What is great sportsmanship?

Sportsmen and women the world over go into battle with their opponents, whether in hockey, tennis or football, but at the end of the match, win or lose, they hug, high five, and even swap shirts. This is why many teams have a number of Discount Football Kits from companies such as www.kitking.co.uk/ to allow their players to swap shirts at the end of important matches.

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Why is this? Well, it’s all part of the art of sportsmanship, and here we’ll tell you a bit more about great sportsmanship.

Fair play for all

Part of great sportsmanship is to play a good game, treat your opponents as you would like to be treated yourself and to play to the very best of your ability. It’s also about playing fairly and working together with others on your team. Building team relationships is key in any of these sports and should always be built into any sports training programs. Each player needs to be aware of their individual role within the team and how they work together to achieve their chosen goals.

Playing by the rules

If you don’t know the rules of your chosen game, you won’t be able to play to the best of your ability, and in turn, show great sportsmanship. Learn all you can about the game you are playing. Your team coach will be able to help with this, but it will stand you in good stead if you do some learning yourself. There are some great resources on the internet.

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Respecting the decision

We’ve all seen it, sportsmen and women questioning a line call or the reason for a penalty being awarded, and sometimes those exchanges can get a little heated. When you’re playing a sport, it’s OK to question a call, but it should be done in a respectful way. Referees and officials are there to see fair play, and sometimes they see things more clearly than someone in the thick of the action. They should be respected by team players, spectators and the team coaches.

Respect your opponent

So, great sportsmanship is about respecting your opponent before, during and after the match. If you are the victor, then be gracious, and if you are the loser, congratulate your opponent. This mindset is also something to carry through to other aspects of life. If things don’t always go your way, accept them and try and do better next time.

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