Josephson Institute Self-Assessment on Sports Ethics & Conduct 2009 - Athletes

 

Instructions

This self-assessment should take about 10-12 minutes. Your answers will be kept private and confidential. Please answer every question honestly.

If a question does not apply to you, or you aren't comfortable answering it, just leave it blank.

This self-assessment is for athletes. If you're a coach, sports administrator or parent please go to the PVWH webpage and click on the link for the Coaches, Administrators and Parents assessment.

To see how others answered these questions check back on the Pursuing Victory With Honor web page (above) or leave your e-mail address at the bottom of the test so we can send them to you when they are ready.

1. Gender.
2. Age.
3. Where do you live?
4. Sports you competed in within the past year in an organized league (you may check more than one).
5. Level at which you competed in your primary sport in the past year (you may check more than one if you play in multiple leagues).
6. How likely do you think it is that you will get an athletic scholarship to college? (If you are already in or have left college, leave the question blank.)
7. How likely do you think it is that you will make your living from sports as a pro, coach, announcer, or otherwise?
8. Which, if any, of the following are problems in your sport that you think should be addressed more aggressively? (You may check more than one box.)
9. Which of the following would you be willing to do if you thought you could get away with it and it would help either your personal performance or the chances that your team will win an important game? (You may check more than one response.)
PLEASE INDICATE WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS.
10. I would rather sit on the bench of a winning team than play on a team with a losing record.
11. Sportsmanship is an overrated concept. I would rather win than be considered a good sport.
12. My high school coach is/was much more concerned with winning than building character and teaching life skills.
13. My college coach is/was much more concerned with winning than building character and teaching life skills. (Leave blank if you have not had a college coach.)
14. My current coach always wants me to play by the rules and be a good sport regardless of the competitive situation.
15. My current coach consistently sets a good example of ethics and character by words and actions.
16. Which, if any, of the following coaches have had a strong and lasting positive impact on your values and character? (You may check more than one.)
17. In sports, people who are willing to break the rules are more likely to succeed than people who are not.
18. Because referees or umpires do not see or call every infraction, it's generally proper to do whatever officials let you get away with.
19. An athlete or coach should do whatever is not specifically prohibited by the rules if it helps win.
20. People should always play by the rules even if their opponents aren't and even if it means losing.
21. If it weren't for the pressure my parents put on me to stay with my sport, I might choose to do something else with my time.
22. Whether an athlete takes performance-enhancing substances should be a personal choice, not a matter of rules.
23. In today's society, one has to lie or cheat at least occasionally to succeed.
24. I am more ethical than most people I know.
25. If I thought I could get away with it, I would be willing to lie on a resume to get a job I really wanted.
WHAT'S PROPER AND ACCEPTABLE SPORTS BEHAVIOR?
Whether or not you would personally engage in the conduct, indicate whether you agree or disagree that the conduct described below is an acceptable part of the game.

