2008 Woodie Awards
Erin Quinn thinks some fans need to cool down
Simon Keyes
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: Sports
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Last year the National Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) made a recommendation to the NCAA to begin a sportsmanship initiative at the Division III level. The NCAA has asked schools and conferences to endorse and promote good sportsmanship on the fields and in the stands. In regards to this initiative, I spoke with Middlebury Athletic Director Erin Quinn about his feelings on sportsmanship at Middlebury.
The Middlebury Campus: Could you descibe what the sportsmanship initiative is?
Erin Quinn: There was a NCAA Division III initiative last year promoting sportsmanship, and NESCAC athletic directors have all signed up supporting the initiative, which is essentially a philosophical statement saying that we believe in promoting good sportsmanship. There are recommendations and a creation of awareness and education through coaches to their athletes (in or out of season), to parents (who are more of an issue each year) and promoting it throughout the campus community.
In my still-brief tenure as AD, I have become increasingly aware of the need for this. I have often thought in the past that there are certain schools and certain sports in which this was a particular problem, and that Middlebury is not immune to these problems. I don't think we've had too many egregious acts recently, but it certainly bears being vigilant and proactive.
TC: How do you see the state of Middlebury's fanfare and sportsmanship, both in the stands and on the field right now?
EQ: It's pretty good. For us it's isolated incidences. Our due diligence is to nip that in the bud so it doesn't trickle down to other fans.
TC: Has there been an instance when you were disappointed by our fan's conduct?
EQ: At a men's basketball game last year we had the potential for a great basketball game and we had an enthusiastic crowd. We had six full-time staff members there, yet it still crossed over into poor behavior. Nobody picked up quickly enough that the comments were getting personal and aimed at Colby basketball players. It quickly turned from small and personal attempts to be funny to a large group of fans insulting other players. It ruined the event for me and for others. Even people on the radio heard the fans' comments on the air.
The Middlebury Campus: Could you descibe what the sportsmanship initiative is?
Erin Quinn: There was a NCAA Division III initiative last year promoting sportsmanship, and NESCAC athletic directors have all signed up supporting the initiative, which is essentially a philosophical statement saying that we believe in promoting good sportsmanship. There are recommendations and a creation of awareness and education through coaches to their athletes (in or out of season), to parents (who are more of an issue each year) and promoting it throughout the campus community.
In my still-brief tenure as AD, I have become increasingly aware of the need for this. I have often thought in the past that there are certain schools and certain sports in which this was a particular problem, and that Middlebury is not immune to these problems. I don't think we've had too many egregious acts recently, but it certainly bears being vigilant and proactive.
TC: How do you see the state of Middlebury's fanfare and sportsmanship, both in the stands and on the field right now?
EQ: It's pretty good. For us it's isolated incidences. Our due diligence is to nip that in the bud so it doesn't trickle down to other fans.
TC: Has there been an instance when you were disappointed by our fan's conduct?
EQ: At a men's basketball game last year we had the potential for a great basketball game and we had an enthusiastic crowd. We had six full-time staff members there, yet it still crossed over into poor behavior. Nobody picked up quickly enough that the comments were getting personal and aimed at Colby basketball players. It quickly turned from small and personal attempts to be funny to a large group of fans insulting other players. It ruined the event for me and for others. Even people on the radio heard the fans' comments on the air.
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