Elizabeth ~ Influenced by my mother and grandmother, who are both true ladies, I developed a sense of manners at quite a young age. This was only encouraged when I spent my middle school summers at an all girls camp in the Texas Hill Country with a 5 star chef and where our table manners were graded each meal!
No one will ever know what to do in every situation, but join me as I go through my "Emily Post's Etiquette" in the journey to learn!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Good Sportsmanship

Follow the rules. Be sure your child understands that the rules must be the same for everyone if winning is to have meaning.
Respect referees and judges. The role of officials is to enforce rules and make judgement calls. in some sports, they decide who wins or loses on the basis of performance. Since refs can make mistakes, youngsters should learn to protest respectfully. to challenge an official's call, groups should designate one teammate to speak. It's important to state the facts calmly and clearly, then give the official time to consider. Whatever the final verdict, accept it without complaint and go on with the game.
Be considerate of other team members. A considerate team player doesn't show off, claim personal credit for cooperative efforts, or berate other players for mistakes.
Win with grace. Parents and coaches must teach children to win without gloating, boasting, and grandstanding. Begin by encouraging youngsters always to thank the losing side. A gracious winner will observe the polite traditions of shaking hands after a competition and complimenting losers on some aspect of their play.
Lose without complaining. Losing is disappointing but not an excuse for sulking, pouting or crying foul. Losers should always congratulate winners. It's very important that youngsters learn not to blame others - members of their own team, coaches, referees - for a loss, and adults must set the example. ~ Emily Post

My brother was awarded the "NCAA Division I Sportsmanship Award". Because of his award and growing up in a family of athletes, I have numerous "words of advice" on this subject! Kids look to their parents to see how to react to all different situations in sports! If you set a good example, you kids will grow up to have great sportsmanship!

Always leave what happened on the field, ON THE FIELD! There is no need to replay every mistake or bad decision the rest of the night. It will ruin your night (and those around you!)

A&M lost to Rice in the Super Regionals a couple years ago. I have watched baseball my entire life and have never seen such a poorly called game. Augie Garrido, the UT baseball coach, even commented on live TV while watching the game that he had never seen such bad calls either! A little background, my brother had melanoma at the beginning of the year and couldn't play baseball in the fall. He was just supposed to sit on the bench his senior year and be a leader for the team! But through God's miraculous healing hand, Parker played and played the best season of his life! So this was his last year, and his last game. Parker ended. . . probably the most frustrating game of his life and his last game with the A&M jersey on . . . with a pop up. 3rd out, Aggies lose and Rice goes on to the College World Series. Parker congratulated his many friends on the Rice baseball team, hugged us, got on the bus, and a couple days later joined his next chapter in life with the Dodgers. I was so impressed with Parker's character. There was another person I still cannot believe acted with such class! Coach Childress could have played the game "in review" or in protest from the 3rd inning. Then "bigwigs" in the NCAA would have gone back and viewed the game and made a decision on whether or not the officials had a bias during the game. Coach Childress did not make that call. After the game, he was specifically asked by the media about the officials. He calmly replied that he was not going to point fingers at who caused the loss, but that his team made some crucial mistakes and that Rice played a great game. What a graceful loser!

After you have won, act like you have been there before. If you "hoot and holler" and strut around the field, people are going to think you have never won a game before!

Remember win AND lose with class! ~ Elizabeth

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