Below is an article from the Louisiana State High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) about
showing good sportsmanship during competitions and games.
Your assignment is to read this article and then answer the questions using compete sentences.
This assignment must be typed and then printed and handed in.
The Meaning of Good Sportsmanship
POSTED: 05-24-2012 | CATEGORIES: PARENTS & STUDENTS
15-yard penalty. Technical Foul. Penalty Stroke. These are just a few examples of penalties that
result from unsportsmanlike conduct such as excessive celebration during a sporting contest. For
more serious instances of unsportsmanlike behavior including altercations, there are fines,
suspensions and bans from tournaments or post-season play among other punishments. Why suffer
through penalties or pay thousands of dollars in amends when you can just as easily be a good
sport?
Good sportsmanship is the most important aspect of the game. Sometimes games will get intense,
heated and personal; therefore, sportsmanship must be learned in order to be practiced in sticky
situations. If athletes weren’t reprimanded for unfit behavior, there would be no guidelines for
others to follow. Of course there’s talent and hard work, which are both very important parts of
sports, but without sportsmanship and self-discipline, there would likely be chaos throughout
various levels of play.
When athletes go “beyond the game,” they look outside of what it takes to win a game, but decide
to be a good teammate, good opponent and good person. Everyone may have a tad bit different
definition of good sportsmanship, but first-class sportsmanship all leads to the same goal of having
clean, fun competition with the outcome of creating champions who excel both on and off the court.
The Louisiana State High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) held its first annual “Beyond the
Game” Sportsmanship Essay Contest this past spring, and Louisiana high school students wrote
what they uniquely held as the true meaning of sportsmanship. St. Paul’s School Freshman William
Kenyon won the contest with his essay “The Field of Dreams.” William explained that not only was
sportsmanship an important aspect of sports, but it was also an important aspect of everyday
life.
“When thinking about sportsmanship, most people only think about the sport side of sportsmanship
and not about the real everyday side. The reality is that sportsmanship is in anything and everything
that we do both on and off the field. How do you respect anyone or anything without sportsmanship
coming into play? The task is formidable.” – Winner, St. Paul’s School Freshman William
Kenyon
For his winning essay, William will be presented with a $500 check at the Louisiana High School
Coaches Association’s (LHSCA) annual Coaches Clinic in July.
A few other top essays described what it takes to be a great sportsman. These were written by: St.
Paul’s High School Freshman Peyton Lacoste, Cedar Creek High School Freshman Aaron Hunt,
Elton High School Senior Morgan Richard, Cedar Creek School Junior Jeff Carroll and Ursuline
Senior Elissa Parker.
“Respect the team that beats you by one run, one point, or one field goal. Life is too short to hate
people. Life is too good to dwell on a loss. You will always get another chance to do well in the
sport or in other situations in life. Take advantage of what you have and always remember
opponents are not your enemies.” -- Peyton Lacoste, St. Paul’s
“If you understand the significance of perseverance, it will provide you with the ability to overcome
any obstacles placed in front of you and allow you to succeed on and off the field.” -- Aaron Hunt,
Cedar Creek
“Sportsmanship is found in every level of every sport. It is the common theme that unites not only
the players but the teams; and its effects are felt long after the final whistle blows.” -- Morgan
Richard, Elton
“I discovered that playing sports is much more than just a competition – it is an opportunity for
participants to develop as people and build character by playing fair.” –Jeff Carroll, Cedar
Creek
“I am privileged to know the true meaning of sportsmanship; a word that teaches athletes the
authentic meaning of their sport and enables them to conquer any goal they put their mind to.” –
Elissa Parker, Ursuline
What’s your definition of good sportsmanship?
*** PLEASE ONLY PRINT THIS PAGE (the article does not need to be handed in)
Name: ______________________________
Date: ___________
Period: _______
Using the information from the article above and your own experiences, answer the questions
below. Be sure to use complete sentences and answer each question thoroughly.
1) In 4-7 sentences, summarize the article from the LHSAA as it pertains to
sportsmanship. (3 pts)
2) In 3-4 sentences, how would you define good sportsmanship? (3 pts)
3) In 3-4 sentences, describe a situation during our speedball unit where you
demonstrated good sportsmanship. (2 pts)
4) In 3-4 sentences, describe a situation where you saw poor sportsmanship being
displayed. (2 pts)