State athletic group advises Ky. schools to stop organized post-game hand shakes, fearing fights

It's considered good sportsmanship at the end of a high school sporting event to line up and shake hands with the opponents, saying "nice game" or some other variation of a friendly gesture to let the other team know that no matter what happened during the event, you wish them the best as they continue with their season and their lives. But the Kentucky High School Athletic Association is advising schools to stop the ritual because it has led to fights and physical conflicts, Linda Blackford reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader.(H-L photo: Kentucky high-school softball teams shake hands after a game)

The KHSAA said "more than two dozen fights in the past three years in Kentucky have broken out at post-game ceremonies," Blackford writes. That seems like a high number until you consider that Kentucky has more than 200 high schools that participate in 16 different sports, many with boys' and girls' teams. The schedule on the KHSAA website today has 36 girls' soccer games, eight boys' soccer games and 23 volleyball matches; last Thursday and Friday, 176 Kentucky schools played in 92 football games (eight against out-of-state competition).

The KHSAA has already backed down from its plan to ban organized hand-shaking and is just advising against it, Blackford reports. The original directive stated: "It is hereby directed that teams and individuals do not participate in organized post-game handshake lines/ceremonies beyond that interaction that is required ..." But after receiving criticism, it was changed to: "It is prescribed that teams and individuals do not participate in organized post-game handshake lines/ceremonies beyond that interaction that is required ... and the individual, unorchestrated actions by individual competitors." Teams can still voluntarily shake hands, but KHSAA commissioner Julian Tackett told Blackford, "You're on notice; if you're going to do this, you're going to be accountable." (Read more)

Les Johns of the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville reports, "The Sept. 21 Fort Campbell football game at Caldwell County had two ejections during the game. When the teams exchanged pleasantries during handshakes, it wasn’t entirely pleasant. Coaches intervened and prevented the altercation from getting out of hand." Johns quotes Hopkinsville High School basketball coach Tim Haworth: “I know what I’m going to tell my team — we’re shaking hands. Period, end of statement. We’re going to shake hands, and if the other team doesn’t want to, then that’s on them.” (Read more)

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/10/08/2866222/the-kentucky-high-school-athletic.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/10/08/2866222/the-kentucky-high-school-athletic.html#storylink=cpy