On Monday, the PIAA Fall Championships series begins with the first round of the Individual Golf Championships at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York. It will be followed in short order by the Girls Tennis Championships, Cross-Country Championships, Soccer Championships, Field Hockey Championships, Girls Volleyball Championships and Football Championships.
It is an exciting time for all involved in the PIAA Championships process. The championships are the lifeblood of the organization and we do everything we can to provide a first-rate experience for the student-athletes, their families, fans and school representatives.
And it represents a great opportunity for PIAA to remind fans what a ticket buys the paying fan ... and what it doesn't.
A ticket to a PIAA Championship event entitles the bearer to enjoy a great interscholastic athletic competition. It encourages the bearer to support the athletes on the field, to cheer on their effort and to recognize the achievement of their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and friends.
It does not entitle the bearer to be a boor.
If championship events are the lifeblood of PIAA, the practice of good sportsmanship and good civic values is PIAA's ultimate mission.
As much as PIAA celebrates its championships and its history, it delights in the act of sportsmanship both on the playing surface and in the stands.
Sportsmanship is so important to us that we've dedicated a 46-page section of the PIAA Handbook just to that subject. You can view the Sportsmanship section of the Handbook by clicking here.
Sportsmanship is also enshrined in the PIAA Constitution and By-Laws with mentions both direct and indirect. In fact, the majority of the PIAA's founding documents deal with fairness and sportsmanship and maintaining a level playing field in all areas of interscholastic athletics. There are far fewer pages on the conduct of championships than on the conduct of athletes, coaches and school officials.
That purchased ticket gives entry to all that is good about PIAA Championship events, and we encourage all to attend our championships as a show of support for students who have made the conscious decision to go a step farther than many of their fellow students.
With that in mind, please promote good sportsmanship through positive actions, enjoy the PIAA Championships and best of luck to all student-athletes!