As a coach I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with the decision to limit a student's participation in a Far East activity in the future based on violations of the code of conduct.

The most important factor to consider here is the enormous amount of responsibility that activity sponsors and chaperones must shoulder when travelling with American teenagers in a foreign country. These students are asked to sacrifice much in their lives as military connected students and Far East activities are a way to offer these students something that a stateside experience could not, travel to participate in something they love. If students are breaking curfew, drinking, shoplifting, and a host of other activities I think it is fair to make an example of that person to show that how you behave as participant while away from home in a foreign country is a very serious matter that should not be but not taken lightly. A case in point would be the increased violence by many connected to the military overseas. Perhaps if those folks were disciplined properly earlier in their lives, some of it might be avoided. We simply cannot tolerate any action that might affect our standing as guests in a foreign country or that might jeopardize a student's safety.

Although I support harsh penalties for harsh behavior I am very careful to note that the process to decide matters such as this must be very judicious and unbiased. Banning a student from future Far East participation is not a matter adminstrators should take lightly and a just and fair process to determine consequences should be initiated as soon as possible.

In addition, there are plenty of very worthwhile activities that do not have a year end Far East and many of those students and coaches alike participate because they have a true passion for what they do, not because they can travel somewhere exotic. Far East events are great but I have seen many students that select a sport or activity not for the love but for where they can travel. "Oh, tennis (enter any sport or activity here), where's Far East? Oh, we're not travelling off the island, peninsula, etc., I am not playing." If we offered curling as a winter sport and had a Far East at Edgren in Misawa, I guarantee you'd get a few folks to try it out. No Far East, good luck with shuffle board on ice...

Ya, drinking, smoking, stealing, all are good reasons to suspend an athletes rights to go on FarEast events, but for a 10 o'clock curfew violation when sometimes it is unresonable to ask for that is a little out there. For football Fareast 07-08 some of my teamates couldn't even get there dinner until after 10 due to the game scheduling and need to shower sometimes 4 people to a room. Ya lets get rid of our rights to go to fareast because we went to eat dinner? Sounds fair to me? and what about the athletes of the hosting school? When the base curfew is 12 why not leave it the coaches responsiblity to make sure the athletes are okay, the teams i've been on and the coaches i've had, have had no problem keeping us out of trouble, and sometimes we were permitted out past 10

It is the coach's responsibility to keep their athletes in a manner where they are proud of representing their school. Reality speaking, sometimes it is difficult to keep an eye on 20 teenagers when going on long haul trips. Smoking, drinking, shop-lifting all happen when coaches turn their backs. Coaches can tell their athletes the severity of the actions that will be taken when they violate the code of conduct, but some athletes still violate them. Some things are out of the reach of the coach’s hand. Enforcing the code of conduct may eliminate some of the problems we have, but in reality, I feel that it is not going to change much. I feel that we have to take action in a different manner in order to resolve the problems we have. Several of these violations occur outside of athletic events. Maybe we need to look outside of the code of conduct issue.

The code of conduct is a very necessary tool in this day and age. Teenagers today seem to think that they are exempt or immune, not from consequences, but from getting caught. This bravado is often supported by their embarassed parents. Granted, kids make mistakes, and there are times that they are unjustly punished, however, every negative experience can serve a positive result. I am trying to say that a one year suspension from Far East competition may just be the deterrent necessary to eliminate those who might push the bubble too far. Pranks and jokes my also be harmless fun but I have seen these activities turn into legal actions. Example, players making crank phone calls and mentioning a bomb and having base legal make some very tough decisions about their future, or players buying B B guns on gate two street and then chasing each other in the dark with towels wrapped around their heads. I think that it is very generous to allow players to participate in the regular season. I would suggest that you give the coach the autonomy to explain the reasons for each infraction and give him an equal part in the final decision. The bottom line is that coaches and parents need to set the law down early and then enforce it. FEAC, you may have to make some very difficult decisions, don't hesitate or bend too much because such behavior invites infractions.