Integrity First

Coaches should never encourage players to cheat or break rules. This matter should be discussed with players in advance, before any problem arises. Coaches should not allow their players to take dives in an effort to get the referee to make a call. Coaches should not encourage their players to chase a ball out of bounds in an effort to get the referee to award their team the ball, unless possession truly is theirs. It’s no secret that players are coached to trick referees into making calls in their favor, and in my opinion, it’s no secret that players and teams who trick referees into making calls in their favor are cheaters and can’t be trusted. When players cheat to get calls in their favor, referees are likely to recognize this tactic, and label the whole team as cheaters! Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win! Who wants to cheat to win anyhow?

Players', coaches', and teams' behaviors and actions either builds character, trust and integrity throughout the community or it ruins character, trust, and integrity throughout the community. Cheating ruins the integrity of our sport. Integrity of the sport is more important than any call or game result!