The KHSAA has approved a new policy that is said to promote sportsmanship and support contest officials and administrators when unruly fans have to be removed from a Kentucky High School Athletic contest.
In other words, fans will now get a minimum of a 1 game suspension for acting a fool.
In an effort to further promote sportsmanship and support contest officials and administrators, the Board approved a recommendation from the Commissioner to adopt a Spectator Conduct provision into its policies and procedures. The approved policy states that “any adult spectator (adult who is not listed on the current roster of coaches for the school) at any KHSAA sanctioned interscholastic event (scrimmage, regular or postseason contest) who is removed by school administrators or by law enforcement (whether or not referred by a contest official) for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be suspended from attending, at minimum, the next contest at that level of competition and all other contests at any level in the interim.”
“It is my sincere hope, and I believe that of our Board, that this penalty never be implemented and this be yet another tool in the toolbox of our school administrators to address some of the concerns we see throughout the year, ” said Tackett. “Hopefully this is a deterrent that, when implemented in our schools, becomes that one last chance for people to stop short of acting in such an unsportsmanlike manner that ejection is the only option.”
My guess is officials will be listening a little more intently to what is being said to them from people watching the game.
