Good Sportsmanship Top 10 Tips for Being a Good Sport

Description:
Good sportsmanship is about playing by the rules, discipline, respect, and self control. A good sport has fun because they enjoy playing the game more than the final outcome. Top Ten Tips to teach your kids about good sportsmanship.

1. Show respect to yourself by treating others the way you want to be treated.

2. Respect not only your teammates, but also your opponents.

3. Respect your coaches and the officials of the game

4. Respect the rules of the game.

5. Always play fair

6. Accept the judgment calls of the coaches and the officials without argument.

7. Offer encouragement to teammates, especially when they make mistakes.

8. Forgive yourself when you make a mistake and get right back into the game.

9. Lose without pouting

10. Win without gloating or rubbing it in

How to Have Good Sportsmanship By Patti Wigington, eHow Contributor X

Patti Wigington

Patti Wigington has been writing for nearly twenty years. Her work has appeared on a variety of websites and in a number of print publications, and she spent five years as a staff writer for a Columbus, Ohio, newspaper. She is the author of a children's book, a novel for middle grade readers, and two adult novels.

People all over the world attend and participate in sporting events, and if you're one of them, chances are good you've seen some examples of poor sportsmanship. By being a good sport yourself, you can have a much better time and in the process, set a good example for others.

Instructions

Stay positive. One of the first rules of good sportsmanship is to be a positive person. Keep your comments positive, as well. You can encourage your own team without belittling others. Never, ever denigrate a player on an opposing team. This sets a poor example for others and can ruin the good time everyone is trying to have. Stick with positive comments, and don't bash or trash-talk. Being polite is always a great way to show good sportsmanship.

2 Understand that winning isn't everything. Remind yourself before the event of what sorts of behaviors are unacceptable - cheating, pushing and shoving, bad-mouthing other players, etc. If you're on the sidelines, and not playing, help to reinforce the ideas of good sportsmanship with other fans. Cheer for your team no matter how badly things are going.

Be objective. If the other team makes a good play, congratulate them. Never mind the fact that it wasn’t your team that did it - good athletic skills deserve praise, no matter who's performing them. Shake hands with opponents after a game, no matter whether your side won or lost. If your team wins, don't brag or lord it over the losing team. Instead, be respectful and say, "Good game." If you're winning, don't show off or start gloating.

Don't argue with officials. You may not like a call, and you may be certain that a player was safe when the ref called him out, but it's not up to you. You're not the one making the calls. You may complain privately about the validity of a call, but never argue with the referees. Doing so undermines their authority, and shows a lack of respect for game officials. If you're really sure a call was bad, wait until after the game, and respectfully ask the referee to explain his call to you in private.

Point out negative behavior in others. If someone is screaming at the coach or at other players, or is trash-talking the opponents, don't stand by and do nothing - that just sends the message that such behavior is acceptable. Instead, take the person aside and privately ask them not to be such a poor sport in public. If you're concerned that your request may be met with hostility or worse, such as a physical confrontation, don't approach the individual yourself. Instead, ask a referee, coach or administrative official to step in.

Don't blame others when things go badly. If your team loses, don't complain about how other players didn't pull their own weight, or how the other team must have cheated. Learn from the situation, accept that you lost, and move on. Take responsibility for your own actions, and promise yourself you'll do better next time.

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 1597