What Is Sportsmanship?
Win or Lose, Sportsmanship Helps You
Get Through
Sportsmanship Off the Field
Sportsmanship is defined as:
·
playing fair
·
following the rules of the game
·
respecting the judgment of referees
and officials
·
treating opponents with respect
Some people define good sportsmanship as the "golden
rule" of sports — in other words, treating the people you play with and
against as you'd like to be treated yourself. You demonstrate good
sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself, your teammates, and your
opponents, for the coaches on both sides, and for the referees, judges, and
other officials.
But sportsmanship isn't just reserved for the people on the field.
Cheerleaders, fans, and parents also need to be aware of how they behave during
competition. Sportsmanship is a style and an attitude, and it can have a
positive influence on everyone around you.
In the last few years, taunting, trash-talking, gloating,
and cheap shots have become all too common in sports. You've probably seen
athletes who take their own successes too seriously, too. They celebrate a goal
with a prolonged victory dance or constantly brag about their abilities. This
is the exact opposite of what sportsmanship is all about. This kind of behavior
might make you feel tough or intimidating to an opponent, but keep in mind it
can also cause you to lose the match. Plenty of games have been lost to
penalties gathered from "unsportsmanlike conduct."
Everyone feels great when they win, but it can be just as hard to be a good
sport when you've won a game as when you've lost one. Good sportsmanship takes
maturity and courage — when you work really hard at a sport, it's not easy to
admit you made a bad play or that someone has more skills than you. In
competition — as in life — you may not always win but you can learn something from
losing, too.
It's pretty tough to lose, so it definitely doesn't help matters if someone
continues taunting you or your team after the competition is over. Sometimes
it's hard to swallow your pride and walk on. But there's always the next match.
When you do lose — and it will happen — don't take it out on
your opponent, blame the officials, or blame your team. Take it in stride. When
you lose, lose with class. Being proud of how you performed, or at least being
aware of things you need to improve for next time, is key. When it comes to
losing, good sportsmanship means congratulating the winners promptly and
willingly. Also, it means accepting the game's outcome without complaint and
without excuses, even if you sometimes might suspect the referees made some
questionable calls.
When you win, the trick is to be a gracious and generous winner. Good
sportsmanship means acknowledging victories without humiliating opponents,
being quietly proud of success, and letting victories speak for themselves.
Even if you win by a landslide, good sportsmanship means still finding ways to
compliment your opponents.
Practicing Good Sportsmanship
So what does it take to demonstrate good sportsmanship in
real-life situations? Here are some examples of things you can do:
·
Learn as much as you can about your
sport. Play by its rules. Show up for practice, work hard, and realize that on
a team, everyone deserves a chance to play.
·
Talk politely and act courteously
toward everyone before, during, and after games and events. That includes your
teammates, your opponents, your coaches and their coaches, the officials
presiding over the game, and even spectators (who can sometimes be loud about
their opinions).
·
Stay cool. Even if others are losing
their tempers, it doesn't mean you have to. Remind yourself that no matter how
hard you've practiced and played, it is, after all, just a game.
·
Avoid settling disputes with
violence. If you're in a difficult situation or someone's threatening you, seek
help immediately from your coach or from an official. Remember, too, that if
you respond with violence you could get penalized, which could hurt your
chances of winning.
·
Cheer your teammates on with
positive statements — and avoid trash-talking the other team.
·
Acknowledge and applaud good plays,
even when someone on the other team makes them.
·
When officials make a call, accept
it gracefully even if it goes against you. Remember that referees may not be
right every time — but they're people who are doing their best, just as you
are.
·
Whether you win or lose,
congratulate your opponents on a game well played.
Fair and Fun
Good sportsmanship means not having a "win
at any cost" attitude. Most athletes who don't have a "win
at any cost" attitude are more likely to talk about how much they love
their sport and how much personal satisfaction and enjoyment they get from
participation.
Most people won't go on to play professional sports, and only a few will win
scholarships to play at college. But many forget to have a good time during the
years they do play because they're so focused on winning. And,
unfortunately, parents and coaches sometimes put too much pressure on athletes,
emphasizing winning at all costs. So although it's great to be a champion, it's
even better to have enjoyed the process of trying to reach the top. It's best
to play fair while having fun.
Learning good sportsmanship means finding that
the positive attitude learned on the field carries over into other areas
of life. At school, for example, you're able to appreciate the contributions
made by classmates and know how to work as part of a team to complete a project. You may enjoy more success at work
as well, because a big part of learning good sportsmanship is learning to be
respectful of others, including customers and co-workers.
