PURSUING VICTORY WITH HONOR
SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER
TRUSTWORTHINESS RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY FAIRNESS CARING GOOD CITIZENSHIP
SIXTEEN PRINCIPLES OF PURSUING VICTORY WITH HONOR
1. The essential elements of character building and ethics in CIF sports are embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core
principles: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship. The highest potential of sports is
achieved when competition reflects these “six pillars of character.”
2. It’s the duty of School Boards, superintendents, school administrators, parents, and school sports leadership - including coaches,
athletic administrators, program directors, and game officials - to promote sportsmanship and foster good character by teaching,
enforcing, advocating, and modeling these “six pillars of character.”
3. To promote sportsmanship and foster the development of good character, school sports programs must be conducted in a manner
that enhances the academic, emotional, social, physical, and ethical development of student-athletes and teaches them positive
life skills that will help them become personally successful and socially responsible.
4. Participation in school sports programs is a privilege, not a right. To earn that privilege, student-athletes must abide by the rules,
and they must conduct themselves, on and off the field, as positive role models who exemplify good character.
5. School Boards, superintendents, school administrators, parents, and school sports leadership shall establish standards for
participation by adopting and enforcing codes of conduct for coaches, athletes, parents, and spectators.
6. All participants in high school sports must consistently demonstrate and demand scrupulous integrity and observe and enforce the
spirit as well as the letter of the rules.
7. The importance of character, ethics, and sportsmanship should be emphasized in all communications directed to student-athletes
and their parents.
8. School Boards, superintendents, school administrators, parents, and school sports leadership must ensure that the first priority of
their student-athletes is a serious commitment to getting an education and developing the academic skills and character to
succeed.
9. School Boards, superintendents, principals, school administrators, and everyone involved at any level of governance in the CIF
must maintain ultimate responsibility for the quality and integrity of CIF programs. Such individuals must assure that education and
character development responsibilities are not compromised to achieve sports performance goals and that the academic, social,
emotional, physical, and ethical well-being of student-athletes is always placed above desires and pressure to win.
10. All employees of member schools must be directly involved and committed to the academic success of student-athletes and the
character-building goals of the school.
11. Everyone involved in competition including parents, spectators, associated student body leaders, and all auxiliary groups have a
duty to honor the traditions of the sport and to treat other participants with respect. Coaches have a special responsibility to model
respectful behavior and the duty to demand that their student-athletes refrain from disrespectful conduct including verbal abuse of
opponents and officials, profane or belligerent trash-talking, taunting, and inappropriate celebrations.
12. School Boards, superintendents, and school administrators of CIF member schools must ensure that coaches, whether paid or
voluntary, are competent to coach. Training or experience may determine minimal competence. These competencies include
basic knowledge of: 1) The character building aspects of sports, including techniques and methods of teaching and reinforcing the
core values comprising sportsmanship and good character. 2) The physical capabilities and limitations of the age group coached
as well as first aid and CPR. 3) Coaching principles and the rules and strategies of the sport.
13. Because of the powerful potential of sports as a vehicle for positive personal growth, a broad spectrum of school sports
experiences should be made available to all of our diverse communities.
14. To safeguard the health of athletes and the integrity of the sport, school sports programs must actively prohibit the use of alcohol,
tobacco, drugs, and performance-enhancing substances, as well as demand compliance with all laws and regulations, including
those related to gambling and the use of drugs.
15. Schools that offer athletic programs must safeguard the integrity of their programs. Commercial relationships should be continually
monitored to ensure against inappropriate exploitation of the school’s name or reputation. There should be no undue interference
or influence of commercial interests. In addition, sports programs must be prudent, avoiding undue financial dependency on
particular companies or sponsors.
16. The profession of coaching is a profession of teaching. In addition to teaching the mental and physical dimension of their sport,
coaches, through words and example, must also strive to build the character of their athletes by teaching them to be trustworthy,
respectful, responsible, fair, caring, and good citizens.