Page 60 - 2020 IHSAA Annual Report

Sportsmanship

It’s a program that has been embraced by high athletics can make a meaningful difference
school athletic directors. In fact, in a recent in a person’s life. These uplifting messages
survey, 87% reported putting their Ivy Tech received 33% more impressions per post with
popcorn bags to good use; 81% distributed a 46% higher engagement rate—the best ever.
sportsmanship brochures to parents; and 73%
awarded sportsmanship pins to deserving The incredible response to the IHSAA's
students and fans. #FaceOfSportsmanship messaging during
the worldwide pandemic is a reminder that
Perhaps most importantly of all, 96% said they people routinely turn to brands they trust
are in favor of continuing to communicate during periods of stress and uncertainty, and
directly with parents about their behavior, organizations like the IHSAA have a unique
confirming the seriousness of the problem. opportunity to provide the calm, steady voice
that is needed.
Positivity can spread rapidly, too, as the
IHSAA’s #FaceOfSportsmanship social media Not even a vaccine can eradicate an attitu-
program illustrates. In fact, the IHSAA posted dinal virus like poor behavior during high
402 positive messages and reminders about school athletic events. But there’s evidence
sportsmanship during the 2019-20 school the #FaceOfSportsmanship program is
year, generating 3,674,559 impressions. To making significant inroads, once again
demonstrate how effectively social media can confirming the IHSAA’s leadership role
be at “spreading the word,” those 402 unique among state associations.
messages grew exponentially into 10,198 total
#FaceOfSportsmanship posts
with 37,258,610 impressions
seen by over 8,000,000 unique
users during the school year.
With all this sharing, it’s no
wonder the total number of
people following the IHSAA
on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram grew by 7.24%!

The content of our
#FaceOfSportsmanship
campaign took a dramatic
turn from sportsmanship to
messages of encouragement
and hope beginning in April
2020. Reassuring social
media posts reminding high
school sports fans that it’s
during troubling times (like
a pandemic) that the lessons
taught by education-based

Poor parental behavior usually
starts several years before
student-athletes are old enough
to go to high school. That’s why
posters like these were distributed
to clubs and youth leagues across
the state.

60 INDIANA HIGH S CHOOL A THLE TIC ASS OCIA TION Annual Report 2020