Sportsmanship expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with

proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. Being
a "good sport" involves being a "good winner" as well as being a "good loser".[1]

Sportsmanship typically is regarded as a component of morality in sport, composed of three related and
perhaps overlapping concepts: fair play, sportsmanship and character.[2] Fair play refers to all participants
having an equitable chance to pursue victory[3] and acting toward others in an honest, straightforward, and
a firm and dignified manner even when others do not play fairly. It includes respect for others including
team members, opponents, and officials.[4] Character refers to dispositions, values and habits that
determine the way that person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and
successes and is typically seen in polite behaviors toward others such as helping an opponent up or
shaking hands after a match. An individual is believed to have a “good character” when those dispositions
and habits reflect core ethical values. An example of poor sportmanship is exemplified in a team's calling
timeouts to run up the score on an opponent when the former team already has a sizeable lead.

Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable characteristic or disposition

such that individuals differ in the way they are generally expected to behave in sport situations. In
general, sportsmanship refers to virtues such as fairness, self-control, courage and persistence[2] and has
been associated with interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly, maintaining self-
control in dealing with others, and respect for both authority and opponents.

A competitor who exhibits poor sportsmanship after losing a game or contest is often called a "sore
loser" (those who show poor sportsmanship after winning are typically called "bad winners"). Behavior
includes blaming others, not taking responsibility for personal actions, reacting immaturely or
improperly, making excuses for their loss, referring to unfavorable conditions or other petty issues.[5][6] A
bad winner is when the victor of a game acts in a shallow fashion such as gloating about their win or
rubbing it in the face of the one who lost.

Many adults and children have seen it. A professional football player scores a touchdown
and begins a taunting dance celebration in the end zone. A baseball player is hit by a pitch
and charges the mound. A basketball coach does not like a referee call and begins yelling
in outrage, stirring up the crowd. In situations such as these, how can we provide the sports
world with good sportsmanship?

Good sportsmanship is being able to respect all aspects of a sport or an event. It is where a
player can stand tall after just being defeated or when a winning opponent is calm, not
taunting or raving the losing side. Players get fouled all the time and a referee does not
always call or see it, but that player who does not retaliate and not let it interfere with their
focus demonstrates good sportsmanship. An athlete showing good sportsmanship also
shows leadership and gives something for scouts to recognize. Students are always talking
about going to this college and that college wanting to play sports or be in a club. What
some of these competitors do not realize is that scouts or recruiting services look not only at
your agilities but also look at your leadership or sportsmanship conducts. Ask yourself who
is going to be mo

be more likely to get picked, the athlete with twenty goals and been in ten fights or the
athlete who is team captain with nine goals?

One of the most important values you can teach children is that sports are meant to be fun.
If children’s sports experiences are fun, they will keep active throughout their lives. Shaping
a child’s attitude toward good sportsmanship is even more important than helping them with
the physical aspects of the game. My parents taught me that sports were supposed to be
fun. They said winning and losing were not key points to sports, but how well you present
yourself. I was told that I should not let fouls or miscalls get me down because all it would
end up doing is making me lose concentration or focus. My parents also explained to me
how your sportsmanship affects the ways people and fans look at you. I do not want to be
known as the bad player or a bully or whatever else they might say. I want to be that player
that parents look at and say, “look at his good leadership” or “notice how he handled that
call in an orderly fashion.” I have asked myself one question many of times and that is “Do I
really want to be the player looked down on in something I love doing?” This question has
helped keep a positive aspect and made me strive to have good sportsmanship.

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