Riverside Poly High School

From the Desk of
Mr. Ritzau
- Athletic Director -

The lessons for our students don't end with the final bell of the day if they're involved in co-curricular activities. In fact, the learning experiences that come from participation in drama, music, speech, athletics, and the like, promote lifetime values that cannot be learned in the classroom.

Integrity, fairness and respect are lifetime values taught through athletics, and these are the principles of good sportsmanship. With them, the spirit of competition thrives, fueled by honest rivalry, courteous relations and graceful acceptance of the results.

Your support of this program is essential as part of our educational mission. An athlete's ability to be a good sport will put him in a leadership role in our home and our community. As with any project undertaken in life, they should have goals for good sportsmanship.

Those goals should include:

Realizing that athletics are part of the educational experience, and the benefits of involvement go beyond the final score of a game;
Encouraging our students to perform their best, just as we would urge them on with their class work, knowing that others will always turn in better or lesser performances;
Learning, understanding, and respecting the rules of the game, the officials who administer them and their decisions;
Respecting the task our coaches face as teachers; and supporting them as they strive to educate our youth;
Respecting our opponents as students, and acknowledging them for striving to do their best; Developing a sense of dignity under all circumstances.
When at athletic events, urging our teams on with positive cheers; discouraging cheers that would redirect that focus-including those that taunt and intimidate opponents, their fans and officials.
Reprimanding those who engage in such unsportsmanlike behavior.

Athletics can be a part of a message sent through our community that interscholastic athletics potentially have lifetime learning experience impact. Unlike sports events we see on television at the collegiate and professional level where entertainment is the mission and sportsmanship is not a primary objective, our goal is to have a positive educational affect. This message must be communicated if we are to continue to have success in this area.

We look forward to serving you in the year ahead, and appreciate your continued support.

Sincerely,
Bob Ritzau
Athletic Director

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Updated:May 20, 2008