The hateful and racist language used by spectators attending a volleyball game between nearby Hays and Canyon high schools has brought to light the kinds of unsportsmanlike behavior that often occurs.
The incident was covered by local media, including a statement made by the Hays Volleyball team program, which called out the treatment they received by spectators from Canyon High School.

The Hays team wrote that they felt “that not enough was done to remedy the situation after our coaching staff brought the incident to the attention of the Canyon High School administrator on duty. It is unfortunate that our voices and concerns were not fully trusted, heard, and respected because adults did not hear the comments – only student-athletes heard. If the students involved could not be identified at that moment, the entire student section should have been removed.”

In the statement, the team did not blame the Canyon volleyball team for the situation, but they did say that they felt “the administration did not adequately address the situation. Along with the outpouring of support, many people in and outside the community have come forward with similar experiences of racism happening at their schools and at events they were attending. We hope this encourages change and starts conversations that need to happen not only at Comal ISD, but everywhere.”

The statement closed by saying that this behavior was not just an instance of “kids being kids,” and instead was an “example of blatant racism, and anyone who sat by or sits by and allows it to happen is equally as responsible as the students that used the inappropriate language to begin with. If you do not stand against racism, you stand with it.”

This incident highlighted ongoing issues related to cases of bad sportsmanship that Akins players have experienced and has prompted conversations among players and coaches.
For some players, “trash talk” between players and fans is accepted as common and expected. However, there are also times when this behavior crosses a line to a point where it is deeply hurtful, offensive, and what is deemed “unsportsmanlike behavior.”

At any game, there is typically a student section where fans of each school’s team typically gather together. For fans’ it’s a fun way to start up a cheer and rally students to support their team. However, this gathering of students can turn into a mob mentality, resorting to negative tactics.
Akins fans are not immune to this kind of bad behavior, which we have seen even at the Homecoming game, which included a large senior section that used.

Even with Akins the student section got riled up. Eexplicitives and disrespectful chants at times, but those were soon shut down by Akins administrators. were said but the staff took action and calmed the storm.
In any sport, players use banter as a way to get into the opponent’s head. Sometimes it can get out of hand like, disrespectful or hateful comments. Most recently throughout Texas highschool sports it has been racial or homophobic slurs. Those undoubtedly cross the line. Sports should be a safe space for players to play the sport they love.

Joey Saxe, hHead Akins football and athletics coordiantor Coach Joey Saxe said he and other Akins coaches do their best to shutdown this kind of behavior when they learn about it occuring. gives comments about how he feels about the players getting disrespected.
Joey said, “I don’t like when my players come up to me saying that number 99 or any number is calling them a name and being disrespectful to them,.” Saxe said.
Coach Saxe also said he wants to put an end to it when players come up to him.
Joey said,“I tell the refs when my players tell me but I feel like they’re trying to take the puritey of the sport away and football is a pure sport because that’s where the player can go and get everything out and play the game they love.”