Good Sportsmanship
Today we’ll go through a few pointers on good sportsmanship to make sure your manners are good both on and off the playing field.
Adam Lowe
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Good Sportsmanship
First of all, I am using the term “sportsmanship” to refer to good sportswomen, sportsmen and everyone in between. I realize the term is sexist; it’s just that sportspersonship sounded a bit awkward in the reading.
It’s important to remember that the same general rules of good behavior apply when you’re playing sports. A football game is not an opportunity to forget all the good manners that you knew before stepping on the field. Of course cheating is never acceptable in any game, no matter how casual. If there is doubt about a call, accept whatever decision is made with graciousness and without back-talking. For example, if you are playing tennis and can’t see if a ball hit to you was in or out, it is assumed good unless someone has seen otherwise. If you hit a ball to your opponent and she calls it as out when you think it was in, it is your opponent’s call, and you should accept it graciously and without argument. The same of course goes for all calls made by referees — you should accept their judgments respectfully even if you do not agree with them.
Beyond not being argumentative, you should also not lose your temper on the playing field. Keep your emotional displays in check — it’s not that you can’t be happy or disappointed in something you do, but avoid excessive displays in either direction. This includes disappointment at a teammate’s performance. You should treat your teammates as well as your opponents with respect, and never blame your teammates for bad performance.
Remember that an important side of being a good sport is competing hard against your opponents, but treating them with courtesy and respect. Make sure visitors have everything they need (hydration, first aid, towels, etc.), and treat them as any good host would. While a little ribbing can be done in good spirit, avoid trash talk. Remember that what might seem funny to you may be taunting or hurtful to others, so err on the side of being friendly and respectful.
If you’re engaged in a solo person sport like skiing, snowboarding, running, biking or surfing, remember that rules of good behavior still apply. Be conscientious of others around you. Generally the person in front of you has the right of way, so make sure there is adequate room to safely pass and call out your intentions to alert him or her. Alerting someone doesn’t give you the right to plow ahead — it is still your responsibility to do it safely and without unnecessarily disturbing others. If you are surfing, you should not drop in on a wave someone else is already riding nearby, but let it pass and catch the next one. It is also your duty to be polite and welcoming to others, and let them know of any particular hazards if they are new to the area.
Back on the playing field, don’t be a prima donna, ball-hog or showboat on the field. Team sports are ensemble performances — not spotlights for stars. If your skill level is much greater than that of your teammates or opponents, then you may want to take it down a notch, and give everyone else a chance to enjoy the game and build their skills. It’s still fine to use your skill to win, but not to humiliate others.
And whether you win or lose, it’s important to be gracious. Good losing means accepting defeat without pouting, anger or moodiness, and congratulating your opponents on a good game. Good winning means shaking the hands of your opponents and thanking them for the game without gloating or taunting. At the end of the game, both sides should feel like it would be great to have a rematch.
So here’s hoping you’re always a gracious winner, and thank you for listening to Modern Manners Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Polite Life.
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