WIAA apologizes for email about fan chants

ESPN rumored to talk about
situation tomorrow night

MILWAUKEE – The WIAA executive director apologized for the distraction an email sent out last month to high schools has caused.

The email was a reiteration to guidelines on how fans should act at games, but the email specifically called out chants that it frowns upon. Chants like “Airball,” “You can’t do that,” and “Scoreboard.”

WIAA executive director David Anderson said today that the email was intended as a reminder of a longstanding sportsmanship policy, not a crackdown on enthusiasm.

Anderson says his organization’s message has been misconstrued and overblown, and he stands by the policy.

Sports Illustrated picked up the story yesterday. You can read WIZM’s story here with some of Logan coach Andy Fernholz’s views. And it’s rumored that ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt will talk about the situation tomorrow night as part of his “One Big Thing” segment.

The executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations said Wisconsin’s policy isn’t overly restrictive and fits his group’s “universal emphasis” on sportsmanship.