Hello to our SJGSL/SJYS Family,
I know everyone is busy prepping for the exciting Fall season ahead, but I wanted to touch on our Sportsmanship Program and our Pat Adams Sportsmanship Award for Coaches. We loved getting your feedback and have put together all the details for the award below.
We are excited for this program to help you help your teams better. Look for emails throughout the season to educate about sportsmanship, updates on social media with our tag #SJGSLRespect, info about a midseason meeting to answer questions that come up later and squash concerns going into the next round, plus a snazzy new email address so your questions do directly to the right persons. We’d love to have you join and hear your ideas too!
Email: sjgslsportsmanship@gmail.com
Pat Adams Sportsmanship Award for Coaches
Aptly named for Pat Adams, a phenomenal woman who did so much for the league and kids over the years. This award gives the chance to Thank all of our amazing Coaches out there giving their best each week voted on by your peers!
On Sunday, while the game is fresh in your mind, the U8-U10 division will receive a link to a google form to fill out each week. Let us know if a Coach you played showed sportsmanship, was there something that stuck out, something their team did, handled a loss with dignity, a way you felt welcomed and knew you were among others who knew what the game was really about…the kids.
*Each time a coach receives a vote they’ll earn 5 points. No limit on how many votes a coach can get but each coach can only vote once per week. This includes head and assistant coaches. You can also state why you're voting for them, if you'd like.
*We will be communicating with the refs and if they acknowledge someone, you’ll earn an additional 6 points.
*Coaches must only vote for those within their flight as you’ve played these teams and can’t vote within the same team aka the asst. coach can’t vote for the head coach and vice versa from the same team.
*To add more incentive to always show sportsmanship, if a yellow card is issued, 3 points will be deducted. A red card will automatically disqualify you. We will look at things on a case by case basis as well.
*Points will be tallied each week and at the end of the season a winner with the highest total all together will be chosen from every flight and will be announced. This is truly an honor for the coach and the whole team!
We have some fun rewards like gift cards, apparel, online promotion but the greatest reward of all, knowing you are practicing sportsmanship and your peers have taken notice. This isn’t mandatory but a great way to build sportsmanship up through your teams and in your clubs, we encourage everyone to participate. It takes seconds to notice someone for their respect and kindness.
What’s a great way to get votes each week? Easy! Show respect in everything you do, respect the game, respect the officials, respect the other team, have your players and parents show respect. Understand the award is not for the World Cup or being the Coach that brings the wins, it’s for being a role model who teaches their players that win or lose, everyone is there to enjoy the beautiful game of soccer and behave in a way that makes others want to as well.
As I said, open door policy, reach out anytime with questions or concerns. I wish you a wonderful and fun season! You’ll be hearing from me again on Sunday!
April Marino
SJGSL/SJYS Sportsmanship -sjgslsportsmanship@gmail.com
