Sports promote sportsmanship if you focus on being a good sport
Parents and kids alike love sports, and it can get pretty easy for one to get caught up in a game and focus more on winning than any other thing. However, there’s much to gain from sports than just a winning record.
There are numerous benefits to playing sports, and one such is that the player gets to learn good sportsmanship. Sports are not the only activity where one can develop good sportsmanship. Integrity can come to play at the office place and even when partaking in social activities.
When children and teens involve themselves in sports, they get to learn values that can be put to practice for the rest of their lives.
So what then is good sportsmanship? Good sportsmanship is something that cannot be easily defined. Still, I’ll say that it deals with one being able to win without gloating, respecting the outcome of a game (whether one wins or loses), and also regarding your opponents.
You showcase good sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself, your teammates, your opponents, the coaches on both sides, and for other officials of the game.
Good sportsmanship will boost your kid’s confidence and improve his ability to relate with his peers and with those above him. This is one of the numerous life lessons that your kids can learn from sports. So, therefore, these are some ways for you to showcase good sportsmanship for your child and your fellow fans on the stand.
Parents must be a role model of good sportsmanship for your kids
It is often said that kids imitate what their parents do than do what their parents tell them to do. I’m sure you’ve heard that too. So the best way to impart good sportsmanship on your kid is to practice this, and they’ll follow. You might think they can’t see you off the field, but you never can tell when your son or daughter’s eyes might stray to where you are on the stand.
It might not be easy to watch the umpire make a bad call on your child or one of his teammates. You have to, however, come to terms with the fact that since your child is playing organized sports, this is, of course, bound to happen. So, you cannot go off screaming obscenities at the referee or the umpire. Instead, you can praise your child’s attempted effort.
Be very intentional about your actions when attending sports events or watching them on the TV. Try to refrain from criticizing or condemning the performances of athletes.
Focus on good efforts
This is another way to promote good sportsmanship. Rather than focusing on the results of your child’s actions (or inaction) at a game, you should focus on his efforts. Acknowledge his efforts. Doing this helps a player feel good about his performance and cuts down on frustration. Better still, your encouragement will spur him to want to do more next time he is on the field.
Also, recognizing a team’s performance will help to reduce potential conflict that could be brewing between competitive performers and players who struggle on the field.
Win and lose with grace
If there’s something that needs to be drummed on, it’s that parents and coaches should not place so much pressure on their players. Real winners on the field win without gloating or trying to rub it into the face of their opponents. A real winner doesn’t just carry the medal but also offers encouragement to teammates.
Good sportspeople enjoy sports, and they know how to end the game on a good note. Giving threats, displays of anger, and other negative expressions are highly not acceptable. They end the competition, however, with a goodwill handshake.
A good sport involves accepting one’s loss with grace and not pouting. It also consists in receiving the judgment calls of the coaches and the officials without argument. Be mindful of the fact that it’s just one call in a long game just it’s to get back to the field and focus on the game. That’s not so difficult to do.
Parents need to teach their kids to play fair while they have fun, as this is a lesson that will serve them even for a lifetime after that game on the field.
Let praises come freely
This is something that you need to practice and teach your kids to do too. Learn to give compliments freely to both sides as and when due. Appreciate a good game no matter the team that accomplishes a win. Coaches also need to learn this. For bad plays, they could use it to teach, constructively criticizing but yet still praising the players for specific things they’ve done well even if they made a mistake or may not have played well as hoped.
By so doing, the players tend to gather up confidence in themselves and would want to do more. Also, they would learn to behave in like manner to fellow players in opposing teams, seeing a good game and appreciating it. This is good sportsmanship.
A quick summary of essential principles you need to instill in your kids:
- If you win at a game, don’t rub in.
- Don’t make excuses to cover for your loss
- If you make mistakes, learn from them and get back in the game.
- Strive always to do your best.
- Be respectful towards yourself, your team and the officials of the game
- If another player on your team makes a mistake, encourage that person. Avoid criticizing. This can be difficult if teammates don’t show a true commitment to excellence by coming to practice, running the proper plays and playing as a team. But at the youth level, it is extremely important to encourage teammates.
You can also share this with your children:
They need to play a fair game:
Every game has its rules, and it is expected you know them before they begin to play. The rules were created for a reason, and you must follow them to the latter. Rules in a game usually govern everything right from players’ dress code to how coaches train the team. Aside from the fact that playing according to the regulations promotes good sportsmanship, it reduces injuries and penalties.
A good young sportsman wants to win because he followed the rules and also because he played the best game he could. So, never support any effort that involves attempts to go around the rules. Cheating is not allowed. When a team plays by the rules, it shows they have integrity, and of course, they will be respected for it.
Directions are to be always followed:
Let your kids know they are under a coach for a reason. So, therefore, let them know the importance of listening to their coaches and referees as they follow their directions while on the field. Also, during team activities, when not competing with others, they must listen to the directives of their coaches.
As seen above, you now know that good sportsmanship doesn’t rest on just the shoulders of your kid but also on you, the parent, and even their coaches. Good sportsmanship is indeed something that should be encouraged among young children and youths involved in sports.
Take the step today and imbibe your kids with principles of good sportsmanship.
How do you develop good sportsmanship?
You develop good sportsmanship by preparing for the unexpected challenges during the game. Learn to stay calm in the midst of difficult circumstances.
What's good sportsmanship?
No arguing. No breaking rules. No fighting Refusing to engage in name-calling of players, fans or coaches. Playing hard whether you are winning or losing and respecting the referee.
How does sportsmanship affect sport?
Great sportsmanship promotes overall athletic development and creates a great team environment
What is the true meaning of sportsmanship?
True sportsmanship is an athlete that competes at the highest level, abides by the regulations, and plays hard in winning and losing positions. A true sportsman is one who loves to compete and respects who they are competing against.