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Sportsmanship: an important aspect of any game plan
By Mike Bates
Information Coordinator, WADA
As many conference races will soon be going down
to the wire, and WIAA tournaments are just around the corner, now is a good
time to remind people of the importance of good sportsmanship.
Oftentimes
many people get caught up in the emotional aspect of sports, and the
Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association (WADA) offers that sometimes people
simply need to be reinforced with the importance of keeping things in
perspective – especially in the high school athletic arena.
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Todd Clark
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The
main reason for schools to regularly stress the advantage
of good sportsmanship is simple, according to Todd Clark of the WIAA.
“If we don't... who will? Like many things we care so much
about,
if the ideals of sportsmanship are ignored, they'll go away,” said Clark,
the WIAA Communications Director whose staff responsibilities includes
sportsmanship.
“The WIAA strongly encourages school participation in
sportsmanship programs and the existence of a sportsmanship plan that
continually addresses these challenges of interscholastic athletics. As with most anything, it's better
to be proactive than reactive,” stated Clark
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And, as the winter sports seasons
will soon be at the fever-high-pitch that’s normally associated with
tournament time, A.D.’s may find it helpful to remind the students,
coaches, faculty, staff, parents, booster club and their community of the
role that positive sportsmanship can have on their team. “Coaches and players have to set a
strong example for the fans,” offered Jiff Sitz of Wisconsin Lutheran in
Milwaukee. “It’s best to stay
focused, do your job, control what you can control and compete with
dignity.”
Schools also find that sometimes the
further a team advances in the tournament series, the greater the fan base
– especially if a team makes it to the state level.
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Jeff Sitz
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“The
state tournament brings out the casual fan, who doesn't attend very often.
Their only reference is what they see on TV during the college season,” said
Sitz, who has 20 years
of experience as an A.D. and is the President-Elect of the WADA. “That’s not always a great
benchmark. That's why it's important to have your solid fan base
understand their role in the contest. Be loud, have fun, cheer
positively for your team.
“The
state tournament is such a great time of the year in any sport. Your
kids have worked so hard to get there, and you want the fans in the stands to
step up and be an equally great representative of your school community. We, like many other schools, call in
our "leaders" from time to time to discuss behavior in the stands,”
Sitz added.
There
are many ways for an A.D. to communicate a school’s sportsmanship goals,
pointed out Clark. “For the
student body, perhaps a series of announcements or the same message repeated
during morning homeroom/PA announcements and/or at the end of the day,” he
explained. “Other opportunities
to present a general sportsmanship message would be during pep assemblies or
any other assembly during the year.
“Provide
sportsmanship
message/expectations and ramifications prior to the starting lineups
or before the anthem at all games.
Have preseason meetings with athletes and parents, and use the
WIAA-provided sportsmanship brochure for parents. AD.’s can remind coaches on staff at regular staff
meetings of their responsibility in educating student-athletes on their teams
and what are the sportsmanship expectations,” continued Clark, who has been
on the WIAA staff since July, 2000.
Resource materials on ways to promote positive
sportsmanship are available on the
WIAA web site and the WADA web site, and, schools can plan to have
representatives attend
the WIAA Sportsmanship Summit held in the fall.
“Schools that make sportsmanship and citizenship an
important part of the total educational process are better prepared to place
situations into their proper perspectives. The display of sportsmanship and
citizenship reveals character in individuals, schools and communities. The
lack of sportsmanship, then, sends the opposite message,” Clark added.
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The web site for
the WADA is www.wadawi.org and Mike Bates may be reached via
e-mail
at mbates1@new.rr.com.
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