The NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct wants to develop the best sportsmanship program in the nation.

Committee Chair Dan Mara made the declaration during an Association-wide session January 12 at the NCAA Convention in Nashville while also revealing his group's plans to unveil a major sportsmanship campaign later this year. Noting that the NCAA has fallen behind other organizations in sportsmanship efforts, Mara said the three- to five-year initiative will be based on the concept of respect and will be aimed at creating and sustaining a positive competition environment.

Panelists spent the balance of the session reviewing sportsmanship-related initiatives in each division. While Fairfield University's Gene Doris said much of the effort around sportsmanship in Division I is taking place at the conference and institutional levels, Dave Riggins of Mars Hill provided an overview of Division II's game-environment initiative currently being developed. Riggins said student-athlete involvement in sportsmanship efforts at Mars Hill has been a critical element in deterring negative behavior.

Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano detailed the Division III Fan Sportsmanship Program and emphasized that in addition to educating coaches, administrators, student-athletes and others about sportsmanship, enforcement of policies is key to the program's effectiveness.