Sportsmanship

What is sportsmanship? One definition defines it this way: "expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors."

Have we lost our way when it comes to sportsmanship? Slogans like "Just do it" and "Whatever it takes" do not convey the idea of sportsmanship; instead, each conveys this idea of win at all costs regardless of the expense. I believe if sportsmanship disappears from sports all together then the idea of sports will disappear as well.

Athletic events are games; we play games for the sake of fellowship and entertainment. We pay to see others play games in order to see that game played at a higher level, a higher level than we are capable of playing. We pay for the excellence, the teamwork and to see that game at its highest level.

I would suggest that when sportsmanship disappears in a sport so too does its excellence, its teamwork and its high level. When the goal is only to win then standards drop because the goal is to win, at all costs. This attitude erodes away rules, standards, excellence and sportsmanship until the game we have paid to see is no longer worthy of our attention. Why? That game that we thought was played at such a high level may still be played at that high level or an even higher level, but our perceptions have changed because we see it played without rules, without standards and without sportsmanship.

I love athletics, but my prayer is that this idea of sportsmanship would make a strong come back in the professional ranks. We must recognize its importance in the development of our children before its too late because sportsmanship lies at the heart of competition. If it is lost then all athletic competition will be lost. Sportsmanship is what brings athletes back to reality; it is what screams loud and clear that this game we just played... it is only a game. It is not a battle and it does not go on for days. It ends at the whistle or the horn. Sportsmanship declares that someone won and someone lost... for today, but we will play again one day soon. We will play for the love of the game and the sheer joy of playing a game, but we will not let this "game" detract from who we are.

My prayer is that all coaches would understand that in the end it is not who won or who lost that really counts, but how each played the game. Some cliches have not been used enough. Maybe it is time to dust this one off. Blessings!