INDIANAPOLIS— The NCAA will launch a new sportsmanship initiative, titled “RESPECT,” during the 2009 NCAA Convention in Washington D.C. this week.  

Spearheaded by the NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct, the campaign will focus on addressing negative fan behavior and encouraging student-athletes and coaches to take the lead in creating a culture of sportsmanship and respect. 

The campaign launch will be included in an association-wide convention session Wednesday (Jan. 14) on sportsmanship featuring presidential voices from each NCAA division.  Additionally, the NCAA will host an information booth during convention focused on sportsmanship.

 The initiative is based on results and feedback from extensive public and membership surveys, which revealed the following findings regarding sportsmanship:     

• Fan conduct is the most serious and pressing issue.
• Coaches and student-athletes believe they should be responsible for establishing expectations of appropriate behavior.
• Athletics administrators should enforce guidelines for appropriate behavior, addressing negative incidents when they occur.
• In terms of defining sportsmanship, respect and integrity are two words that consistently resonate with NCAA colleges and universities.

Initial implementation steps for the initiative include the introduction of an improved sportsmanship web site and the production of support materials (including print ads, banners, and public service announcements) for conferences and institutions to access.

 “We are institutions of higher learning and we are about educating,” said John Blanchard, senior associate athletics director at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the chair of the sportsmanship committee.  “We have in our fan base an awful lot of young people.  They are learning and we need to create an environment so they know what respect looks like in the athletics arena.”

Recent efforts to restore and strengthen the commitment to sportsmanship have been visible throughout the NCAA membership.  Just this month, all 276 presidents and chancellors from active Division II member institutions signed a game-environment pledge form, which commits to staging athletics events that “reflect the values of higher education and the mission of each institution.”

About the NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. 

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