On Wednesday next week, we will be subject to all kinds of new laws.

There’s a lot of good stuff, including Jessica’s Law, which mandates jail time for people convicted of sex crimes against children under 12. There’s also Tina’s Law, which mandates jail time for habitual offenders who drive on a suspended license.

State workers get new protections, and will be assured confidentiality if they report government waste and fraud.

In cases where victims seek protection from abuse orders, they will be permitted to ask for protection for their pets.

The requirements for issuing a driver’s license or state identification card will become more strict for Mainers who are not U.S. citizens.

And, school districts across the state are being encouraged – by law – to adopt Sports Done Right, an initiative to control bad behavior in school sports.

Last year, Lewiston and Auburn were among 12 communities, which included 29 public schools, named pilot sites for the University of Maine initiative.

Sports Done Right is a solid concept, one that intends to demonstrate that student athletes can be competitive without being combative. Its focus is on sportsmanlike behavior, health and fitness and leadership.

Getting this important message across to students, provided the coaches are on board, should be relatively easy. Students want to compete and will, with guidelines, do so like good sports.

It’s the parents who could become a problem.

School rivalries are natural and should be encouraged. But who wants or needs that wild-eyed, cussing parent on the sidelines screaming at the coaches, the referees and the opposing team? No one. That kind of behavior makes the sports experience less enjoyable for everyone, and most unenjoyable for students themselves.

Sports Done Right links the behavior on the playing field to community values; it holds students, parents, coaches and others accountable for their behavior and encourages sportsmanlike conduct.

The initiative, according to its mission, “respects the contribution of every member of the team.”

What that means is that sportsmanship and team improvement “replaces a ‘win-at-all-costs’ mentality.”

This particular point has earned the initiative criticism as parents and others have worried that teams will be forced to play all athletes, no matter what their skill level, making teams less competitive. That may happen but doesn’t have to happen. And, if it does, does it really matter?

The reality, for most students, is that school sports is a time to learn team dynamics and develop social skills. It is the select few for whom sports will result in scholarships and a career in the pros.

For most of us, the experience of team play and the benefits of those lessons are more lasting than the number of games won or lost.

The drive to win-at-all-costs is the root cause for cheating in sports, which has become such a problem that it’s not a stretch to question whether all professional sports are dirty.

Sports Done Right isn’t going to clean up the NFL or cycling. It will, however, provide guidelines for good behavior, enjoyable play and lifelong fitness for Mainers.

We encourage Maine districts to embrace the concept and adapt it to fit their community identities.