Sportsmanship: It Matters Now More than Ever

There’s a saying that ‘chivalry is dead.” Here lately, it seems like that phrase could apply to sportsmanship as well, especially in the sport of hockey. Given many recent events and the increasingly cutthroat nature of the sport itself, it almost seems like sportsmanship and its value has gone out the window.  

If you need a clear picture, consider the fact that Ndamukong Suh recently and purposefully stepped on Aaron Rodgers’ leg...or that time he kicked Matt Schaub. Even worse, think about when Todd Bertuzzi punched Steve Moore and the “Malice at the Palace” brawl. These types of things are becoming more common than ever in the hockey world, and what’s even worse is that young players are witnessing or hearing about these types of things, often from people they consider their heroes.

Does this mean that we should just let kids think this kind of behavior is normal or acceptable? Absolutely not. Now, more than ever, parents, coaches, and everyone involved in the world of youth hockey needs to drive home the point that good sportsmanship matters. This means having clear rules of conduct and equally clear punishments for those who violate the rules.

When big stories break about bad conduct, don’t just hope kids don’t notice them. They will, especially in the age of social media. Instead, talk to them about what happened and why it was wrong. Use these examples as a way to teach good sportsmanship and reinforce why it matters.

This might not be enough to change the entire climate of hockey as it now stands, but it can change the climate of your local team. And, ultimately, if young players are raised to value sportsmanship, it can lead to a change in the future of the sport.

Being a Good Sport Virtually

Most of us are pretty good about being “good sports” when it comes to how we act towards people’s faces. We’ll smile at the parents of our child’s opponents and not cheer too loudly when our team gets one over on the other side. And, most of us teach our kids to be good sports too- we’ll have them all shake hands after a game or even say congratulations to the winner.

Unfortunately, though, a lot of us don’t conduct ourselves the same way in the online world, such as on message boards and social media sites, and that sends a horrible message to our youngsters, not to mention the fact that it can affect athletic performance, morale, coaches, other parents, and the sport in general.

One type of online behavior that is particularly disturbing is when parents post bad things about other children online. Whether they’re voicing their opinions via Facebook, Twitter, or anything in between, negative comments, hurtful videos, threats, and other online bad behavior is unacceptable. There is never any good reason to shame, ridicule, or hurt a child.

The problem has gotten so bad that some sports teams have instituted social media policies. While these policies vary by creator, most stipulate that any parent who posts negative comments about children online is banned from games and may even have their children banned from games as well.

If your child’s coach has already handed out and had you sign a social media policy, that’s a good start. And if not, it’s a good idea to broach the topic with him or her, especially if there are already negative comments posted or online bullying going on.

And, even if you’re not guilty of positive negative things online, also make sure that you’re not suffering from “Facebook envy.” If you find yourself glancing at other parents’ pages and feeling jealous of their kids and their sports  performance, you’re just asking for resentment to brew and grow. Get your own attitude in check even if it means stepping away from the computer for a while, and you’ll notice positive changes in yourself, which, at the end of the day, is all you can control.