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In the 2003 NCAA I National Wrestling Championships in Kansas City, two collegiate wrestlers battled for All-American honors in the second round of the championship bracket. From the University of Iowa was undefeated Steve Mocco, the top-ranked heavyweight wrestler in the nation. From intrastate rival Iowa State was Scott Coleman.
Coleman was being manhandled by Mocco during the match. Mocco attempted to turn Coleman by using a bar-arm and pinning Coleman's head between his knees while working on forcing Coleman to go to his back.
In his excitement and his aggressive style of wrestling, Mocco elevated the arm of Coleman too high and away from the body. The referee stopped the match and penalized Mocco for an illegal hold. Coleman remained on the mat in pain, barely able to lift his right arm.
According to the rules of wrestling, had Coleman informed the referee he could not continue, the undefeated Mocco would have been disqualified, ending the hope of a national title.
Instead, Iowa State coach Bobby Douglas, who wasn't even initially even coaching in his athlete's corner rushed onto the mat and instructed Coleman to return to the mat...for at least one more second...before retiring because of an injury default.
That one second was the difference between a national championship which Mocco eventually earned, and a painful nightmare for Iowa State's Scott Coleman. It also served as a quick reminder to Steve Mocco and many others in the Kemper Arena that day that true sportsmanship is measured by more than championships.
"I felt like I was going into shock," said Mocco. "I was put in a position that I could have been put out of the tournament. The Iowa State coaches have all my respect and I owe them a lot. They represented their team with class and were warriors."
According to Coach Bobby Douglas, "We did the right thing. I don't think that would have been good for the sport. It wasn't that he was deliberately trying to hurt him. He got hurt because of position. If you get in that position and don't go over, you will get hurt."
Athletic Principle
"One man practicing good sportsmanship is far better than 50 others preaching it." - Knute Rockne
In perception and practice, sportsmanship is defined as those qualities which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others:
- Play fair, take loss or defeat without complaint, or victory without gloating
- Treat others as you wish to be treated Respect others and one's self
- Impose self-control, be courteous, and gracefully accept results of one's actions
- Display ethical behavior by being good (character) and doing right (action)
- Be a good citizen
"Sportsmanship is defined in the dictionary as, "a person who can take a loss or defeat without complaint, or victory without gloating, and who treats his opponents with fairness, generosity, courtesy."
Sportsmanship is a learned skill. Our nature is to seek victory and put ourselves first no matter what the situation. It takes direction, coaching, and understanding in how to conduct yourself (whether in victory or defeat); being moral, being mature, being a person of character, or just simply being the person to walk away from controversy, a potential fight, a cheap shot, or trash talk.
Sportsmanship is always thinking of the consequences before you talk or act. What you say and do as an athlete does affect others. Think about it!
Sportsmanship is a character quality. The time to build character is now! Just as the building that stands the test of time must have a strong foundation, so must you. If you don't build that foundation, you will have a hard time reaching your goals. If you are able to reach them without character, the satisfaction you feel will be fleeting. Consider for a moment the story of Ben Johnson of the Canadian Olympic team:
In the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, Ben Johnson of Canada won the 100 meter dash, setting a new Olympic and World Record in the process. Carl Lewis of the United States came in second place claiming the Silver medal. After the race, the Olympic officials found that Johnson had an illegal substance in his body - anabolic steroids.
Ben Johnson ran the Olympic race illegally. He was stripped of his Gold medal, of his Olympic and World Record, and of the respect of his peers. Eventually Ben Johnson was banned from the sport for life!
Even though Ben Johnson ran faster than all of the other runners, he failed to live up to the sportsmanship of the Olympic ideals. Ben Johnson took a crooked path and he was found out - he lost much: records, awards, endorsements, prestige, glory and honor, and his integrity!
Sportsmanship is simply an athlete or a coach who behaves fairly, honestly, and generously in the heat of battle. It is playing and competing within the rules of the game. It is training and competing with honesty and integrity in everything you do.
Now, you may not be Ben Johnson, and you may not be going for the Olympic Gold medal, but you can still compromise your integrity and flirt with the gray areas of sportsmanship:
- In football, sportsmanship is not holding, tripping, or leg whipping to take your opponent out of the play.
- In wrestling, sportsmanship is making weight without the use of diuretics, saunas and plastic suits.
- In basketball, sportsmanship is keeping your tongue under control, not talking trash up and down the floor.
