"Talking Points" for Year 2000 A Partnership Between Los Angeles City Dept. of Recreation & Parks, Los Angeles Unified School District Youth Services and LAUSD Interscholastic Athletics (CIF City Section)

The Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks has teamed up with the school district's interscholastic athletics and youth services divisions to launch a sportsmanship campaign across 15,600 acres and 120 staffed facilities. The campaign is built around the Six Pillars of Character promoted by the Josephson Institute's CHARACTER COUNTS! youth project. The campaign includes codes of conduct, signs at facilities and "scripts" to help athletic directors and coaches discuss sportsmanship with parents and kids. "We want to give kids at the grassroots level a way of dealing with people for life," says Joanne Venditto, one of the department's 15 recreation supervisors. 

The following implementation plans may help you with ideas for initiating a sportsmanship program in your school or youth group:

• Banners at each community center/gymnasium
• Banners/signs displayed on athletic fields
• "Victory With Honor" posters and quotes displayed at each community center/gymnasium
• Portable signage displayed at championships/tournaments
• Message on marquee

Personnel

• Recreation Participants - sign Code of Conduct
• Parents - Meeting, sign Code of Conduct
• Coaches - Meeting, clinic, sign Code of Conduct
• Recreation Directors - Will receive training, will supervise coaches, volunteers and participants, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin/shirt
• Training Committee - Have been trained and will design and implement training of CHARACTER COUNTS! for all recreation staff, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin/shirt
• City-Wide Sports Board - Have been trained and will direct and implement program, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin/shirt
• Officials - Will receive training, sign Code of Conduct
• Event Staff - Will receive instructions prior to event, script for announcer, wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin/shirt

• All information regarding volunteer positions will include statement on Six Pillars

• Based on employees' Standards of Conduct from personnel manual based on blue book Code of Conduct

• Pre/post test evaluation for participants, volunteers, staff

• Los Angeles Recreations Parks web page with information on CHARACTER COUNTS!
• Develop newsletter for partnership, sent to all recreations facilities in Los Angeles
• "Victory With Honor" luncheon to honor programs and individuals making a difference in Los Angeles

Los Angeles City Section, California Interscholastic Federation

Facilities

• Signs to be determined by CIF model (permanent and portable signs for use in gymnasiums, athletic fields, entrances to athletic facilities)
• Portable signs to be used at off-campus sites and championship events
• Involvement of CIF, IAC Task Force, Maintenance and Operations, site administrators in sign development and placement

• Student Athletics - Expectations will be discussed at the pre-season assemblies, signed Code of Conduct will be required
• Parents - Discuss at parents' meeting with coaches, develop video for use by schools
• Coaches - IAC Task Force will develop training, expectations will be discussed at pre-tournament meetings, coaches will be involved in development of policies, signed Code of Conduct will be required, wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin
• Athletic Directors - IAC Task Force will develop training, supervise coaches, athletes and personnel, wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin
• School Administration - Meet in August for training, wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin
• District Staff/Board Members - Presentation at Board meeting with Youth Services (August - September)
• Officials - Meet with official unit presidents to inform and get support, issue expectations of officials at events, provide script to be used for captains before event, wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin
• Event Staff - Provide instructions prior to event, provide script for announcer

• Recognize team and/or individuals that model expected behavior
• All information regarding positions will include statement on Six Pillars

• CIF will develop suggested sanctions for individuals and programs

• Public Information Office to inform local media of the LA Sports/Recreation CHARACTER COUNTS! partnership
• CIF Los Angeles City Section web site will have information regarding CHARACTER COUNTS!
• Provide information to be included in partnership newsletter which will be sent to school personnel at 62 schools
• "Victory With Honor" luncheon

• Signs will be posted on ballboxes at elementary schools
• Signs will be developed in collaboration with Interscholastic Athletics at middle schools, Maintenance and Operations and Site Administrators will be involved in sign development and placement

• Playground Participants - Trained in Six Pillars of Character
• Athletes/Competitors - Script used by officials regarding expectation during event
• Parents - Script used by announcer regarding expectations during event
• Playground Personnel/Coaches - Trained three times during the year, script used by officials regarding expectations, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS! /YS shirt
• School Administration - Meet in August for training, wear CHARACTER COUNTS! shirt
• District Staff/Board Members - Presentation at Board meeting with Interscholastic Athletics (August - September)
• Officials - Training of officials prior to each sport, Site Coordinator will provide instructions to officials prior to event, will fill out "Victory With Honor" evaluations on coaches and athletes, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS! pin
• Site Coordinator - Trained, will fill out "Victory With Honor" evaluations on officials, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS!/YS shirt
• Tournament Staff - Train staff prior to tournament, will wear CHARACTER COUNTS!/YS shirt

• Script to be used by bus supervisor before departing bus
• Other activities to be included in partnership include drill team/cheerleading and related activities, recreational activities, etc.

• All publicity to colleges regarding positions will include statement on Six Pillars
• "Victory With Honor" evaluations will be collected at the end of each tournament and affected personnel will be contacted
• Will work with Interscholastic Athletics

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