Why Does The Collapse Of Sportsmanship?

Notre Dame football coach, Knute Rockne, says this quote that is true in today's sports world. He states in his quote, practicing sportsmanship is more important than just teaching it. When I was younger, playing T-ball, teaching sportsmanship is what everyone did. The coaches, the parents, the umpires, and even the other players, it was always about having fun and being fair. Most of the time not keeping score was the norm. However, as athletes grow older this mentality quickly changed. Today, it seems like you can easily YouTube coaches in a fist fight on the field of a ten-year old's baseball game. Leadership positions are given to these adults to teach sportsmanship for young children, however, they cannot even practice it themselves. The idea that Rockne …show more content…
No matter what sport you play this always occurs. In sports such as football, volleyball, softball, basketball, and soccer you clap hands at the closure of each game. In bowling, golf, and track you shake your opponents hand at the closure of the game. In both situations you are showing respect for who won and for who lost. However, sportsmanship extends throughout the game. In bowling, a sportsmanship action is that only one bowler will bowl on a pair of lanes at a time. This is because it is distracting to have an opponent bowl right next to you while you try to bowl. However not a rule, it is a benchmark that all bowlers practice to have commendable sportsmanship. Players that boycott the practice of sportsmanship don't follow this protocol, although they often win the game. This is the result of having an advantage on the other players. This is why practicing not just teaching good sportsmanship is important. With sportsmanship, everyone is capable to play to their full potential without any handicaps. Although, unsportsmanlike conduct can extend far past just the