Thank You Fans
UCSD Lacrosse is reaching a level of success it has not achieved in the past and, as a result, lacrosse is attracting a greater number of fans, many of which have a lot of knowledge about our sport. The demographics of our fan base is extremely diverse, ranging from general student body, lacrosse alumni, parents of players, members of the community, recruits, and interested youth players from around Southern California. And the fans are showing a great deal of enthusiasm by bringing out signs and other insignias of support.
Unfortunately, at a recent home game, some of the fans were engaged in a form of support that we do not condone. In fact, such behavior could cost us a game in the form of a penalty. Despite our preference for fans to cheer us on, rather than heckling the opponent, the lacrosse team recognizes that heckling has become a favorite past time for fans of all sports, despite our feeling that it treads on good sportsmanship.
That being the case, we insist that our fans exhibit a measurable level of decency when heckling and encourage witty comments as opposed to making belittling or confrontational remarks. To that end, we offer up the following guidelines for heckling (adapted from The Bleacher Bible by Chris Snead and modified to better fit our specific lacrosse fans).
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Guidelines for Heckling
- Do not use profanity. Lacrosse is a family sport and nobody wants to hear expletives when more acceptable words will do. You were smart enough to get into UCSD, prove you're smart enough to heckle without swearing.
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- Be politically correct. There is no need to call into question someone's race, religion, sexual orientation, and/or parentage (including mothers). We want people to appreciate our game, not resent attending because of a few inconsiderate and very vocal fans.
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- Be intelligent. Credibility lends respect and humor to your comments.
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- Love lacrosse. If you don't love lacrosse, what are you doing here? We do not want fans that do not appreciate the game but only attend for the opportunity to heckle.
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- Be aware of people around you. Even though some of the funniest comments you have may be about being overweight or bald, the person next to you may not think so. For that matter, the head coach may not think it's funny either.
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- Be witty. If you are the only one laughing, it wasn't funny.
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- Avoid overkill. If someone does something funny in the first quarter, you should not keep ragging on it in the fourth. The more you say something, the less effective it becomes. You must be aware that the same stuff gets really old after a couple of games. Unless something is really working on one or two players, put it away for a couple games.
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- Do not cross the line. Most players know that heckling is to be expected. Don't make it personal to the point of physical altercation. Remember, they have sticks, you don't.
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- Remember the children. No matter what you want to believe about role models, the children are watching and listening. They hear what you say and see what you do. Be aware of their presence when you sit in the stands and be a good example.
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