In an effort to further promote sportsmanship and support contest officials and administrators, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Board of Control approved a recommendation from KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett to adopt a Spectator Conduct provision into its policies and procedures.

The approved policy states that “any adult spectator (adult who is not listed on the current roster of coaches for the school) at any KHSAA sanctioned interscholastic event (scrimmage, regular or postseason contest) who is removed by school administrators or by law enforcement (whether or not referred by a contest official) for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be suspended from attending, at minimum, the next contest at that level of competition and all other contests at any level in the interim.”

“It is my sincere hope, and I believe that of our Board, that this penalty never be implemented and this be yet another tool in the toolbox of our school administrators to address some of the concerns we see throughout the year, ” said Tackett. “Hopefully this is a deterrent that, when implemented in our schools, becomes that one last chance for people to stop short of acting in such an unsportsmanlike manner that ejection is the only option.”