Conduct of Athletes

An important part of the educational aspect of high school athletics is the learning of behavior appropriate to the circumstances. Because athletes often perform publicly, their behavior is subject to more than the usual scrutiny.

With this in mind, there are some behaviors that are particularly offensive and are subject to standard consequences..

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

If an athlete is ejected from a game for any reason, (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting, etc.), the athlete shall be prohibited from participating in the next contest also.

Drugs and/or Alcohol

A student-athlete who uses, in in possession of, or is found to be under the influence of a controlled substance (alcoholic beverages, inhalants, illegal drugs or steroids) during the season of a sport shall be subject to the following penalties:

1. First Violation: Option A

1. Five-day suspension from school.
   Note: During the suspension, the student is required to attend all practices and games. However, the student-athlete may not suit up or participate in any contest.

2. Administrator, Coach, Athletic Director, Parent Conference.

3. Attendance in a drug/alcohol intervention program with weekly visit verification submitted to the athletic director.

2. First Violation: Option B

1. Five-day suspension from school and a 45-day suspension from all activities related to athletics

2. Administrator, Coach, Athletic Director, Parent Conference.

3. Second Violation

1. Five-day suspension from school

2. Suspension of all athletic participation for one full school year from the day of the offense.

Interaction with Officials

If an athlete physically assaults an official, the athlete shall be banned from interscholastic athletics for the remainder of the student's eligibility (CIF Blue  Book Sect. 522).

Parent support for this Athletic Code of Conduct is crucial to its success.

Conduct of Coaches

Above all else, athletics at the high school level is an educational endeavor. Athletes learn lessons that serve them for their entire lives. Among these are sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork, and appropriate responses to winning and to losing. For these lessons, each coach is the teacher.

The coach sets the tone for these lessons, and the coach's behavior serves as a model to the crowd, and most of all, to the athletes.

Athletic coaches at Mission San Jose High School are expected to reflect a positive attitude in all their approaches to and their interactions with officials and opponents.

There can never be justification for physical or verbal abuse of an athlete, nor for personal malignment in any form. Coaches are expected always to treat every athlete with dignity and respect.

At Mission San Jose High School, swearing and the use use of obscenities by players and coaches are always inappropriate. whether at practice or during an athletic event

Spectators, both students and adults, are an important and integral part of all athletic events. Spectators serve to validate the positive values learned through athletic experiences, and to support the personal efforts and successes of individual athletes.

Occasionally, the excesses of spectator behavior can unnecessarily. taint the activities at an athletic event. What follows is an effort to provide clarity about inappropriate behavior, and about the consequences of such behavior.

At athletic events, to reduce the potential for conflict among spectator groups, it is appropriate to sit on the team side or team seating area, if so designated.

At athletic events, it is inappropriate for spectators to engage in:

• violence

• verbal abuse

• vandalism

• throwing objects

• obscenity or obscene gestures

• possession or use of alcohol

• using illegal substances

• harassment of officials 

Each of these inappropriate spectator behaviors, whether by students or adults, shall be cause for immediate removal from the event. A pattern of these behaviors shall result in being barred from future events.