Sportsmanship can be loosely defined as a sense of fair play. It can be more finely tuned as fair treatment of all especially as it applies to sports.
In any given year, not all children enter the sports season at the same level of competency. Some are natural athletes; some have learned from previous seasons and others have never played the game before. Not all children on the team are the same age. A child's skill level at 9 is not as developed as a child's skill level at 11. So how does a coach, (knowing that all parents have paid the same fee) manoeuvre through the different skills and emotions that accompany the level of each player? Frustration of experienced players is just as understandable as the insecurity of the inexperienced.
This year as a spectator of girls fastball, I have witnessed the growth of all the teams. The unfair practice of rotating only the first year players in and out of the game persists. I also can see that this practice does not translate into a guaranteed win for the team.
A coach is someone who teaches through encouragement and constructive feedback. I personally admire coaches who give equal playing time to all players whether they are experienced or beginners. Coaches like this understand that they are teaching skills to the inexperienced, as well as teaching patience to the experienced. This trait is valued by both the parents and participants. Thus the art of sportsmanship is accomplished through fostering an atmosphere of equality, patience and growth, through experience. Sportsmanship is a skill that will last a lifetime.
Fran Millar
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
