Coaches and school administrators have been threatened, verbally abused, or physically assaulted in school sports incidents. Threats to coaches arise in a sports atmosphere that many observers say is marked by heightened incivility from the professional ranks on down to inter- scholastic and youth leagues. The demanding, coarser attitudes of parents and fans, and a celebrity sports culture obsessed with oversize personalities and 24-hour-a-day media coverage aggravate the problem. The verbal and occasional physical abuse coaches receive from parents and other spectators has made it harder for schools to attract and keep coaches. Schools have responded to bad behavior by restricting access to sports events and starting broad programs to foster good sportsmanship. Some school districts mandate sportsmanship classes for parents prior to their children's participation in athletics. Although a bill was introduced in Massachusetts requiring all public school student-athletes to take a sportsmanship class, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees school sports in the state, believes such a legislative mandate is unnecessary, saying that it already conducts extensive sportsmanship training.