues to American Legion Baseball, from peewee soccer to Soccer Maine, from mite hockey to junior hockey.
However, community recreation programs—that usually have low or no fees—are not always available, particularly in all sports to all students. Youth, elite, select and travel teams usually require payment for participation. Teams that travel widely limit the number of players by using tryout and cutting procedures. Thus, as a result of issues of availability, economics or ability, many students who would like to play on out-of-school teams are unable to do so. Though out-of-school programs are not always aligned with the Core Principles espoused in this report, the players usually appreciate the status they receive from being on special teams and are motivated to perform. There are concerns, in some cases, that too much time on the road, too many practices and games in elongated seasons are contrary to the well-being of the students and contrary to the core principles and practices supported in this document.
Some students simultaneously participate in both school and out-of-school programs. The danger is in daily and weekly schedules that are out of balance for student-athletes. It must be remembered—by all—that students’ primary responsibility is to learn and participate fully in a variety of activities that help shape them academically and socially as well as athletically. Participation requirements that have students spending excessive time tied to one activity can be detrimental. Schools should help the parents of student-athletes understand the real and potentially harmful effects of over-participation. Students benefit most from taking part in activities that lead to well-rounded development.
School policy should address expectations and the setting of priorities when school and non-school activities conflict. Student-athletes can learn important lessons when required to set their own time priorities.
As our communities seek to provide all students with opportunities to learn, to have fun, to be healthy, to acquire new skills and to develop character, what becomes most important is a coordinated effort among all programs devoted to youth.
The Core Principles, Core Practices and Out-of-Bounds sections of this report articulate how to conduct healthy interscholastic sports programs for youth. Out-of-school sports programs are encouraged to "sign on" to these principles as they guide sports opportunities for Maine youth.
[Offset quote] They are stronger and more skilled, but year-round commitment to a single sport and far-flung travel for more and better competition are isolating our best young athletes from their communities and changing the all-around athletic experience that has been at the heart of American sports for generations - Alexander Wolff, "Special Report: The High School Athlete," Sports Illustrated (Nov. 13, 2002) [End offset quote]
[Offset quote] Quotes
"I am concerned about over-emphasis and specialization in sport at a young age. It is not all positive. Opportunities are never-ending, and young student-athletes are becoming burnt out and tired of sports. They still need to play and be kids and not have their free times so structured." Youth sports coach and educator
"No one asked me, but here's my two bits: I still have unbelievably fond memories of Little League in the pre-soccer era. There was no such thing as a travel team. Everyone played on the same teams. None of us ever turned pro or won a college scholarship, and my guess is not too many of the little stars in Scarsdale will either. Scarsdale's not the only place caught up in this idiotic arms race, but it could do us all a favor if it served as a model for dialing it back." - Peter Applebome, The New York Times, Oct. 10, 2004 [End offset quote]
[Offset quote] Quotes
The purpose of high school athletics is to enhance the whole school experience for all students. Academic achievement must always be considered the priority. The privilege of participating in athletics should be recognized as contributing to a student’s civic, physical and social development. - Athletics & Achievement, Report of the Commission on High School Athletics in an Era of Reform, National Association of State Boards of Education, 2004 [End offset quote]
Implementation Recommendations from the Institute for Global Ethics
True community participation is critical to the success of Sports Done Right. We will ensure quality interscholastic sports experiences if all stakeholders are actively engaged in upholding the Core Principles and Core Practices of this initiative over the long term. To achieve this:
To support the work of Sports Done Right, The Institute for Global Ethics of Camden, Maine, researched models for successful systemic change. Staff involved in following several national and international initiatives confirmed the essential elements that will sustain Sports Done Right:
Leadership: Campus Compact is an initiative that exemplifies the importance of leadership support in sustaining a large-scale change. To participate, a letter of intent must come from the top—the college president. Initiated in 1985, this organization encourages campuses to commit to community service as a dimension of higher education. Top leadership participation may explain its tremendous momentum. With an original goal of one hundred participating college presidents, membership now stands at 950 and counting.
Training: The Arizona Accord promotes healthy sports experiences in public high schools. Now in its third year, it provides state high schools with training related to the initiative, resulting in a 47% decrease in ejections from sporting events during 2003-04.
Community Participation: The New England Association of Schools and Colleges is well known for its accrediting process. Its success stems from high expectations and a highly participatory structure. This opportunity to achieve high and widely-recognized standards motivates participants in the NEASC process, as it will for Sports Done Right.
Common Ground: Global Compact, a United Nations initiative, promotes global corporate responsibility based on a clear set of principles. The Talloires Declaration commits universities worldwide to principles related to ecology and human rights.
These initiatives differ from the constituents and scope of Sports Done Right, but they share the essential goal of accomplishing positive purpose through shared ethical principles.
