HOW CAN YOU TEACH YOUR CHILD TO BE A GOOD SPORT?
As a soccer parent, you have probably heard the term “sportsmanship” before. Perhaps the word was mentioned at a team meeting, or you have overheard a coach or referee stressing the importance of it. Are you wondering why sportsmanship is important? What exactly is sportsmanship, and how can you teach your own child to be a good sport?
Primarily, the practice of good sportsmanship extends beyond the playing field and involves not only the behavior of the players, but the coaches, referees and parents as well. In order to understand sportsmanship, it is a good idea to ask yourself, why are you here? In other words, why have you and your child decided to participate in a soccer league? These questions may sound obvious, but motivations help determine outcomes.
Sports participation builds an appreciation for fitness, develops important social skills as your child makes new friends, and teaches children how to work as members of a team. As a soccer player, your child can develop valuable soccer skills whether the team wins or loses. In fact, the objective of winning pales in comparison to the larger, more valuable lessons of perseverance and management of successes and setbacks. Here is where the importance of sportsmanship surfaces. In order to ensure that your child gains all of the benefits of sports participation, it is essential that good sportsmanship values be understood, exemplified and praised.
Sportsmanship begins with the fundamental principle of respect. In order to facilitate fair play and enjoyment on and off the field, the respectful treatment of coaches, teammates, opponents, referees and parents is essential. There are many examples of respectful, sportsmanlike conduct in soccer. A coach is a figure of authority and should have the team’s best interests at heart. A player’s regard for a coach’s advice and direction on the field builds teamwork and leads to success.
Positive communication with teammates is also vital on the field, and verbal encouragement is an important aspect of good sportsmanship. Criticism does not promote teamwork. A player should never get angry or visibly upset at a teammate for making a mistake. Sportsmanship is about supporting others and working together to turn mistakes into valuable learning experiences.
Showing consideration for opponents, regardless of the outcome of a game or the opposing team’s poor sportsmanship, demonstrates dignity and integrity. Players may shake hands with opponents before or after a match to show respect for the other team’s efforts. Respect for everyone involved in the soccer arena—at the game, at practice and off the playing field—facilitates learning, teamwork, achievement and fun.
Although a few examples of sportsmanship have already been mentioned, it is important to recognize that sportsmanship is comprised of small gestures as well as larger, more dignified behaviors. Wishing an opponent good luck before a match or commending a teammate’s defensive play or shot on goal may be easy to carry out. On the other hand, shrugging off a referee’s bad call or disregarding someone else’s bad behavior or inappropriate language may be more difficult to execute.
Good sportsmanship is not always easy. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage, self-confidence and willpower in the face of adversity to remain gracious and sportsmanlike.
As a parent and a spectator, do you remember a time when a referee made a poor call, or a player on an opposing team committed a dangerous foul? Could you feel your exasperation mounting? If you are a soccer enthusiast and a caring parent, you probably answered affirmatively to these questions. Whether you yell out or successfully curb your agitation in these situations, you exemplify appropriate behavior for every child present. Your actions and how you deal with your frustration will influence the future behavior and temperament of your own child.
Be a good role model, and demonstrate how to be a good sport. Young players are very impressionable, and their behavior is largely shaped through learning processes of modeling and reinforcement. Therefore, teaching and promoting good sportsmanship begins with your own behavior and sportsmanlike conduct. There is nothing wrong with becoming frustrated when situations on the soccer field don’t go smoothly for your team. However, if a parent chooses to display anger, act inappropriately or argue in front of a young player, the bad behavior is likely to reappear when the player is confronted with similar situations.
Ultimately, your actions, words and attitudes toward soccer will help shape your own child’s character and behavior as an athlete.
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