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.  All these tactics do is chip away at the integrity of the sport.  Players and teams who trick referees into making calls in their favor are cheaters. We all know that cheaters can't be trusted. So with that said, cheaters are only losing trust with the referees, opponents, and virtually anyone who is watching them.

When players cheat to get calls in their favor, referees are likely to recognize this tactic, and label the whole team as cheaters.  As the saying goes "Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win!"  Who wants to cheat to win anyhow?

The actions of coaches, players, and teams, either strengthens their integrity throughout the community, or weakens their integrity.  Not only does cheating ruin the integrity of those who do it, but cheating ruins the integrity of our sport.  Isn't the reputation of our sport more important than tricking the referee into awarding your team a free kick?