- BE A FAN, NOT A COACH.  In other words, regardless of your knowledge of the game, encourage without instructing.  Much as parents should not interfere with a teacher in his or her classroom, don’t interfere with the lessons that a coach is teaching your children during training or games.  Often a coach has given instruction or is providing instruction to players and they must learn to make their own decisions on the court, no matter what those decisions look like to those watching.  Parents shouting instructions to their or other children, may directly contradict the coach, leaving the child confused or distracted.

EXAMPLES OF ACCEPTABLE ENCOURAGEMENT: 

- "Go Team," "Keep up the good work," or "Keep hustling, Blues!"

EXAMPLES OF INAPPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS:

- Calling out "Shoot," "Hands up on defence," "Set a screen," "Pass the ball" or "Guard your man" whether it be in general or to specific players.
- Directing negative comments at your own child or any other player.
- Using offensive or foul language.

- FOCUS ON HAVING FUN, NOT ON WINNING.  Many parents are so focused on the scores, they forget it should be about enjoying a positive experience. There is so much more to gain from playing basketball, than just winning.

- KEEP YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT REFEREEING TO YOURSELF AND NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES INTERACT WITH THE REFEREE.  Referees are symbols of fair play, integrity and sportsmanship.  Sometimes a referee will make a mistake, everyone does at some time. It is bad sideline etiquette to attack the referee for what a parent may perceive as an error in judgment.  No comment to, gesture to or about or interaction with referees by parents is ever appropriate. 

- ENGAGE OTHER TEAMS' PARENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES ONLY IN POSITIVE WAYS.  Opponents are not enemies.  Never allow yourself to be drawn into a verbal disagreement with opposing parents or coaches. Overly competitive, aggressive and inciting behaviour from the sideline – including behaviour directed at the opposing team or its fans– is never appropriate.

- PARENTS STAY ON THE SIDELINES AND PLAYERS STAY ON THE BENCH.  The participants in games and practices are players and their coaches (and referees in games).  Spectators are not participants and should always remain well back from the sidelines & team benches and within the spectator area during games.  Never enter the field of play.

To ensure players are focusing on the game and working together as a team, when not playing in the game, they are to remain sitting on the bench with their team mates and coach and not go into the stands to sit with family and friends.  Should your child join you in the stands, please direct them back to their team mates on the bench.  At the same time, immediately prior to each game, during games including times outs, half time and immediately at the end of each game, parents should remain in the stands and let the team have its discussions without any distractions.

During training sessions, parents should not be involved in any way.  They should remain well back from the perimeter of the court – including after practice - unless asked on to the court by their child’s coach.  In some instances, training sessions may be closed to parents and other observers in order to maintain a distraction free environment for the children to train.  

- ADDRESS COACHING ISSUES ON ANOTHER DAY.  You might not agree with every coaching decision. Perhaps you thought your child should have gotten to play more, or you didn’t like how the coach handled a dispute between players. It is more productive to hold off, cool down, and think the situation through before you confront the coach. Never attack or approach the coach after a game when your child and the rest of the team are present.  Collect your thoughts and contact the coach the next day.

- BE POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE.  Support your child by giving encouragement and showing interest in his or her team. Help your child work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game.

- OVERALL, SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.  Children learn more by example than by criticism. Work to be a positive role model, and reinforce positive behaviour in others. Applaud good plays by others on your child's team as well as good plays by the opposing team. Do not criticize any child’s performance from the sidelines. Accept the outcome of each game. Teach your child to be gracious in victory and to turn defeat into victory by learning and working toward improvement.

Parents play a special role in the development of their daughters and sons and of their teammates.  Your encouragement and good example will do more to ensure good sportsmanship and self-discipline than any other influence.

Note that if, in the coach's view, a player is acting in an unsportsmanlike manner, they will be removed from the game/training session and sit out for a significant, if not all of the remainder of the game/session.