Excerpts From the Book: “Coaching for Character” (now available as “Sport and Character”)
By Craig Clifford and Randolph Feezell
1. Be a good role model: Actions speak louder than words. A coach should seek to embody sportsmanship and
respect for opponents, officials, team members, and the sport. When a coach fails to live up to these ideals, they
should admit this to their players. (On a personal note, there are times when I've failed to live up to my own ideals,
and I think the notion of talking this over with players as well as apologizing to a ref or opposing coach is a good
idea, when appropriate.)
2. Emphasize sportsmanship from the beginning: Explain your expectations, what sportsmanship is, and why you
value this trait.
3. Talk about combining seriousness and playfulness: Explain to your players that sport is serious fun. It is
competitive play. Don't take it too seriously, but don't treat it too lightly, either.
4. Regularly use the language of sportsmanship: One thing that this means is that players often hear the language
of "respect" from the coach.
5. Expect sportsmanship in practice and games: Encourage and expect respect in both situations.
6. Reinforce good sportsmanship: This can be done through words of praise, granting more playing time on this
basis, and including a
sportsmanship award after the game or season.
There is a lot of pressure away from sportsmanship in many sports at all levels from youth sports up through the
elite level. The best way to promote what is best about sports with young athletes is to engage in these kinds of
practical activities that encourage sportsmanship and other virtues, so that the old adage that "Sports build
character" is not just a cliche, but an accurate description of what happens on the field.