Friday, April 4, 2008

True sportsmanship

At this time when we're looking at the final 4 for NCAA basketball, it is a good time to think about what sportsmanship is. Ostensibly, this is why we have sports as part of education-because of what it can teach us. Unfortunately, many of the things it teaches are negative due to choices of some coaches and athletes. Then there are those who teach just the opposite.

I read the weekly commentaries at Character Counts (http://charactercounts.org/michael/). One of the recent commentaries really moved me-about Olympian Eugenio Monti, http://charactercounts.org/michael/2008/04/the_essence_of_sportsmanship_5.html. This is what is true sportsmanship. How rare it is and how wonderful.

I participated in sports until just a few years ago (age caught up with me) and did my best to be a good sport and teammate. It isn't always easy, but it is always worth it.