IF YOU HAVE INSUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE, NO OPINION, OR THE QUESTION DOES NOT APPLY, JUST SKIP THE QUESTION (leave it blank).
26. After making a great play, it's acceptable for an athlete to pound his/her chest boastfully and do an "in your face" celebration dance in front of an opponent.
27. Effective taunting and trash-talking that throws an opponent off his/her game is a legitimate part of competitve sports.
28. A coach learns that one of his/her athletes is using performance-enhancing substances. It's acceptable that the coach tries to discourge further use but does nothing else -- even after the use continues.
29. The idea that it's wrong to "run up the score" is outdated. It's acceptable for a team to score as many points as they possibly can even when the outcome is no longer in doubt.
30. It's acceptable for a coach to instruct a groundskeeper to alter the field if the coach believes it will give his/her team an advantage (e.g., soaking a field to slow down opponents, sloping a foul line to keep bunts fair, letting grass grow long, etc.).
31. It's acceptable for a coach deliberately swear at an official to get thrown out of the game in order to energize his/her team.
32. To throw the other team off its game and gain an advantage, it's acceptable for a coach to deliberately make the visitors' locker room uncomfortably hot or cold.
33. It's acceptable that a coach, knowing the star player on the other team is a hothead, instructs his/her team to taunt, provoke, and foul the star to get the player to react and get thrown out of the game.
34. It's acceptable for an athlete who knows other athletes have done so without getting caught, to illegally alter his/her equipment (e.g., hockey stick, baseball bat) to gain an advantage.
35. Before an important game, a coach receives an anonymous envelope containing an authentic and current copy of the opponent's playbook. It's acceptable if the coach uses it to prepare his/her team.
36. In a sport where certain types of contact with an opponent is illegal (e.g., holding, hand-checking, pushing, or grabbing), it's acceptable for a coach to teach players to violate the rule in ways that will be least likely to be detected.
37. In a sport where only a certain number of team time-outs are allowed, it's acceptable for a coach with no time-outs left to instruct a player to fake an injury to get an "official" time-out.
38. In baseball or softball, a player on team X is hit by a pitch. It's acceptable if the coach of team X instructs X's pitcher to throw at an opposing batter in retaliation.
39. In soccer, a player deliberately fakes getting fouled by an opposing player in the hope that the ref will give the opponent a red card and remove him/her from the game.
40. In soccer, during a penalty kick, it's acceptable for a goalie to deliberately violate the rules and leave the line too soon to block the kick hoping the referee won't see it or call it.
41. In a contact sport, it's acceptable for a coach to instruct players to go after the injured shoulder of the other team's leading player to slow him/her down or get him/her out of the game.
PERSONAL CONDUCT.
42. In the past 10 years, I lied about my age, residence, or academic standing to become eligible to compete.
43. In the past year, I bullied, teased, or taunted someone off a court or field in a manner that frightened or humiliated the person.
44. In the past year, I used racial slurs or insults (not in friendship or jest).
45. In the past year, I lied or misrepresented myself to save money (e.g., to get a discount I wasn't entitled to).
46. In the past year, I lied to a teacher, coach, or boss about something significant.
47. In the past year, I was given too much change and kept the money.
48. In the past year, I illegally copied music or a video.
49. In the past year, I cheated on an exam. (If you weren't in school, leave blank.)
50. In the past year, I stole something from a store.
51. If a coach of athletes 17 or under wanted to, he/she could have a significant positive impact on an athlete's values, attitudes, and conduct in which of the following areas? (You may mark more than one box. If you have no opinion or think a coach can't have a significant impact, don't check the box.)
52. If a coach of athletes 18 or over wanted to, he/she could have a significant positive impact on an athlete's values, attitudes, and conduct in which of the following areas? (You may mark more than one box. If you have no opinion or think a coach can't have a significant impact, don't check the box.)
53. My coach tries to positively impact our values, attitudes, and conduct in the following areas: (You may mark more than one box. If your coach hasn't tried to make a significant impact, don't check the box.)
54. How important is religion in your life?
55. If you would like to receive the results of this survey, please put your e-mail address here. This is optional. IF YOU ARE A MINOR, ALWAYS BE CAREFUL ABOUT GIVING PERSONAL INFORMATION AND CHECK WITH YOUR PARENTS. We will put you on our regular distribution list ONLY if you ask us to in #56 below.
56. Would you like us to use the above e-mail address to put you on our distribution list for other surveys, our free monthly sportsmanship newsletter, and other notices? (You can unsubscribe easily at any time.)
57. Number of questions on this survey that you did not answer with complete honesty.
58. How long did it take you to complete this survey?
59. What is your opinion of this survey? (You may check more than one.)
60. How did you learn about this survey?
61. Comments, thoughts, or suggestions:

PLEASE URGE YOUR COACHES AND PARENTS TO TAKE ANOTHER VERSION OF THIS TEST MADE FOR THEM AT www.charactercounts.org/sports.

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