- In hockey, sportsmanship is keeping emotions in check, not high sticking, slashing and tripping, or holding an opponent.
- In baseball, sportsmanship is not throwing high and inside at a batter to leave a message.
Start building a solid foundation now! Do it with character, do it with integrity, do it with class, and do it as a true sportsman!
Life Principle
"Sportsmanship for me is when a guy walks off the court and you really can't tell whether he won or lost, when he carries himself with pride either way." - Jim Courier, Professional Tennis Champion
Some people define good sportsmanship as the "Golden Rule" of sports - in other words, treating the people that you play with and against as you'd like to be treated yourself. You can demonstrate good sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself, your teammates, and your opponents, for the coaches on both sides, and for the referees, judges, and other officials. Good sportsmanship take maturity and courage; when you work really hard at a sport, it's not easy to admit that you made a bad play or that someone has more skill than you do.
People who have developed the skill of good sportsmanship usually find that the positive attitude they've learned on the field carries over into other areas of their lives. At school, for example, they're able to appreciate the contributions made by their classmates and they know how to work as part of a team to complete a project. They may enjoy more success at work as well, because good sports are respectful of others, including costumers and co-workers.
It can be just as hard to be a good sport when you've won a game as when you've lost one. You've probably seen athletes who take their own successes too seriously. They celebrate a goal with a prolonged victory dance or constantly brag about their abilities. After a while, you get tired of hearing them talk about how great they are.
Individuals who possess the character of sportsmanship, on the other hand, are gracious and generous winners. They can acknowledge their victories without humiliating their opponents. They are quietly proud of their success, letting their victories speak for themselves. Even if they win by a landslide, they still find ways to compliment their opponents.
When it comes to losing, people who are good sports congratulate the winner promptly and willingly. They accept the game's outcome without complaint and without excuses, even if they suspect that the referee made some questionable calls. They understand that in sports - as in life - you may not always win, but you can learn something from losing. In fact you learn more from defeat than you will ever learn from victory.
Although it's great to be champion, it's even better to have enjoyed the process of trying to reach the top. Good sports know how to play fair and how to have fun while they are doing it.
So what does it take to demonstrate good sportsmanship in real-life situations? Here are some examples of things that you can do:
- Learn as much as you can about your sport. Play by its rules. Show up for practice, work hard, and realize that if you're on a team, everyone deserves a chance to play.
- Talk politely and act courteously towards everyone before, during, and after games and events. That includes your teammates, your opponents, your coaches and theirs, the officials presiding over the game, and even the spectators (who can sometimes be loud with their opinions).
- Stay cool. Even if others are losing their tempers, it doesn't mean you have to. Remind yourself that no matter how hard you have practiced and played, it is, after all, just a game.
- Avoid settling disputes with violence. If you're in a difficult situation or someone's threatening you, seek help immediately from your coach or an official.
- Cheer your teammates on with positive statements - and avoid trash talking the other team. Acknowledge and applaud good plays, even when someone on the other team makes them.
- When officials make a call, accept it gracefully even if it goes against you. Remember that referees may not be right every time - but they're people who are doing their best, just as you are.
- Whether you win or lose, congratulate your opponents on a game well played.
Irina Karavaeva, a gymnast from Russia gave the international sports community a gift with an example of sportsmanship which all sportsmen around the world would do well to take note. After noticing that the judges in the World Gymnastic Championships in Denmark made a mistake in her favor, she handed the Gold medal over to second place finisher Ana Dogonadze of Germany.
This is the first time such an occurrence has happened in the sport of gymnastics. Irina Karavaeva noticed that the judges had made a mistake which attributed the Gold medal to her, and even though she is the eight-time world trampoline champion, Olympic champion and European champion, she decided to hand the medal to the second-place German gymnast.
"I am very sorry that the error was committed by the judges at the World Championships in Denmark. I feel it is necessary to correct the mistake, and I have decided to give the medal to my friend Ana Dogonadze of Germany as a sign of my friendship, and as a sign of fair play.
Fair play - sportsmanship was clearly shown by the actions of the Russian gymnast. This is a shining example of a young lady who performs at the highest level and yet does it with a pure attitude and with the true spirit of sport.
It is not easy to do what Irina Karavaeva did! It takes a person of character, class, and integrity.
Irina Karavaeva is to be congratulated and honored for valuing the sport more than the medal. We who love sports should take notice. Here is a role model for sportsmanship that we should never forget!
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