Western Pennsylvania Intramural Therapeutic League Sportsmanship Curriculum

Mission Statement The focus of the league is not about winning and losing, but rather to promote participation and to teach our student athletes fair play and teamwork.

What is Sportsmanship? fair play, respect for opponents, and gracious behavior in winning or losing.

What Is Sportsmanship? Part 2 Sportsmanship is the ability to:      win without gloating      lose without complaining      treat your opponent with respect.

Teaching Sportsmanship

Good sportsmanship includes the following 8 guidelines for good behavior.

Avoid Arguing Stay focused on the game instead of giving in to anger with teammates, coaches, or referees. Always avoid using bad language and negative words.

Everyone Should Have A Chance To Play. In the W.P.I.T.L, it's important to encourage all athletes to participate. "Research is clear that everyone can enjoy significant health benefits if they integrate physical activity into their daily lives."

Play Fair Good sportsmen want to win because they followed the rules and played the best game they could. Never support any effort to win that attempts to go around the rules. Cheating is not acceptable.

Follow Directions Emphasize the importance of listening to coaches and referees and following their directions while on the field and involved in team activities.

Respect The Other Team Whether your team wins or loses, it's important to show respect for the effort of the other team. If the other team wins, accept defeat, acknowledge their abilities, and move on. If your team wins, resist bragging—that's what it means to be a gracious winner. Showing respect for people means accepting their differences and treating them the way you’d like to be treated.

Encourage Teammates Team sports work best when each individual supports the team. Praise teammates for what they do well and encourage them when they make mistakes. Avoid criticism and unkind actions. Coaches should model this behavior for students by praising them for specific things they have done well, even if they made a mistake or may not have played as well as hoped.

Respect The Decisions Of Referees And Other Officials. These people are charged with making difficult decisions about plays in the game. Good sportsmanship requires that you accept a call, even if you disagree with it. Remember that it's only one call in a long game—get back into play and focus on the game.

End With A Handshake Good sportsmen enjoy sports and know how to end a game on a positive note, whether or not they won. Threats, anger, criticism, and other negative expressions are not acceptable. 

8 Guidelines For Sportsmanship Summary Avoid Arguing Everyone Should Have A Chance To Play Play Fair  Follow Directions Respect The Other Team Encourage Teammates Respect The Decisions Of Referees And Other Officials.  End With A Handshake

If you lose, don't make excuses. Sportsmanship Tips If you make a mistake, don't pout or make excuses. Learn from it, and be ready to continue to play.      If a teammate makes a mistake, offer encouragement, not criticism.      If you win, don't rub it in.      If you lose, don't make excuses.

Summary Good sportsmanship is one of the life lessons that children can learn from sports. You can help your children understand and value good sportsmanship while making sure they have a safe and fun sports experience. Good sportsmanship may seem hard to define, but its hallmarks include being able to win without gloating, respecting one's opponents, and being able to lose gracefully. Here are some important principles to instill in your children: If you lose, don't make up excuses. If you win, don't rub it in. Learn from mistakes and get back in the game. Always do your best. If someone else makes a mistake, remain encouraging and avoid criticizing. Show respect for yourself, your team, and the officials of the game.

Final Thought A student athlete who practices good sportsmanship is likely to carry the respect and appreciation of other people into every other aspect of life.

Discussion Question 1 You think you’re going to be the first to cross the finish line, but your friend pulls ahead of you at the last second and wins. 1. How did it make you feel? 2. What did you do when you lost?

Discussion Question 2 Sara is great at baseball. She can hit the ball farther than anyone on the team, and she can catch any ball that comes her way. She also lets everyone know that she’s the best player on the team. 1. Is Sara being a good sport? 2. Why or why not? How do you think Sara’s actions make the rest of her team feel?

Discussion Question 3 Teachers and coaches are always telling you to be a good sport. 1. What does that mean exactly? 2. What do good sports do when they’re playing? 3. What might happen if the kids playing a game weren’t being good sports?

Discussion Question 4 Kendall throws his cap and refuses to congratulate the other team after a loss. 1. Is he being a good sport? 2. What does it mean to be a good sport? 3. What are some of the things kids can do to be good sports? 4. Name things good sports don’t do.

Discussion Question 5 When two teams play a game, chances are one is going to lose. 1. How do you feel when you lose? 2. What do you do to show your feelings? 3. Discuss what’s good about not wanting to lose. How can it be bad?

Discussion Question 6 Sam bends the rules when playing basketball with neighborhood friends because she loves to win. She insists that some of her baskets count when she knows they really shouldn’t. 1. Is that cheating? 2. Do good sports cheat? Why or why not?

Quiz Grab a piece of paper and number your paper 1-6. Don’t forget to put your name at the top. You need a 5 out of 6 to pass the quiz. Take your time don’t rush and relax.

Quiz #1 Kids who are polite, play fair, and handle losing well are called ? A. sore losers B. braggers C. good sports C

Quiz #2 Your team just lost the last soccer game of the season. What would a good sport do? A. Yell at your teammates for doing a bad job. B. Give the players on the winning team a high five. C. Say mean things to the winning team. B

Quiz #3 You’re a very good basketball player and a good sport. What do you do when the coach asks you to sit out of the end of a game so another player can have a turn? A. Cry because you really want to score more points. B. Tell your teammates that you’re the best player on the team so you should be playing. C. Cheer for your team while you sit on the bench. C

Quiz #4 You’ve lost a championship baseball game. Which reaction is considered good sportsmanship? A. Running to the other team’s dugout to accuse them of cheating. B. Congratulating the other team . C. Yelling at the referee for bad calls during the game B

Quiz #5 List one ways to be a good sport: Any of the following: Be polite to everyone you’re playing with and against; don’t show off; tell your opponents “good game!”; learn the rules of the game; listen to your coaches and follow their directions; don’t argue with officials; don’t make up excuses or blame teammates if you lose; be willing to sit out so others can get in the game; play fair and don’t cheat; cheer for your teammates no matter what.

Quiz #6 Why is it important to be a good sport? Teaches fair play Show respect for authority and kindness toward opponents are all values that are part of sportsmanship.