Letter to High School Sports Community from Ernie Vigil


Description: Las Animas Athletic Director Reminds Community about the Importance of Promoting Good Sportsmanship at Athletic Competitions...

Parents, students, and community members,

We are asking for your support in providing positive role-modeling for our student athletes. The involvement of our students in athletics and activities contributes to the development of their values system. Trustworthiness, citizenship, caring, fairness and respect are lifetime values that are taught through interscholastic activities and are principles of good sportsmanship and character. With these principles, the spirit of competition thrives, fueled by honest rivalry, courteous relations and grateful acceptance of the results.

The following are the expectations of the spectators of our student-athletes:

o Understand the purpose of educational athletics- to build character with the individual student-athlete.

o Understand that interscholastic athletics are about students learning and having fun.

o Make your cheers supportive and not derogating to other spectators.

o Be a positive role model through your own actions. Remain calm and composed before, during, and after games.

o Realize there is enough pressure on athletes to perform as it is. Added pressure from reacting to mistakes they make, being critical and negative, and heightened emotions create unneeded stress and take away from the fun of the game. Las Animas has made a commitment to promote good sportsmanship by student- athletes, coaches and spectators at all athletic events. Profanity, degrading remarks, and intimidating actions directed at officials, competitors, and other fans will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the event site.

Thank you for your promotion of good sportsmanship as we build character of our students within the context of interscholastic athletics.

Las Animas Athletic Director

Ernie Vigil