The material on this page was borrowed (with permission) from the Positive Coaching Alliance website. Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a nonprofit organization based at Stanford University with the mission to transform the culture of youth sports to give all young athletes the opportunity for a positive, character-building experience.

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP

What does it mean to you to be a good sport? Unfortunately, many coaches equate being a good sport with being soft or weak.

PCA believes the time has come to unite behind a powerful new term, "Honoring the Game." Coaches, parents, and athletes need to realize that an "Honoring the Game" perspective needs to replace the common win-at-all-cost perspective. If a coach and his or her team have to dishonor the game to win it, what is this victory really worth, and what sort of message is this sending young athletes?

At PCA we say that Honoring the Game goes to the "ROOTS" of positive play. Each letter in ROOTS stands for an important part of the game that we must respect. The R stands for Rules. The first O is for Opponents. The next O is for Officials. T is for Teammates, and the S is for Self.

THE ROOTS OF
HONORING THE GAME

R  is for Rules
Rules allow us to keep the game fair. If we win by ignoring or violating the rules, what is the value of our victory? PCA believes that honoring the letter AND the spirit of the rule is important.

O  is for Opponents
Without an opponent, there would be no competition. Rather than demeaning a strong opponent, we need to honor strong opponents because they challenge us to do our best. Athletes can be both fierce and friendly during the same competition (in one moment giving everything to get to a loose ball, and in the next moment helping an opponent up). Coaches showing respect for opposing coaches and players sets the tone for the rest of the team.

O  if for Officials
Respecting officials, even when we disagree with their calls, may be the toughest part of Honoring the Game. We must remember that officials are not perfect (just like coaches, athletes and parents!). Take time to think about how to best approach an official when you want to discuss a call. What strategies do you have to keep yourself in control when you start to get upset with officials" calls? We must remember that the loss of officials (and finding enough in the first place) is a major problem in most youth sports organizations, and we can confront this problem by consistently respecting officials.

T  is for Teammates
It"s easy for young athletes to think solely about their own performance, but we want athletes to realize that being part of a team requires thinking about and respecting one"s teammates. This respect needs to carry beyond the field/gym/track/pool into the classroom and social settings. Athletes need to be reminded that their conduct away from practices and games will reflect back on their teammates and the league, club, or school.

S  is for Self
Athletes should be encouraged to live up to their own highest personal standard of Honoring the Game, even when their opponents are not. Athletes" respect for themselves and their own standards must come first.

Having this definition of Honoring the Game (HTG) is a start. To make Honoring the Game the youth sports standard, coaches, leaders, and parents need to discuss HTG with their athletes. Coaches need to practice it with their athletes (i.e. have players officiate at practice). And perhaps most importantly, all adults in the youth sports setting (coaches, leaders, parents, officials, and fans) need to model it. If these adults Honor the Game, the athletes will too.

The key to preventing adult misbehavior in youth sports is a youth sports culture in which all involved "Honor the Game."

Honoring the Game gets to the ROOTS of the matter and involves respect for the Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and one's Self. You don't bend the rules to win. You understand that a worthy opponent is a gift that forces you to play to your highest potential. You show respect for officials even when you disagree. You refuse to do anything that embarrasses your team. You live up to your own standards even if others don't.

Here are ways that coaches can create a positive youth sports culture so that children will have fun and learn positive character traits to last a lifetime.

1.         Model Honoring the Game in behavior and language, especially when the official makes a "bad" call against your team.

2.         Tell your players you expect them to Honor the Game regardless of what the other team does.

3.         Recognize that you are the leader of the team, which includes the players AND their parents. Set and reinforce expectations for parent behavior in

   •   a pre-season letter to parents (click here to download a pdf)

   •   a parent meeting at the beginning of season

   •   pre-game conversations at every game

4.         Support the officials, especially if your parents yell at them. Tell parents they are to Honor the Game even if the official makes a bad call.

5.         Appoint a team parent as "Culture Keeper" to gently remind other parents on the sideline to Honor the Game. Make sure they have Honor-the-game cards, buttons, and stickers to distribute.

TOOLS FOR
HONORING THE GAME

Want some help implementing the  above guidelines?  PCA offers some terrific (free) coaching tools. Check it out.

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