To determine a process for involving all community stakeholders in conversations about Sports Done Right, the Institute for Global Ethics talked to athletic directors, school administrators, coaches and students in four very different Maine communities. Some common messages emerged:
Community input and research about the essential ingredients for sustaining Sports Done Right, point to the following steps for participation:
Roles in the Sports Done Right School Community Compact Process: Everyone has a job to do, and everyone experiences the joys of success through the Sports Done Right school-community compact process. The following table describes some key constituents in this process and their roles in making it successful:
| Parents and Student-Coaches: | School Boards and Athletes: | Administration: |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
[Offset quote] Quotes
"The Institute for Global Ethics is honored to participate in this landmark initiative for Maine’s student-athletes. As a model for the rest of the nation, Sports Done Right lifts athletics to where it should be and to where I believe our youngsters truly want it to be—at the level of noble, moral enterprise. Clearly, great sports experiences can develop the great values of responsibility, commitment, unselfishness, teamwork, leadership and fairness. But sports done wrong? That’s perhaps the worst thing a school can offer, creating a dark and tangled wasteland of selfishness, exclusivity, cheating, conceit and winning at all costs. The genius of this report is that, like all good stewardship, it begins by identifying what it wants to save. Then it candidly points out what we need to reject. Finally, it tells us what to do." - Rushworth M. Kidder, Ph.D. President, Institute for Global Ethics [End offset quote]
[Offset quote] STATS
40.5% of student-athletes say participating in sports is the main reason they go to school. - "The Athletes Speak Survey 2002-2004," a survey of pilot projects conducted by he National Center for Student Aspirations involving Maine and Massachusetts student athletes. [End offset quote]
[Offset quote] Quotes
"Using data from nationally affiliated basketball leagues, researchers estimated that the total number of fourth-grade boys playing organized basketball was about 475,000. At the same time, only 87,000 teens were playing basketball as seniors in high school. Of the 87,000, 1,560 will win Division I college scholarships, 1,350 will get Division II scholarships, and 1,400 more will play at Division III schools. Of those 4,310, about 30 will make it to the National Basketball Association. In soccer, the odds are even longer because so many colleges recruit foreign players." - Dan Doyle, for forthcoming book, The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting, cited in Fixing Kids’ Sports, U.S. News & World Report, June 7, 2004 [End offset quote]
| NCAA Chart | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student-Athletes | Men’s Basketball | Women’s Basketball | Football | Baseball | Men’s Ice Hockey | Men’s Soccer |
| High School Student-Athletes | 549,500 | 456,900 | 983,600 | 455,300 | 29,900 | 321,400 |
| High School Senior Student-Athletes | 157,000 | 130,500 | 281,000 | 130,100 | 8,500 | 91,800 |
| NCAA Student-Athletes | 15,700 | 14,400 | 56,500 | 25,700 | 3,700 | 18,200 |
| NCAA Freshman Roster Positions | 4,500 | 4,100 | 16,200 | 7,300 | 1,100 | 5,200 |
| NCAA Senior Student-Athletes | 3,500 | 3,200 | 12,600 | 5,700 | 800 | 4,100 |
| NCAA Student-Athletes Drafted | 44 | 32 | 250 | 600 | 33 | 76 |
| Percent High School to NCAA | 2.9 | 3. | 5.8 | 5.6 | 12.9 | 5.7 |
| Percent NCAA to Professional | 1.3 | 1 | 2 | 10.5 | 4.1 | 1.9 |
| Percent High School to Professional | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.09 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.08 |
Teaching Character through Sport: Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy, by Bruce Brown
Maine Center for Sport and Coaching
Sports Compact for the School Community
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of Contents
Honoring the Core Principles and Core Practices of Sports Done Right
[SAMPLE]
We recognize that school sports experiences can contribute greatly to the values and ethics of each student-athlete. Positive sports experiences teach important life skills, encourage teamwork, help shape character and citizenship, encourage an active lifestyle and often contribute to success in academics.
We know that a beneficial interscholastic sports program is a joint venture of the school and the community, requiring positive input from both. We recognize that students, parents, community members, coaches, athletics staff, administration and members of the school board need to subscribe to the Core Principles and Core Practices, described in Sports Done Right: A Call to Action on Behalf of Maine’s Student-Athletes.
We are dedicated to making healthy and positive sports programming accessible to every eligible student in our school community. Sports experiences for students in our school community are intended to complement, to support and to add to the learning they are experiencing in their academic programs.
The promise of participation in sports helps to shape our young people. We pledge to provide exceptional opportunities for our students to experience the very best of interscholastic athletics in a setting where "sports are done right."
We are actively and positively contributing to what our student-athletes know and the character of who they are—helping to fulfill the vision of graduating smart students who are good people.
________________________
________________________
Chair, School
Board
Superintendent of Schools
________________________
________________________
Principal
Athletic
Director
Maine Center for Sport and Coaching
Sports Compact for Parents and Student-Athletes
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Honoring the Core Principles and Core Practices of Sports Done Right
[SAMPLE]
We recognize that healthy sports experiences take commitment from student-athletes and their parents. This Compact is based on the Core Principles and Core Practices of Sports Done Right: A Call to Action on Behalf of Maine’s Student-Athletes. We have agreed upon the following Core Practices to support quality sports experiences in our school community:
| ________________________ | ________________________ |
| Parent | Student-Athlete |
Maine Center for Sport and Coaching
Sports Compact for Parents
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of Contents
Honoring the Core Principles and Core Practices of Sports Done Right
[SAMPLE]
We recognize that healthy sports experiences require support and input from parents. This Compact is based on the Core Principles and Core Practices of Sports Done Right: A Call to Action on Behalf of Maine’s Student-Athletes. We have agreed to honor the Core Principles and these Core Practices in support of our student-athletes and a positive learning process:
We know that school sports experiences can contribute greatly to the values and ethics of each player, and that positive sports experiences teach important life skills, encourage teamwork, help shape character and citizenship and encourage an active lifestyle.