I truly never understood what my father was telling me when one day my team won a big game and his comment to me was “remember son – you will meet the same people on the way down as you do on the way up!’ That was my father’s lesson to me about sportsmanship and making sure I understood to win with class and humility and to lose with the same class and humility. Yes, this is a valuable lesson for anyone who puts on a uniform and competes in athletics.

I remember growing up and watching a famous boxer by the name of Muhammad Ali. As he approached a fight, he would boast about his outstanding talent and humiliate his opposition. It was his way of showing extreme confidence in his abilities and his way of intimidating his opponent. We all know now after his storied fight with Joe Frazier and Ali went down in defeat, he was also a very humble loser that gave credit to Frazier for fighting a great fight. Ali handled the situation with such grace and dignity that he actually inspired me, and I am sure millions of other people who were watching the event. Although he had not boxed in three and a half years prior to the fight he never used that as an excuse. In fact he never made any excuses. He took sole responsibility for the loss and he gave Frazier all the credit that was due him. He talked about how great Frazier was as a fighter and a man. He was so gracious in defeat that you couldn’t help but admire him. Ali may never have won with humility but he certainly knew how to lose with grace. Everyone talks about how great a winner Ali was, but in my opinion he was a great loser. He certainly taught me a lot about the experience of losing with grace.

The roller coaster of emotions that competitors face throughout a year can be a humbling experience in itself. I may be dating myself but I remember a show on television call The Wide World of Sports and it always began with this statement – “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. That basically sums up the roller coaster of emotions in sport. Our job as coaches and parents is to teach sportsmanship that is expected both win and lose. After all, we will never win every game we play! Humility and class are essential in our teachings and are great qualities in both winners and losers. These traits are necessary not only for the athletes, but also the coaches, parents, and other spectators that enjoy the game.

As a Player

• Win with class. Your winning performance has spoken for itself, so there is no need to gloat or rub it in the opposing team's face. Make sure to shake their hands and tell them good game, because inevitably someday you will be in their shoes. Which brings us to the next key point of sportsmanship…
• Lose with grace. Due to the law of probability, it is extremely likely that you will lose at some point in your life. When you do lose, do so gracefully. Don’t cast the blame on fellow teammates or the officials and don’t accuse the winning team of cheating. Shake their hands and congratulate them, after all, it’s just a game.

As a Fan

• Watch your language. There is absolutely no need to sound like a lurid sailor while cheering on your team, and in all likelihood if you are actually watching the game from the stands, you’ll be within earshot of children, so adjust your language accordingly. Also, if most amateur sports require athletes to refrain from excessive foul language, it’s a safe bet that you should also keep it clean.
• Respect opposing team. Since many sports fans take their fan hood and their team allegiance very seriously, a lot of booing and jeering takes place once the opposing team enters onto the field or court. This is unnecessary and tasteless. Focus on cheering for your own team and less on heckling the opposing team.
• Respect other fans. Contrary to popular opinion, a stranger who is rooting for the opposing team is not in fact your sworn enemy. Actually, they are there for the same reason you are—to enjoy the game and cheer on their team. Don’t ruin the game and the experience for fans around you by running your mouth with a play-by-play commentary on why the officials are inept or how the coach is useless.
• Respect the officials. The official’s job is not an easy one, where every mistake is followed by a thousand angry heckles. They are going to make mistakes, but it is important to keep in mind that while you may have an elevated view of the game and the video replay giving you slow-motion replays, the officials are viewing each play at eye level and watching the game happen in the blink of an eye. Cut them some slack; they are only human and without which you wouldn’t even be watching the game.
• Support your team, win or lose. No one likes a fair-weather fan. If you’re going to support your team, you do so win or lose, rain or shine. Even if they are losing and there are two outs in the last inning, stay until the end to applaud your team as they run off the field.

Until Next Month,

Coach Mike Candrea