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In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Germany's Luz Long, one of the world's best broad jumpers, was looking forward to competing against the great U.S. track and field star, Jesse Owens, the world record holder. Owens, however, foot-faulted on his first two qualifying jumps. And, down to the last chance to qualify, he was in danger of missing the competition.
Long suggested that Owens make a mark several inches before the takeoff board to avoid fouling again. It worked. Owens qualified by a centimeter, and eventually beat Long for the gold medal. A modern athlete would never be encouraged to do what Long did!
Sadly, from the youth leagues to the profession leagues there's been a decline in sportsmanship. We've traded sportsmanship, which means desiring to honorably beat the opponent at his or her best - for gamesmanship, which is just about victory, at all costs.
Gamesmanship was the agenda when football coaches bought offensive lineman gloves to match the colors of their opponents jerseys so that they could conceal holding.
Let's draw the line between sportsmanship and gamesmanship. It's easy when we consider the skills the game was created to emphasize - some games favor brute strength, some quickness, some accuracy or endurance. Then, we must ask whether the tactic in question demonstrates a skill that the game was designed to measure.
Let us pursue sportsmanship in our own athletic endeavors, and also teach others to be sportsman as well. Let's play by the old cliche, "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." Do you want to be known as a gamesman or sportsmen? Let's be sportsmanlike.
We will win when we're better, and be better when we lose - for our own betterment and for the betterment of sports.
Used from: 4th and Goal - Coaching for Life's Tough Calls, with Bill McCartney, a radio ministry of Promise Keepers. www.4thandgoal.org
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