Sportsmanship - Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association

Sportsmanship Plus - Girls Basketball

Neillsville @ Greenwood
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018

We were greeted by the athletic director at the door and taken to our room. The AD was friendly and always asking if there was anything we needed. During the game, the coaches, fans and players were fantastic. Coaches had questions, but they asked them in a respectful manner. Fans were cheering for their team. Players were playing hard as a team and were very friendly and receptive to the feedback we provided. Following the game, the AD was there and promptly took us to the locker room and thanked us for our time. It was truly a great game to officiate.

Reporting Official: Franklin Searer

Sportsmanship Plus - Girls Basketball

Sportsmanship Plus

Rice Lake @ Baldwin-Woodville
Oct. 25, 2018

Rice Lake showed excellent sportsmanship in the face of a competitive game. Each time Rice Lake approached the officiating crew to ask a question, they did so politely and in a way that was trying to understand how or why a decision was being made (or not being made). I believe their tone and professionalism is a result of strong team culture created by their head coach. In the past several years, the boys head coach for Rice Lake has been polite and shown strong understanding of what youth athletics are about. He has been an excellent role model to his players and has never taken an inappropriate tone with an officiating crew I have been on. This sportsmanship "Plus" is many years coming. He has been great to work with in the past, and his influence on the players shows during games. It's high time some unsolicited feedback comes in for coaches doing a great job in youth sports.

Reporting Official: David Nett

Sportsmanship Plus - Boys Soccer

Onalaska @ New Richmond
Oct. 16, 2018

Onalaska played hard but safely and addressed the officiating crew politely throughout the game. At the end of the game, the Onalaska coach came up to me silent while I was finishing the paper work. When I finished and was ready to hand him his copy of the game report, I looked up to find a stern face that I thought might criticize our performance as an officiating crew. Instead, he looked me in the eye and said it was the best officiated game his team had experienced all year as he shook my hand. This kind of sportsmanship, right after a tough loss, is the type of leadership more schools need in youth athletics. He is able to see past a disappointment, and find the positive. The culture of his team is a byproduct of such an excellent role model and his kids are learning more than just soccer when they play for him.

Official Reporting: David Nett

Sportsmanship Plus - Football

Blair-Taylor @ Highland
Oct. 19, 2018

Both schools demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship and professionalism. ittle things such as helping an opponent up after a play, picking grass from an opponent's helmet, a player from Blair-Taylor, #50, came up to me early in the 2nd quarter, shook my hand thanking me for officiating. This not only demonstrated class on his part but from both schools. This is certainly a reflection of the leadership of both teams.

Reporting Official: Curt Ladwig

Sportsmanship Plus - Football

New Holstein @ Amherst
Oct. 19, 2018

I would like to commend both teams’ players, coaches and fans for the most excellent display of sportsmanship I have ever seen. The coaches coached, the players played their hearts out and the fans cheered. There was no questioning our calls, and we were left to officiate a great game. Some of the fans from New Holstein thanked us for coming and doing a great job officiating the playoff contest. It felt great to hear that because you don't here that very often. The AD and staff at Amherst High School were great!! I wish every game could be like this and maybe there would be more people becoming officials.

Reporting Official: Scott Ter Maat

Sportsmanship Plus - Girls Volleyball

Wisconsin Dells @ McFarland
Oct. 18, 2018

My partner and I would like to take the time to congratulate both McFarland and Wisconsin Dells for their demonstration of positive sportsmanship. Athletic Director Paul Ackley was on site when we arrived and greeted us and reviewed the schedule of events for the evening. We observed Paul using a proactive approach by the way he talked with the spectators prior to the match in regards to remaining off the floor during live balls for their safety. Both teams’ coaches (Fortune and Janke) and their assistants focused on coaching their players during the match and all we heard were words of postive encouragement to their players. We also want to recognize the players from both teams that thanked us at the end of the night for officiating as we exited the gym. Both communities can take pride as well with the spectators focusing on cheering on the players when they did something well on the floor. It felt great to experience a positive extension of the classroom during tonight's volleyball match.

Reporting Official: Wayne Hammes

Sportsmanship Plus - Boys Soccer

New Holstein @ Winneconne
Oct. 16, 2018

Both teams were very respectful during the game. Even with a very lopsided score, the boys kept it respectful and within their emotional control. Neither team became frustrated and continued to ask if either was OK if either went down. Both coaches continued to encourage their players despite the large discrepancy in the score. I was truly impressed by their behavior, and it helped the game run so smoothly and safely. Thank you to both. They both should be proud of themselves!

Reporting Official: Mary McCutcheon

Sportsmanship Plus - Football

Brookwood @ Royal
Oct. 12, 2018

Brookwood captain Bucky Dwyer is an excellent example of what the NFHS and the WIAA has in mind when defining what a captain should be. Not only did he play the game as it should be, he kept his teammates in the game when the elements of the game were not the best. He was also very easy to communicate with me and the my crewmates about fouls and other game parts. This young man is a truly class act who deserves this accolade.

Reporting Official: Gary Hanan

Sportsmanship Plus - Football

Hayward/La Courte Oreilles
Oct. 12, 2018

This letter is to again acknowledge the outstanding sportsmanship displayed by Hayward and Bloomer. The freezing temperatures did not chill the excitement and the hard work the communities put forth into enjoying the game and teaching fine sportsmanship. On the two-plus hour ride home on Friday, the crew analyzed the game, the actions of the officiating crew, and the actions of the coaches and players. The officiating crew was impressed with the actions of the coaches, players and fans. The coaches were very organized, communicated positively and modeled the proper behavior that teaches what sports is about, which is having fun, being competitive, learning leadership, and solving problems. The coaches’ actions drained into the sportsmanship behavior of the players and the fans. When asked to provide an adjective to describe the actions of each head coach, the wing officials came up with the word class. It is the coach’s class that makes officiating enjoyable, knowing that we need to provide the same positive actions as officials. Well done coaches on teaching future generations on how to act in competitive sports and various personal and career situations! Congratulations Coach O’Brien and Coach Post for the fine job of coaching and the outstanding work you do in educating our youth on the importance of positive sportsmanship. We wish both of your teams the best of success!

Reporting Official: Shawn Umland