Article - CIF Sac-Joaquin

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY – The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section is cracking down on spectators who are rude and unruly thanks to a new policy that could hand fans red and yellow cards at high school sports games. It's simple, if you don't act right as a fan at one of these games, you can get handed a card, and the consequences could get worse. Fans attending local high school sports games could also get yellow and red cards if they're not acting right. Yellow is a warning and red is an ejection. A red card is also met with a three-game suspension. Two red cards in the same season? You're suspended for all games for the remainder of the season. "This hopefully will be a way instead of getting into an argument because emotions are high and fans are upset, to calmly address their behavior," said Jeff Lorenson, the Assistant Commissioner for the Sac-Joaquin Section. He also spearheads the sportsmanship committee along with a dozen other coaches and staff. They brought forward this idea as a non-verbal way to let parents and fans know they're offside. "A simple warning, a warning the rest of the crowd might see, to get that behavior change we're looking for, and we don't lead to actually escorting that spectator out of the contest and maybe it's an educational piece for them," he said. Twenty thousand of the yellow and red cards went out to every school in the section except for 35 who haven't gotten them yet. This is coming off of 45 spectator ejections last school year and 40 throughout the entire area the year before that. "Passion is great, intensity is great but in a positive way, gear that towards cheering for your kids and the positive thing your team is doing, not against the other team, not against the officials," Lorenson said. These cards can be implemented for any sports game, but Lodi Unified Students Services Director Erin Aitkins said the cards could kick off at Lodi's big games this year. "I think it sends a strong message in order for the community and fans and parents to remember this is about the student-athletes, about the players who are playing the game," Aitkins said. Shifting focus back to the players is the point, or two. "We can always improve sportsmanship, so this is just another avenue," she said. These cards will be handed out on both sides, home and away. If you're handed one, the CIF reminds you to kindly adhere to the wording on the cards.

CIF Sac-Joaquin Section implements red and yellow cards for rude fans