Starting with the 2008 season, the Lambertville West Amwell Youth Baseball & Softball Association has enhanced it's SAGE program. SAGE is a sportsmanship program that has been implemented by sports leagues nation-wide in an effort to deter negative behavior during youth sporting events. It has grown out of the unfortunate fact that people, especially adults, sometimes do not behave in ways that keeps the fun in the games for the kids. There have been incidents all over the country in which a child’s game became a display of poor sportsmanship, and sometimes even violence. SAGE in the LWAYBSA serves as reminder that it is important for everyone involved, parents, fans, coaches, umpires,and players to conduct themselves with dignity and with respect for others. The State of New Jersey has passed into law a Model Athletic Code of Conduct which basically states the youth sports leagues have the right to impose disciplinary action against anyone who displays negative behavior during an event.

The process is as follows:

• Each family that registers to play in the LWAYBSA is required to sign the Athletic Code of Conduct form before their children can participate.

• One parent from each family is required to attend a 25 minute training session every other year.

• Each team will designate a SAGE representative who will maintain a positive presence in the stands and can serve as an information resource.

• Incidences of poor sportsmanship can be reported to one’s team SAGE representatives, the manager, or the LWAYBA SAGE coordinator.

• Individuals comporting themselves inappropriately are not to be confronted at the time they are being offensive because this might provoke defensiveness or hostility. A Manager or SAGE coordinator may discuss the incident with the individual at another time when cooler heads prevail.

• If the LWAYBSA believes an individual’s behavior warrants corrective action a decision will be made and conveyed to the individual in question.