Respect is an important part of the game. In recent years some respect and fair play has gone out of the game. More umpires decisions are questioned and there is greater animosity between teams.
The coach has a responsibility to ensure his or her team are playing fair at all times. If you impress on your players that the umpires’ decision is final and the opposition are not the enemy then they will be likely to follow your lead.
This is different from encouraging your players to play hard and try to win. It’s when the competitive desire spills over into the unacceptable that we need to stop. It’s not a sign of your competitiveness to insult an opposition batter. Young players will take bad attitudes into adulthood if it is not stopped early.
