by Jeff Graunke
Marshwood’s fans, as of fall 2011, have new rules on how they can cheer for our sports teams. These rules have been set by the Maine Principals Association, the MPA, and our athletic director Mr. Rich Buzzell. The rules MHS students have seen in the last few weeks were taken directly from the MPA’s website.
At Marshwood sporting events, there are a lot of new rules. For example, there are no artificial noisemakers allowed at any indoor event, such as cowbells, drums, or air-horns. There should be no taunting the other team or flaunting victory. Rules directly from the MPA’s brochure, sent to MHS students via email, include “do not try to disrupt foul shots or penalty shots” or “commit any act that would embarrass your school, its coaches, or its players.” Mr. Buzzell said, “I think the biggest thing that I want people to realize is that it’s about the game and not what’s going on in the stands.”
The school has set up a card system for the consequences of breaking the MPA’s rules. A yellow card is just a warning. If a fan receives two yellow cards and he or she will be ejected from the sporting event. A red card is an immediate ejection. There is also a green card. This card is for showing good sportsmanship. The green card will get you a food and drink of choice at the concession stand. Mr. Buzzell or MHS teachers at the game are responsible for handing out these cards.
At an assembly in December, Mr. Buzzell explained that these MPA rules are being enforced partially because of a Marshwood basketball game in the winter of 2009. The Hawks were playing Sanford at home. Someone in the student section had an air-horn. An official came over and asked the fans who had the air-horn, and no one responded. Because no one gave away the person with the air-horn, the entire student section was forced to leave the game. Without fans, a team’s morale can go down and can actually cause them to lose.
The students of MHS have some negative feelings about these rules. Senior Mitch Lehman said “I think we are too old to have rules on how to cheer for our team.” At a recent Marshwood basketball game there were still multiple cases of chanting crude things and yelling as players were taking foul shots. So are these rules working?
Marshwood’s fans, as of fall 2011, have new rules on how they can cheer for our sports teams. These rules have been set by the Maine Principals Association, the MPA, and our athletic director Mr. Rich Buzzell. The rules MHS students have seen in the last few weeks were taken directly from the MPA’s website.
At Marshwood sporting events, there are a lot of new rules. For example, there are no artificial noisemakers allowed at any indoor event, such as cowbells, drums, or air-horns. There should be no taunting the other team or flaunting victory. Rules directly from the MPA’s brochure, sent to MHS students via email, include “do not try to disrupt foul shots or penalty shots” or “commit any act that would embarrass your school, its coaches, or its players.” Mr. Buzzell said, “I think the biggest thing that I want people to realize is that it’s about the game and not what’s going on in the stands.”
The school has set up a card system for the consequences of breaking the MPA’s rules. A yellow card is just a warning. If a fan receives two yellow cards and he or she will be ejected from the sporting event. A red card is an immediate ejection. There is also a green card. This card is for showing good sportsmanship. The green card will get you a food and drink of choice at the concession stand. Mr. Buzzell or MHS teachers at the game are responsible for handing out these cards.
At an assembly in December, Mr. Buzzell explained that these MPA rules are being enforced partially because of a Marshwood basketball game in the winter of 2009. The Hawks were playing Sanford at home. Someone in the student section had an air-horn. An official came over and asked the fans who had the air-horn, and no one responded. Because no one gave away the person with the air-horn, the entire student section was forced to leave the game. Without fans, a team’s morale can go down and can actually cause them to lose.
The students of MHS have some negative feelings about these rules. Senior Mitch Lehman said “I think we are too old to have rules on how to cheer for our team.” At a recent Marshwood basketball game there were still multiple cases of chanting crude things and yelling as players were taking foul shots. So are these rules working?
