Serena Williams shouting obscenities at a tennis judge.

University of Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount punching an opponent from Boise State at the conclusion of their opening game of the college football season.

New Mexico women's soccer player Elizabeth Lambert pulling an opponent down by her ponytail.

More than 500 Western Pennsylvania student-athletes met yesterday to discuss ways to help their peers avoid these scenes of infamy.

The WPIAL presented a "Summit on Sportsmanship" yesterday morning, cramming student-athletes from about 100 schools into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Senator John Heinz History Center with hopes they could increase respect in local high school sports.

Students heard lessons in sportsmanship from Steelers Hall of Famer Franco Harris, Duquesne women's basketball coach Suzie McConnell-Serio, NFL official Jerry Bergman and B. Elliot Hopkins, the director of educational services at the National Federation of High School Associations.

"We all want to win," Hopkins told the students, "but there's a proper way to do it. There's a correct way to do it. There's a respectful way to do it."

WPIAL officials hope the student-athletes who showed up will take the lessons they learned back to their teammates and classmates.

Tim O'Malley, executive director of the WPIAL, said the summit was needed because sportsmanship has been lacking in all levels of athletics.

"It's become somewhat vogue or fashionable for kids to misbehave -- to turn their backs, to put newspapers up in front of their faces, to boo your opponent, to be critical of everything," O'Malley said. "That unfortunately is a trend, and it becomes somewhat of a norm."

If people want to stop bad behavior at all levels of sports, O'Malley said, it has to start at high schools, where athletes are impressionable.

The idea was created last year by Dan Cardone, the athletic director at North Hills and a member of the WPIAL's Board of Control.

"The WPIAL recognizes sportsmanship," Cardone said, "but this is the first time we've taken a proactive approach to promote it in the schools."

Through a partnership with the Heinz History Center, a WPIAL sponsor, the summit was born. Organizers hoped they could draw at least 200 students to attend. They ended up having to turn registrants away.

"This exceeded our expectations," Cardone said.

The best lesson of the day, some students said, was that actions on the field represent more than just the athletes involved.

"When you play sports, it represents your whole school," said West Allegheny junior Lexi Battocchi, who plays soccer and basketball. "If you have good sportsmanship, then all the schools around you like you, too."

Friend Dan Bruni, a senior wrestler from West Allegheny, chimed in: "If you're a jerk about winning, then people will think your whole school is nothing but jerks."

McKeesport junior Branden Jackson said the most important thing he learned was that his actions have an effect on those around him, and they could damage an opponent emotionally.

"You don't know their mental state," said Jackson, a football and basketball player. "You don't want to be the person that just pushes them off that edge."

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.