Sportsmanship news from US LACROSSE:

Officials and Youth Council Team Up to Honor the Game
The US Lacrosse Youth Council and the men's and women's division officials' councils have taken pro-active steps to help insure a positive culture for the sport at the youth lacrosse level.

Created in 2005, the Sideline Manager and Sportsmanship Card concepts have been designed to be preventative tools at youth games. Sideline Managers help to maintain a positive environment and issue the Sportsmanship Card as a warning to an individual coach, athlete, fan, or group of fans. 

Most often, the Sportsmanship Card Program will correct the unacceptable, unsportsmanlike behavior that threatens to ruin the game, but is also available to support the unfortunate circumstance of game termination as a consequence of an initial incident or continued unsportsmanlike behavior. 

The Sportsmanship Card is a resource for men's and women's program administrators and officials working youth games, and designed to work in conjunction with and to help clarify the NFHS Boys' High School Rules and the Official Rules for Girls' & Women's Lacrosse. When used in conjunction with the rules, the Sportsmanship Card procedures serve as an effective deterrent to abusive behaviors. The program was created with the goal of establishing constraints that should:

    1) eradicate the "unsportsmanlike behavior" that is creeping into sport,
    2) strengthen sportsmanship,
    3) contribute to the retention of officials, and
    4) honor the game.