The JumpStart Blog

We’ve all heard about the horrors of “that parent” who chews out the referee and shouts criticizing remarks to his kid or the opponents on the field. With more than 50 million kids in the United States taking part in some sort of organized sport (U.S. Census Bureau), teaching your kids how to be a good sport is an invaluable lesson that should be taught early on in life. One of the easiest ways to teach this lesson is exposing your kids to organized extra-curricular activities. This experience allows kids to grown physically, socially, and morally while learning all sorts of life lessons. According to the American Sport Education Program, participation in sports and other extra curricular activities:

• Develops a positive self-image
• Teaches kids how to be part of a team
• Develops social skills
• Teaches kids how to manage success and disappointment
• Teaches kids the important value of respect

These benefits only come when a child practices good sportsmanship while playing. Respect is the cornerstone of being a good sport. Budding athletes should have respect for themselves, their opponents, and their coaches and officials. In addition to respect, there are quite a few other components involved in stellar sportsmanship skills.

Kids Guide to Sportsmanship:

• Follow the rules of the game- Know the rules and play by them no matter what the circumstance or what others around you are doing.
• Avoid arguments- Anger gets in the way of performance and won’t help you improve your game. Manage your anger and use the energy in a positive way.
• Work as a team- Be a team player. Your behavior represents the entire team. Respect your teammates and their performance. Be positive about everyone’s efforts. Offer encouragement and cheer on your teammates no matter what’s happening in the game.
• Play fair- Cheaters never win. Cutting corners and breaking rules is no way to get ahead. In the end, victory won’t be as sweet knowing you broke the rules to get there.
• Listen to the coach- Even when it seems like the coach may be making the wrong decision, remember that he or she calls the shots, right or wrong. It’s important that you respect his or her authority and judgment.
• Accept the officials’ calls- No one’s perfect. Even if it seems like the referee may have missed a call or saw things differently than you, in the end, their call is the final call and sometimes you just need to live with it.
• Be a gracious winner and loser- Don’t gloat or rub in a victory and avoid making excuses and complaining about losing.
• Learn from mistakes- Encouragement goes a whole lot further than criticism. Tell yourself you’ll do better next time based on what you learned this time and chances are, you will

Since the first example of being a good sport is seen at home, it’s important that you set a good example for your kids early on- even while watching competitive events on TV. While your kids are on the field here are some other important tips to consider.

Parents Guide to Sportsmanship:

• Teach your kids the rules of the game and ensure that they follow them- Following the rules is a fact of life. Sports are a great opportunity to teach kids that rules are not meant to be broken and that they’re in place to foster fairness and safety for all.
• Equally encourage and support all the players on the team- It can be difficult to restrain yourself when it comes to protecting and providing what’s best for your kids. However, while on the field, your instincts to provide and protect your kids can only go so far. The best ways to support your child is to be supportive of all players in a positive way.
• Control emotions- Although the championship game may seem more important to you and your child than Super Bowl Sunday, remember in the end it’s just a game. Control your emotions, your language, and your actions and set the example of being a good sport.
• Treat officials, coaches, players, opponents, and fellow parents with respect and your child will do the same.
• Use the game to teach- Valuable life lessons often stem from instances in a game. Use these examples to teach your kids important lessons they’ll use throughout life.
• Set Consequences- If you catch your child partaking in some not-so-sporty behavior, make sure you have a consequence in place.
• Cooperation not competition- Be sure to stress cooperation more than competition. Finding leagues that have this as their philosophy is always a good place to start.
• Stress the ‘fun’ aspect for your kids- Participation should be voluntary and your kids should be having fun. If they are not having fun, it’s not worth it for you or for them. Forced participation has a counter effect and will end up being no good for everyone.

Follow these guidelines to ensure good sportsmanship skills are on schedule for you and your kids this summer season!