Grow a good sport

By PEDRO VELAZCO

June 06, 2009 11:44 pm

— The handshake line after a game rarely gets shown on highlight reels.
Watching the victors and the vanquished greet each other after the game and share a few words isn’t exactly going to draw a lot of attention. But next time you see one on TV or in person, maybe you should make sure the nearest young set of eyes is watching.
When it comes to teaching sportsmanship, it’s better to start early rather than wait until you see your child do something that makes you cringe, or another does something that makes your blood boil.
Sportsmanship isn’t an easy concept to pin down. There’s no fixed set of rules that determine when celebrating becomes showboating, when competing becomes contentious or when disagreeing becomes disrespectful. Yet most people know when one crosses the line to become the other, and it becomes an issue.
Dealing with sportsmanship before it becomes a regular issue is the best place to start, though it’s never too late to teach the right way to go about things.
Kokomo High School boys tennis coach Shawn Flanary stresses sportsmanship as an elementary PE teacher, and as a high school coach. He remembers when he was on the other end of those lessons.
“Trust me, I was there as a youth. I had a dad who pulled me off the court and kicked me in the rear when I needed it,” Flanary said.
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