It is just the early stages but &8220;Athletics – The Right Way&8221; seems like the perfect fit for all involved.

A guide for acceptable behavior, even if it is not a major issue here in Albert Lea, is an important step to ensuring a better future for our athletes, coaches and fans.

After talking to several people who put a lot of time and effort into making this a reality it is obvious that the idea and the way it was approached were done correctly.

Too often important documents like this are conceived and decided upon by a select few at the very top, however, that is not the case

here.

By involving many throughout the community including fans, students and coaches this has the opportunity to be a great thing for all involved.

The new system doesn’t throw out all of the old rules, and no one is saying that there will not have to be some revisions made to make it the best it can possibly be.

However, this is a good start.

When the idea was presented to parents and student-athletes at a meeting Monday there didn’t seem to be many negative reactions to the idea.

But the true test is still weeks, months and maybe years away.

It is one thing to support it now but how people react when it actually affects them or their child will be a big test for just how successful something like this can be.

Will this new idea have staying power with the people who signed it?

Will they think about what their actions may do or how it will affect others?

Will those who step &8220;out-of-bounds&8221; be punished in a manner that will make them want to change their ways?

Those are all questions that will have to be dealt with at a later time. What has been put down on paper is quite impressive, in my opinion, but old habits can be hard to break.

Many of the ideas and principles in the document may seem like nothing more than common sense to many, but simply having them down on paper and making people sign their names in support of those ideas is something new and hopefully effective.

I am fortunate enough to be able to write about the many good things that area athletes do in their chosen sport. Hopefully, they will be able to look back on it years later and remember all the good times they had and lessons they learned.

In a time when there seems to be one tragedy after another sports is supposed to be fun for all involved, and with the support of &8220;Athletics – The Right Way&8221; hopefully it can remain that way.