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:

1. Show respect to yourself by treating others the way you want to be treated.
2. Respect the efforts of not only your teammates but also your opponents
3. Respect your coaches and the officials of the game and follow their direction.
4. Respect and understand the rules of the game.
5. Always play fair with honesty and integrity. Don’t cheat.
6. Accept the judgment calls of the coaches and the officials without argument.
7. Offer encouragement to teammates, especially when they make mistakes in practice or competition.
8. Forgive yourself when you make a mistake and find a “reset” mechanism to get yourself right back into the game.
9. Lose without pouting and offer no excuses. Win without gloating or rubbing it in.
10. 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/