Good sportsmanship is about playing by the rules. It’s about discipline, respect and self-control. People who are good sports have fun because they put emphasis on the joy and excitement of participation rather than the final outcome. A good sport simply loves to play. Here are some sportsmanship rules to live by:
- Show respect to yourself by treating others the way you want to be treated.
- Respect the efforts of not only your teammates but also your opponents
- Respect your coaches and the officials of the game and follow their direction.
- Respect and understand the rules of the game.
- Always play fair with honesty and integrity. Don’t cheat.
- Accept the judgment calls of the coaches and the officials without argument.
- Offer encouragement to teammates, especially when they make mistakes in practice or competition.
- Forgive yourself when you make a mistake and find a “reset” mechanism to get yourself right back into the game.
- Lose without pouting and offer no excuses. Win without gloating or rubbing it in.
- A good sport always asks this question, “What did I do for my team today?”
Thinking of sportsmanship as something you can only teach in the context of sports is a quick way to deaden the message. Sportsmanship is learned inside and outside of sports. As a parent or coach, the way you treat other people and your attitude when things don’t go your way are ultimately going to have a bigger impact on your athletes than any pregame speech, no matter how friendly you are to officials and the opposing team’s coach.
Kailea Carrier: KU volleyball Middle blocker/ right side hitter
https://kuathletics.com/sports/wvball/roster/season/2019-20/player/kailea-carrier/
