With any sort of competition comes emotion. With sports, especially those with championships and awards on the line, can come a good deal of emotion, both positively and negatively charged. To insure that your students and their families, as well as school staff, uphold your values your school should have well-established policies on sportsmanship—what’s acceptable behavior at all games and matches.
It’s fairly standard practice for team members to shake hands with the opposing team or opponent after the game or match. However, recent stories of violence have raised concerns and even pushed some Kentucky high schools as far as to discourage handshakes after games.
Education News recently reported on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s (KHSAA) decision to take action on post-game handshakes in all sports. The KHSAA has instructed game officials—coaches, players, and referees—to immediately leave the facility after a game or be at risk of penalties. The association’s director did not mention any specific incidents that warranted this order, but did comment that there had been more than two dozen physical confrontations nationally over the past three years.
The KHSAA claims this order is not a rule, so coaches can choose to ignore it and have their players shake hands with the other team. However, if they allow team members to practice the age-old tradition of shaking hands, they need to be in control.
It is a coach’s responsibility to teach players fairness, courteousness, and gracefulness. Yes, emotions are in high gear when competing, but violence must never be an accepted behavior. Good sportsmanship starts and ends with the coach! Your school should have clear standards established for its coaches to prevent potential risks to students, officials, and parents.
Even the most passionate coaches from schools with competitive teams must demand the basics in sportsmanship.
- Don’t make excuses for losing.
- Don’t gloat if your team wins.
- Learn from your mistakes—each game is an opportunity to grow as a team.
- Always play your hardest and do your best.
- When mistakes are made, remain encouraging.
- Show respect for team members, fellow competitors, and officials at all times.
Additional ISM articles of interest
ISM Monthly Update for Business Managers Vol. 10 No. 4 Student Accident Insurance: Should Your School Protect Its Students or Leave It Up to the Parents?
Private School News Vol. 9 No. 10 Student Sport Injuries on the Rise
ISM Monthly Update for School Heads Vol. 10 No. 1 Take the Dangers of Concussion Seriously as Your Athletes Get Back in Action
ISM Monthly update for Risk Managers Vol. 1 No. 4 Managing Athletic Risk: Checklist For Faculty and Staff
