The following overview includes a variety of discussion topics and other suggestions for effective celebration of National Sportsmanship Day with elementary school students.  The discussion topics include the “Right-vs-Right” approach.  The Institute for International Sport credits the Center for Global Ethics in Camden, Maine (www.globalethics.org/) for introducing this discussion vehicle.

Begin by offering the dictionary definition of sportsmanship:

Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in winning and losing.

FIFTEEN DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(Use your judgment as to which of these questions best suit

the particular grade level you are working with)

1.      Why do you play sports/games?

2.      What lessons can we learn from sports?

3.      What is sportsmanship?

4.      What is gamesmanship? (At this stage, introduce the concept of gamesmanship by reading the following definition:  The art or practice of winning games by questionable means without actually breaking the game’s rules, but violating their spirit; or the use of ethically dubious methods to gain an objective.  After reading this definition, offer some examples of gamesmanship such as faking an injury to stop the clock).

5.      What examples of good and poor sportsmanship do you see at your school – both on the athletic field, and in the classroom?

6.      What are some things you can do to promote good sportsmanship?

7.      Do you think professional athletes have a responsibility to be positive role models? How about high school and college athletes?

8.      Do you want to be a role model for younger kids when you get older?

9.      How do you treat others who are not athletic?

10.  Do you ever feel pressure to compete or stay involved in sports? Who pressures you? Parents? Coaches? Friends?

11.  Do you think parents exhibit poor sportsmanship while watching their children’s games?

12.  Have you witnessed parents’ poor sportsmanship at your games?

13.  Remember we talked about the issue of gamesmanship?  How do you feel when you know others have cheated or have come close to cheating? If you knew one of your teammates cheated in a victory, would you tell someone? Whom would you tell? Would your answer be different if you had lost the game?

14.  Who is your favorite athlete? How does he/she behave on and off the playing field?

15.  What is trash talking? Is it an acceptable way of being competitive? What are some examples of trash talking and poor sportsmanship that you have experienced first-hand?

The Five Principles of Honorable Competition

• Read to the students the five principles of honorable competition, from Dan Doyle’s “The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting”:

1.    Respect the game.  This includes showing respect for opponents, referees, coaches and fans. 

2.    Play by the rules, and within the spirit of the rules.  Don’t try to get away with cheating or taking shortcuts just because you think no one will notice or catch you.  The only real victories are honest victories, untainted by cheating or gamesmanship. 

3.    Play your best, and understand that doing your best does not mean embarrassing or humiliating your opponent. 

4.    Don’t punch back, play harder.  When provoked, an athlete should ascend to the highest level of honorable competition by increasing focus and intensity, not by reacting in an undisciplined, unproductive way.

5.    Employ competitive self-restraint – play hard but with self-control.

• Discuss these principles with the students.

The Dirty Dozen

• Read to the students the “Dirty Dozen” from Dan Doyle’s “The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting”:

1.           Fighting, even if another player starts or attempts to start a fight.

2.           Any form of cheating, such as dishonest line calls or fouls. 

3.           Gamesmanship tactics, including harassment, heckling, trash talking, or other questionable methods to gain competitive advantage. 

4.           Scolding, bullying, teasing, or humiliating one’s teammate.  At times, high school and college players, especially team captains, appropriately exhort or chastise other teammates, but this is different from simply scolding a youngster who is less skilled or makes a mistake. 

5.           Arguing with referees, coaches, teammates or fans.

6.           Blaming others for your personal errors.

7.           Throwing tantrums or encouraging other displays of anger after a mistake, loss, or poor performance. 

8.           Selfish behavior, including ball hogging, bragging and failure to respect team rules.

9.           Intentionally aggressive physical acts which are not part of a competitive, fairly played game.  This includes contact intended to hurt someone, to illegally stop or to impede a player, or to retaliate and get revenge. 

10.           Confrontational stances or faces conveying an “I dare you” or an “I can intimidate you” attitude. 

11.           Extreme attention-getting or self-congratulatory posturing after a touchdown, home run, or basket.  This is different from hugging or congratulating a teammate.  

12.           Profanity or vulgar language. 

• Discuss the Dirty Dozen with the students.

The Nine Rules of “Competitive Self-Restraint”

• Talk to the students about the meaning of self-control – “Competitive Self-Restraint” as Dan Doyle describes in his “The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting.”
• Elicit the students’ opinions on the importance of self-control
• Read to the students the nine rules of “Competitive Self-Restraint,” from Dan’s book: 

1.     There will be times when you get bumped, hit or shoved.  Be prepared for such possibilities, and try not to take them personally or allow them to upset you. 

