Sportsmanship may sound like a dated term, but the core idea behind it remains deeply relevant: athletes, coaches, and spectators behaving fairly, respectfully, and safely.
While athletic directors and coaches still strive to impart those values in their players, they have far less control over how adults on the sidelines behave.
That loss of control is showing up nationwide. In a 2023 national survey about conduct at sporting events that polled nearly 36,000 sports officials across all levels of competition, 69% of respondents agreed that sportsmanship at sporting events is getting worse, and half reported they did not feel safe while officiating. Coaches aren’t immune, either. In one incident that made national headlines, a youth football coach in St. Louis was shot multiple times by a parent who disagreed with the victim’s coaching style. The perpetrator was later found guilty of assault and armed criminal action and sentenced to 13 years in jail.
Experts say the increasingly transactional nature of youth sports—where parents equate athletic success with future college scholarships or professional careers—has fueled this behavior. That reality leaves athletic directors and coaches trying to reset expectations for both families and players.
April Brooks, the executive director of athletics and activities at the Jefferson County school district, says her approach focuses on prevention—building relationships, setting clear expectations, and preparing staff for worst-case scenarios before they unfold.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How has the culture of youth sports changed since you were a kid?
I would say there’s a lot more disgruntled families than what I remember as an athlete. I also think social media makes people think they need to have a voice about everything. And sometimes, people put out a false narrative based on their opinion.
I talk a lot about building relationships—between athletic directors and coaches, coaches and families, and athletes. I also promote our 24-hour rule for parents and student-athletes: If you do have something that you’re upset about, you have to wait 24 hours to set up that meeting, so you have some time to think about what’s happened before you have a potentially explosive conversation that’s not going to go well.
How is the transactional nature of youth sports affecting high school athletics?
In lots of ways. I see more kids transferring schools when they’re not happy with the coach. Sometimes, their families think: If we go to this other school, my child is going to get more playing time, more college looks, or whatever the case may be.
But high school sports can build community, too. How are you promoting that positive message?
I’ve really tried to work on marketing and using my social media platform to get people out to the district’s sporting events. Sometimes I get on the local radio to promote them. It’s been exciting to see the number of spectators increase as a result. So I think it’s just a matter of letting people know what’s going on. Often, negativity spreads quickly. But when there’s something positive going on around youth, it doesn’t always get out there as fast. So I really like to promote the positive things going on in our district.
How do you try to adjust families’ expectations around sports?
We tell parents: We don’t know where your kid’s going to go athletically, but we do need to make sure that they have a backup plan, so we can’t just focus on the athletic part of their career.
They need to know that students have an opportunity to get academic scholarships, not just athletic scholarships. Sometimes, you don’t get a full ride to college. We even show them the statistics: Very few people make it to the NFL or the NBA.
What messages do you encourage coaches to impart to student-athletes?
We want to make sure that they’re developing all their skills at a high level. Attitude is a big part of it. Effort is a big part of it, too. We tell them that it’s not just about your talent.
How do you prepare for the potential of poor sportsmanship—from either athletes or spectators?
We have monthly athletic director meetings, and every meeting, I come up with some sort of scenario that could possibly happen, and we talk it through. Like, have you had a parent meeting to tell your families about what the expectations are at sporting events? Are these expectations posted in the gym about how you want spectators to act during a game? Where’s your security if an incident happens? We’re trying to be as proactive as possible so that we don’t have those parent issues.
How effective are these planning sessions?
Things still pop up. Sometimes, we have to escort families out who don’t want to follow the rules. The most important thing that we want to happen at a game is that everybody’s safe—athletes, spectators, and referees included. We also want an opportunity for people to be able to have fun.
What’s your advice on how athletic administrators can create a culture of sportsmanship in their districts?
My best advice is to always put students first, and to be proactive about teaching sportsmanship to student-athletes, coaches, families, and other support staff by setting clear guidelines—during coaches’ clinics, parent meetings, athletic director meetings, and when creating student-athlete contracts at the beginning of the season. Then, reiterate these messages through spectator announcements and venue signage. And lead by example; it has to come from the top. Safety and sportsmanship are two areas we must focus on to protect student-athletes.
