How to Teach Sportsmanship in Youth Sports

Nothing ruins a well played youth sports event more than a display of poor sportsmanship by an individual or a team. Taunting, name calling and bad attitudes taint the fun that was had, and casts a shadow over what should have been a fun time. It is the responsibility of all coaches to teach proper sportsmanship and to lead by example. Sportsmanship should be a part of a coach’s overall plan for teaching and leading the team.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   Focus on Fun

   Keep the coaching focus on fun and player improvement. Everyone loves to win games. That’s part of the reason people participate in athletics. At the youth level, winning is only part of the overall benefit of playing sports. Most importantly the kids should have fun. They should get to participate in the games and have fun doing it. Secondly, the kids should be taught how to play the game and concentrate on improving their skills and getting better. Winning should be the last team goal. Generally, if you focus on having a good time and learning the fundamentals, the winning will come. Many sportsmanship issues arise from the total focus of winning at all costs. This can be easily avoided by keeping the focus on the most important facets of youth athletic participation.

2. Don’t permit criticizing of other players, especially players from the other team. Every player on the field wants to perform well. They are all trying their best. Some kids are not as skilled as others. All players make mistakes. That’s part of playing the game. But criticizing or making fun of other players has no place in athletics. It serves no purpose but to demean and degrade. Ask the players to evaluate if they are doing everything they need to do for the team to be successful, before they begin judging another players performance.

3. 
    
   Respect the Refs

   Respect the referees and game officials. Most youth sports officials are volunteers who love the sport, and give their time to help kids learn the game. When players or coaches get in verbal disputes with the referees, it sends the wrong message to the players about what is important. In this case, the focus is on winning instead of having fun, teaching the game and player improvement. Game officials make mistakes, but don’t let your focus on the officials get in the way of demonstrating the proper way to behave.

4. 
    
   Good Game

   Demand respectful behavior at the end of the game from your players. Win or lose, a coach must ensure his players are respectful to the other team at the end of a match. This includes shaking hands with the other team and saying “good game”. This is important whether the team wins or loses. This is where poor sportsmanship can be seen the most. Kids slap each others hands hard or don’t shake hands at all. There is name calling and other unnecessary behavior. The coach should monitor the behavior of his team and the other team to ensure respectful behavior is maintained.

5. Demonstrate sportsmanship as a coach. The players look to the coach for guidance and for signs of acceptable behavior. If the coach is yelling and disrespecting the officials, the team will believe that it’s alright to behave in that manner. If the coach doesn’t line his team up to shake hands after the game, what message is that sending to the players and their families? As the adult influence on the team, the coach should put sportsmanship atop the list of things to be emphasized each and every time the team is together. Running up the score, not playing all your players just to win, and other similar actions does nothing but embarrass the coach and the team. Lead by example. Show the kids what good sportsmanship is all about.

[georgelarson]

on 5/4/2009 Sportsmanship is the most important lesson that can come from playing sports. Good information.