Philosophy
Sportsmanship is individuals or teams doing unto others as they would have others do unto them. Sportsmanship is individuals containing an understanding and appreciation of the rules developed for sport. Players enjoying the recreational experience and encouraging others to participate regardless of skill level will help enhance the integrity of the program. All participants will take responsibility for his/her own actions regardless of the repercussions, which involves not blaming others for mistakes made or making excuses for wrong doings. Sportsmanship is recognizing and acknowledging character and honor among team members and opponents while practicing such characteristics themselves. Participants will respect officials, supervisors, and opponents during, before, and after a contest. Finally, sportsmanship will portray an overall respect and passion for the sport and recreation.

Sportsmanship Mission
UREC and the Intramural Sports program are dedicated to promote and enforce positive sportsmanship among all JMU participants. Through each contest participants must portray fair play, respect for opponents, and intramural staff, as well as, graciousness in winning or losing. In order to encourage proper conduct during games, officials, supervisors, and administrative personnel will make decisions to warn, penalize and/or eject players, coaches, teams, and/or spectators for poor sportsmanship. The decisions made by these individuals are final and will be reviewed by the Coordinator of Intramural Sports. In the instance teams challenge their rating, only the captain will meet with the Coordinator of Intramural Sports to discuss the issue. All captains are responsible for the conduct of their teams during an intramural contest. The sportsmanship rating can be affected by actions occurring before or after a contest.

Sportsmanship Sanctions
The intramural department contains the right to address all issues that pertain to sportsmanship issues. Players that are ejected from an event will receive an automatic 1 game suspension and will have to meet with the Coordinator of Intramural Sports. The captain of the team will have to attend this meeting to discuss the sportsmanship issue and the rating system. The intramural department also reserves the right to contact Judicial Affairs to resolve extreme disciplinary situations. All situations will be handling individually and sanctions may vary.

Sportsmanship Criteria and Ratings
Superior / Excellent / Good / Average / Below Average / Unacceptable
Based on this philosophy the following system will be used to evaluate a team’s sportsmanship during each contest in which they participate. Teams will receive a rating each week that will create an average at the end of the season. Teams in Level I must have an average of 3.0 at the end of their fourth week to continue play. Teams in Level II and Level III must have an average of 3.0 to be eligible for playoffs.

Example:
Week 1: 3.0, Week 2: 3.0, Week 3: 2.5, Week 4: 3.0, Total: 11.5
Average Conversion: 11.5 / 4 = 2.875. This team would not be eligible for continued play or playoffs.

Superior Sportsmanship: (4.0 – 3.6 points) “Win with class – lose with dignity”
Participants cooperate fully with the officials and intramural site managers. They will respect all calls and decisions made by the intramural staff. During a confrontation, the team captain will have complete control of his/her team and will address the issue to the head official in a calm and respectable manner. Players will recognize good sportsmanship among their team and their opponent through verbal comments or polite gestures. Captains will encourage full participation and does not segregate other members that will prohibit participation. Teams receive absolutely no warnings, ejections, yellow cards, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.
1. Teams must display absolute respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff.
2. Teams willingly accept all decisions by officials without question.
3. Teams are responsible for their actions and do not respond negatively.
4. Teams encourage others to participate and do not segregate teammates.
5. Teams recognize good sportsmanship among their team and the opponent.
6. Teams state positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents.
7. Teams show concern for an injured player, regardless of team.
8. Teams except a loss and congratulate the opponent on their success.
9. Teams receive absolutely no warnings, ejections, yellow cards, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.

Excellent Sportsmanship: (3.5 – 3.1 points)
Participants cooperate fully with the officials and intramural site managers. They will respect all calls and decisions made by the intramural staff, but display some comments. During a confrontation, the team captain will have complete control of his/her team and will address the issue to the head official in a calm and respectable manner. Players will recognize good sportsmanship among their team and their opponent through verbal comments or polite gestures. Captains will encourage full participation and does not segregate other members that will prohibit participation. Teams receive absolutely no warnings, ejections, yellow cards, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.
1. Teams must display utmost respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff.
2. Teams willingly accept all decisions by officials with some questions from players, not captains.
3. Teams are responsible for their actions and do not respond negatively.
4. Teams encourage others to participate and do not segregate teammates.
5. Teams represent some sportsmanship among their players and opponents.
6. Teams state positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents.
7. Teams show concern for an injured player, regardless of team.
8. Teams except a loss and congratulate the opponent on their success.
9. Teams receive absolutely no warnings, ejections, yellow cards, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls

