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Competing in the ISL

Belmont Hill participates in the highly competitive Independent School League (ISL), which was founded in 1948 and features 18 sports. The ISL does not allow postgraduate students to compete nor does it allow its schools to offer athletic or academic-based scholarships. Priding itself as a model of intense competition balanced by a deep commitment to good sportsmanship, the League offers the following guidelines.

 

INTEGRITY

SPORTSMANSHIP

LEADERSHIP

Independent School League Sportsmanship Creed 

The ISL is proud of the behavior and sportsmanship displayed by its players, coaches, and fans. We value spirited and fair play as well as positive support for our players and teams. In order to ensure that our expected level of decorum continues each season and each game, we ask that all members of the ISL community continually renew their efforts to abide by the ideals of our league. 

The ISL

Sextant Divider

Athletic competition in the ISL is guided by the following ideals: 


Players shall at all times represent themselves and their school with honor, proper conduct, and good sportsmanship. They shall understand that competitive rivalries are encouraged but that disrespect for opponents is unsportsmanlike and lessens the value of the rivalries. They shall confine the competitiveness of the game to the field, and in particular behave properly on the sidelines and in the locker rooms both before and after games. 

The Players and Coaches 

Players and Coaches shall comply fully with the rulings of the officials. In no way, either by voice, action, or gesture, shall they demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the decisions made. Players must never forget that they represent their school.

The Spectators 

ISL schools will not tolerate at their athletic contests any spectator, either student or adult, whose behavior is disrespectful towards players, officials, coaches, or other spectators. Nor will ISL schools permit any type of spectator behavior that either detracts from the proper conduct of the game or disadvantages a player or team.

Unacceptable Behavior 
Some examples of unacceptable behavior during competition under guidelines of the ISL Heads' and Athletic Directors' Committee: 

  • Use of profanity or displays of anger that draw attention away from the game.
  • Booing or heckling an official's decisions, criticizing officials in any way, or displaying temper with an official's call.
  • Trash talk or yells that antagonize opponents.
  • Verbal abuse or intimidation tactics.
  • Disrespectful or derogatory yells, chants, songs, gestures, signs, posters, or banners.
  • Any distracting activity such as yelling, waving arms, or feet stomping during an opponent's free-throw attempts.
  • Use of artificial noisemakers of any kind. (Legitimate pep-bands, however, are encouraged.)
These guidelines apply equally to players, coaches or fans. The ISL asks officials to apply these guidelines strictly, especially with regard to players and coaches. 
 

ISL SCHOOLS

Belmont Hill School
Brooks School
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
The Governor’s Academy
Groton School
Lawrence Academy
Middlesex School
Milton Academy
Noble & Greenough School
The Rivers School
The Roxbury Latin School
St. George’s School
St. Mark’s School
St. Sebastian’s School
Tabor Academy
Thayer Academy

Competing in the ISL