2.     Whether you are accidentally or intentionally hit, tripped or hurt by someone, do not hit back, retaliate or argue with other players.

3.     You must step back and let the officials and coaches deal with any problems.  When stepping back, avoid confrontational eye contact, posturing or nasty comments, because they can provoke a fight. 

4.     Very few athletes play well when they lose control.  If you become angry, upset or hit someone, negative consequences could result, including:

·        Hurting another player or yourself.

·        Losing your focus on the game.

·        Embarrassing yourself, your team, your coach, and your family. 

·        Getting penalized or kicked out of the game.

·        Getting suspended from future games.

·        Getting kicked off of the team.

·        Disrupting your team’s concentration.

5.     Self-control requires mental practice to prevent being caught off guard when an incident occurs.  (It is wise to discuss problem scenarios and desired responses with young athletes).

6.     Practice the “don’t punch back, play harder” motto.  Whenever you are provoked in a practice, scrimmage or game, repeat this motto to yourself. 

7.     Never use profanity or trash talking when addressing other players, coaches, officials or spectators.  Such tactics could spin out of control and provoke a fight.

8.     Never assume it is acceptable to copy poor behavior of sports professionals, whether it is fighting, verbal or physical intimidation, or arguing with others.  Athletic skill alone does not make someone a true role model.  A true athletic role model is one who combines athletic skill with good sportsmanship, good character, self-control and hard work. 

9.     Play as hard as you can, but within the rules.

Discussion Questions and Right-versus-Right Conundrums

Part of Plato’s philosophy was to foster the practice of teaching and learning through dialogue.

The goals of National Sportsmanship Day encompass Plato’s philosophy as well as critical thinking, which requires and enables us to look at things from all sides, and to analyze competing ideas.

- In a recent national survey, 100% of the surveyed college faculty responded that the most important goal of the college experience was to develop the ability to think critically.

The following discussion questions and right-versus-right conundrums should help to foster discussion and critical thinking among students, coaches, teachers, and parents alike.

Discussing Sportsmanship Issues: The Right-vs-Right Method

The Institute for International Sport has found that a compelling way to approach sportsmanship is through a Right-vs-Right discussion.  Right-vs-Right discussions involve topics that carry some degree of “rightness” on both sides of the issue.  Here are two elementary school level Right-vs-Right conundrums that will serve as the basis for fascinating discussion and analysis among students, teachers, coaches, and parents. 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Scenario 1

Situation: Joey and Timmy are playing in a juniors tennis match when Joey hits a shot that Timmy can’t reach. Timmy knows that the ball is clearly inside the baseline and should be good for a point, which would win the game for Joey. However the referee, who is the parent of another player (not the opponent) and has been kind enough to volunteer to umpire, calls the shot out. This ruling ties the match at 40-40, giving Timmy a second chance to win the game. What should Timmy do?

Conundrum: As we know, players’ job is play, coaches’ to coach, and umpires to referee. Therefore, it is right for Timmy to not argue with the umpire, allowing his call - albeit an incorrect one - to stand. However, Timmy knows that the shot was in. So, in the spirit of fair and honorable play, it is also right for Timmy to inform the umpire - in a respectful manner - that his call was incorrect, and that Joey should win the game.

Scenario 2

Situation: During gym class at school, the kids usually play dodge ball. The two best athletes in the class, Beverly and Polly, always get to be the captains and pick the teams. One of Beverly’s friends, with whom she always eats lunch, is Kathy. Yesterday at lunch, Kathy told Beverly how much she really loved dodge ball, but she knew she wasn’t very good at it. It hurt her feelings that she always got picked last or next to last. The next day, Beverly and Polly had to pick teams again. Beverly won the coin flip and was allowed to pick first. Among others, she could select Kathy, her friend, or Sarah, a much stronger player. Whom should Beverly pick?

Conundrum: Beverly understands quite well that picking Kathy would allow Polly to get better players and, most likely, win the game. So, it is right for Beverly to pick Sarah, trying to gain a competitive advantage in doing so. However, Beverly also knows that if she picks Kathy - especially early in the selection process - she would make her friend’s day. So, it is also right for Beverly to pick Kathy, understanding that friendships are more important than dodge ball victories.