Good Sportsmanship: (3.0 – 2.6 points)
Participants cooperate partially with the officials and intramural site managers. Teams accept some decisions by the officials with some questions by the players. During a confrontation, the team captain has some control of his/her team and address the issue to the head official in a calm and respectable manner. Players are responsible for their actions, but contain some negative responses. Teams accepted a loss and congratulate the other team on their success. Teams may receive warnings, but absolutely no ejections, technical fouls, yellow cards, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.
*Note: All teams that request to cancel within 24 hours of their next contest will receive a 3.0 rating.
1. Teams must display partial respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff.
2. Teams accept all decisions by officials with some questions.
3. Teams are responsible for their actions with some negative responses.
4. Teams encourage others to participate and do not segregate teammates.
5. Teams state some positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents.
6. Teams show concern for an injured player, regardless of team.
7. Teams except a loss and congratulate the opponent on their success.
8. Teams may receive a warning, but displays good sportsmanship after the confrontation.
9. Players curse at themselves in a low tone voice.
10. Teams receive no ejections or technical fouls.

Average Sportsmanship (2.5 – 2.1 points)
Participants display some respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff. Teams accepted some decisions by officials with some questions. Players that commit negative actions deny their actions with some negative responses. Captains do not encourage others to participate and segregate their teammates from participation. Throughout the contest teams state few positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents. Teams will except the loss, but does not congratulate their opponent on their success. Teams received multiple warnings, multiple unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls, but no ejections
1. Teams displayed some respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff.
2. Teams accepted some decisions by officials with questions.
3. Teams deny some responsibility for their actions with some negative responses.
4. Teams do not encourage others to participate and segregate teammates.
5. Teams state few positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents.
6. Players curse at themselves in loud tone that bystanders can over hear.
7. Teams show concern for an injured player, regardless of team.
8. Teams except a loss but, do not congratulate the opponent on their success.
9. Teams received multiple warnings, multiple unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls, but no eject.

Below Average Sportsmanship (2.0 – 1.6 points)
Participants display some respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff. Teams accepted some decisions by officials with multiple questions. Players that commit negative actions deny their actions with multiple negative responses. Captains do not encourage others to participate and segregate their teammates from participation. Throughout the contest teams state no positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents. Teams strive to score as many points as possible to embarrass opponent. Teams received warnings, ejections, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.
*Note: Teams that forfeit through a no show will automatically receive a 2.0. Teams that receive a player ejection will automatically receive this rating.
1. Teams displayed no respect for opponents, officials, supervisors, and administrative staff.
2. Teams accepted some decisions by officials with multiple questions
3. Teams are responsible for their actions with multiple negative responses
4. Teams do not encourage others to participate and segregate teammates
5. Teams state no positive comments of encouragement towards teammates and opponents.
6. Players curse at teammates and opponents in a low tone voice.
7. Teams ignore an injured player, regardless of team.
8. Teams do not except a loss and do not congratulate the opponent on their success
9. Teams purposely strive to score as many points as possible to embarrass opponent.
10. Teams received ejections, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls

Poor Conduct and Sportsmanship (1.5 - .9 points)
Participants exhibit a blatant disregard for the philosophy of sportsmanship, officials, and opponents. The contest is dangerous with occasional intent to injure their opponent. The team captains have absolutely no control of their team conduct and the contest is stopped by the intramural site manager. Participants received warnings, ejections, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.
1. Blatant disregard for the philosophy of sportsmanship, officials, and opponents.
2. Play is dangerous with occasional intent to injure opponent.
3. Players curse at teammates and players in a loud tone that bystanders over hear
4. Captain has no control of team conduct.
5. Participants received ejections, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls

Unacceptable Sportsmanship (0 points)
Participants exhibit a blatant disregard for the philosophy of sportsmanship, officials, and opponents. The contest is dangerous with occasional intent to injure their opponent. The team captains have absolutely no control of their team conduct and the contest is stopped by the intramural site manager. Physical abuse is present through participants fighting. Participants received warnings, ejections, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls.
1. Blatant disregard for the philosophy of sportsmanship, officials, and opponents.
2. Play is dangerous with intent to injure opponent and the game must be stopped by the intramural site manager.
3. Captain has no control of team conduct.
4. Participants received ejections, unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls