WHEREAS, Youth sports are a common form of recreation for boys and girls of all ages in virtually all of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns; and

WHEREAS, Youth sports include such common and well-known sports as baseball, football, basketball, and ice hockey, but also include many other sports too numerous to cite on one line; and

WHEREAS, Youth sports have many well-known sponsor organizations such as "Little League Baseball," "Pop Warner Football," "CYO Basketball," "AAU" teams, and numerous municipal, regional, and private organizations involved in sponsoring baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, and all the other numerous sports made up of our state's youth athletes; and

WHEREAS, Experience has shown that participation in youth sports leaves a lasting impression on all of those youngsters who participate and make up the various teams; and

WHEREAS, Youth sporting events and contests usually draw spectators and sometimes even large crowds many of whom come from the participants' families; and

WHEREAS, For several years and especially in this new millennium, there exists an ever increasing pressure to win and succeed; and

WHEREAS, Many of our state's young participants in youth sports are subjected to such pressure to win and succeed by those spectators and some coaches at the different games, contests, and events and such pressure includes badgering, humiliating, embarrassing, cursing, or otherwise communicating in some negative fashion with the youth participants, coaches, referees, umpires, officials, or even spectators for the opposing sides; and

WHEREAS, Such situations certainly have a negative effect on the youth who participate in such sports, serve as a bad example, and further, can escalate into unfortunate and even fatal situations as recent experience in neighboring areas has shown. Such behavior is clearly not in the best interest of the youth sports organizations, its members, players, participants, coaches, referees and spectators; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby denounces, discourages and frowns upon such negative behavior, and encourages all youth sports organizations existing within the State of Rhode Island to voluntarily develop and adopt a "NO TOLERANCE" policy calculated to discourage disorderly, demeaning, belligerent, obnoxious, or otherwise distasteful behavior which tends to berate or humiliate the players, coaches, referees, and others involved in observing a youth sports game, contest or event. A "NO TOLERANCE" policy should make it clear to all involved the limits of acceptable behavior and the consequences of unacceptable behavior. Such a policy should include a commitment to insist upon removal of those engaging in the offensive behavior heretofore described and contemplate further sanctions for those refusing to voluntarily leave upon request; and

Finally, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 truly demonstrate that the most important things in life do not occur on stadium turf, hardwood floors, or arena ice. The games, contests, and events are pastimes, recreation that should be enjoyed, and not ruined by unacceptable behavior; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to all youth sports organizations existing within the State of Rhode Island insofar as indicated by the articles of incorporation or articles of association currently on file for the specific organizations at the office of the Secretary of State.