How to Promote Good Sportsmanship
If you watch the sports teams on television, you might think that sportsmanship is a lost art. The examples of trash-talking athletes behaving badly have transferred over to youth sports and even spread to some parents. But if you're a coach, you have an opportunity to help change all of that.
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Instructions
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Keep your temper in check. Remember that little eyes are watching you and taking note of how you handle stress and disappointment. If the umpire makes a call you don't like, respectfully disagree with him, not kick dirt all over his shoes.
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Remember that the lessons learned on the field will transfer over to the real world, and they'll learn a lot about sportsmanship from you and the other adults in their midst.
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Rein in the parents. If you have an out-of-control parent who can't refrain from screaming at his child or other players on the field, take the person aside and explain your sportsmanship efforts. Ask all parents to model good behavior for their kids.
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Stress the importance of winning and losing gracefully. A real winner doesn't taunt the other players or avoid the handshake line at the end of the game. Congratulating the winning team allows the child to learn humility.
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Be careful how you communicate the winning message. Winning at all costs should not be the goal of a team that practices good sportsmanship.
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Clap for a good play, no matter which team accomplishes it.
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Remember that they're just kids, and they want to have fun doing a sport that they love. Use constructive criticism and throw in a compliment or some encouragement. Build them up, and they'll remember you as the coach who made a difference in their life.
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