How to Instill Good Sportsmanship

Having good sportsmanship is key to any side succeeding, as well as being key to having a top team spirit within your squad, and you as the coach must be able to show good sportsmanship yourself. Athletes showing sportsmanship is also in the best interests of your sport and your team could be setting an example to others on how to behave.

What is sportsmanship?

Sportsmanship is displaying ethnical, appropriate, polite and fair behaviour while participating in a game or athletic event.

One great example of sportsmanship is Oliver Kahn consoling Santiago Canizares, after the Champions League final in 2001. Despite having just won the trophy in a penalty shootout with Bayern Munich, rather than celebrating with his team-mates straight away, Kahn took the time to console the distraught Valencia goalkeeper Canizares first.

So how can you teach your athletes good sportsmanship?

• Be a good role model: when a coach interacts with an opponent, they must show respect. If your athletes see you acting with respect towards others, they will likely see the positive in this follow your example, as well as if you stress how important respect is.
• Make sure they have pride and discipline: if your athletes are proud of your team, they are less likely to undertake or encourage any actions that may harm it. This can be achieved by expecting certain standards from your players, such as ensuring every player adopts a 'team first' attitude and are therefore not going to behave in a way that could damage that.
• Behaviour guidelines: coach your athletes on what is acceptable behaviour - particularly when they are representing the team - so it's important that they act professionally on and off the pitch. This can include not making rude comments to the opposition or each other, not arguing with officials and being polite.
• Respect the opposition: it's important that you respect the opposition, even when things aren't going your way, which you must demonstrate as a coach to your players. Don't yell at the opposition or cheer when they make a mistake, but do cheer on your team and encourage your players to do the same. Shake hands meaningfully before and/or after the game and if you win, don't act arrogant; be a gracious winner and loser.

The saying "actions speak louder than words" is a quote to go by for teaching good sportsmanship and your behaviour as a coach will influence your squad more than any pep talk will. Become a key role model to your players and teach them how to behave professionally!

For more information, then check out this interesting article.