Tag Archives: olympics

TEACHING KIDS GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP (Guest Post)

During the Olympics, parents, caregivers and athletic coaches were presented with the perfect opportunity to introduce the concept of sportsmanship to their kids and emphasize its importance. Athletes from around the globe converged  to compete against one another for worldwide recognition, and the vast majority did so with grace by showing strong sportsmanship every step of the way.

Between youth league team sports, school physical activity initiatives, and the variety of athletic lessons and skills that today’s kids participate in, there are tons of opportunities every day for kids to showcase either sportsmanlike qualities or the foibles of a sore loser. Emotions tend to run high, especially in younger children, making it even more difficult for them to display themselves as a good sport. There are several ways that parents and authority figures can help kids to become sportsmanlike competitors; these are a few of the simplest and most effective.

  • Model Sportsmanlike Conduct – Kids learn by emulating the adults that are important to them, so it’s imperative that parents, coaches, and caregivers model good sportsmanship at every opportunity. That means applauding good plays regardless of who made them, keeping negative comments and criticisms to yourself, and never making a child feel bad about himself because of an athletic mistake.
  • Don’t Focus on Wins and Losses – Instead of focusing on the wins and losses of a kids’ sports team, adults should concentrate on acknowledging good plays and offering supportive assistance to build skills that children are less confident in. Emphasizing the importance of playing to the best of your abilities rather than obsessing over a win helps kids feel less absorbed with scoring and allows them to be more in tune with teamwork and dedication.
  • Never Reward Excessive Aggression – A child that delivers a win through overly-aggressive conduct should be congratulated on her success, but also encouraged to do so in a manner that can’t be construed as bullying the other players on the field.
  • Instill a Sense of Pride – When children are praised and taught to feel a sense of pride in their athletic accomplishments, parents and coaches can also help to instill a sense of humility. Kids that learn the difference between confidence and cockiness are also beginning to understand the concept of sportsmanlike conduct versus swaggering conceit.
  • Emphasize the Importance of Having Fun – At a young age, even budding athletic stars are still learning the fundamentals of the game and are beginning to build the foundations of skill. Kids that feel pressured to perform beyond their means or are forced into participation are not only almost certain to grow to resent their sport, but also to become more focused on winning at all costs. Keep kids’ sports focused on having fun, working together and building skills that may be valuable in the future.
  • Don’t Coach From the Bleachers – In addition to embarrassing your child, shouting at his teammates, coaches, and the other team from the sidelines is a great way to teach kids exactly how not to behave. There’s nothing sportsmanlike about railing the other team, berating children for a fumble, or badmouthing a coach your child looks up to. Remember the first rule of teaching kids to be a good sport is to model that behavior yourself, and this includes refraining from taking on the head coach role from the bleachers.
  • Point Out Good – and Bad – Conduct in Professional Athletes – The Olympic Games and other sporting events provide parents and coaches with a great opportunity to point out stellar sportsmanship, but it can also create talking points for discussing bad conduct on the part of a professional athlete or sports figure. When major sports names make the news for either a temper tantrum or an impressive display of grace, talk about it with your kids. Ask them how they feel about the situation, creating a dialogue that allows you to both hear what your child has to say and pass along the wisdom that you’ve learned over the years.

Discouraging kids from looking up to trash-talking, insulting athletes who make a name for themselves by bashing their teammates and opponents is one of the most important steps to helping them learn to be good sports themselves, as children will model their own behavior after that of their heroes. While you can’t control who your kids look up to, you can calmly and gently point out their favorite stars’ attitudes, when they’re someone to look up to, and where they have room for improvement. Remember, though; badmouthing a rude professional athlete to your child isn’t likely to be viewed by him/her as much different from that athlete threatening to pulverize his opponents. Choose your words carefully, and help your kids become the best sports they can be. 

Thanks for this lesson for parents and grandparents.  We know very few of our athletes will grow up to be Olympic stars; however, if they learn good sportsmanship,as well as learning to master their particular sport safely, they will take that lesson with them throughout their entire lifetime.  pb 

Meghan Walker, (http://www.babysitting.net/blog/teaching-kids-good-sportsmanship/)

MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERS

We all know that there are many worthy causes to give our time and money to.  A very special group that utilizes thousands of volunteers is the Special Olympics.  June of 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a summer day camp for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at her home in Maryland.

Camp Shriver was the predecessor to the Special Olympics.  When Mrs. Shriver declared the first Special Olympics open in Chicago, July, 1968, she lead 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada onto Soldier Field.  From that time until the present, the Special Olympics have grown to more than three million athletes in over 150 countries.  The Winter Special Olympics were held in Canada this past February; summer games will be in Athens, Greece, in 2011.

Special Olympics offers year-round sports training and athletic competition in all fifty states of the U.S.  Texas has more than 44,000 volunteers that help with the daily workouts and keep the contests running smoothly.  In addition to helping with events, they coach athletes, help with fund raising, coordinate events, work in offices, and serve on committees.  Volunteers are the backbone of this organization.  More than 1.5 million individuals around the globe donate their time to giving children and adults with intellectual disabilities or physical disabilities the chance to compete and make friends with others from outside their own communities.

SO vest

Those youngsters age 14 or under who want to volunteer to help with Special Olympics, must be accompanied by an adult.  What better way for a parent and their child to experience the joy of helping others could there be?  If you live in a city that is home to a Special Olympics office, contact them and offer your help.  If not, there are plenty of other ways to help.  Check the Special Olympics website for all types of information.  These great athletes can teach us about spirit, determination, and sportsmanship.

THE WINTER PARALYMPICS ARE HERE!

The Winter Olympic Games were completed on February 28th .  However, another spectacular event is taking place in March, the X Paralympic Games, being held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.  Dates for the games are March 13th to March 21st.

Approximately 600 athletes from 45 countries have been training  hard to win gold medals.  These games feature the best athletes in the world with various disabilities.  The slogan of the Paralympic Movement is “Spirit in Motion”.  The first Summer Paralympic Games were held in Italy in 1960.  Sweden hosted the first Winter Paralympic Games in 1976.  We look forward to cheering on our favorite athletes, and wish them all “Good Luck!”

For the Winter Paralympic Games, you will see great competition in the following events:
1.    Ice Sledge Hockey

2.    Wheelchair Curling

3.    Alpine Skiing

4.    Biathlon

5.    Cross-Country Skiing

Summer Paralympic Games include:
1.    Athletics (track and field)

2.    Boccia

3.    Cycling

4.    Equestrian

5.    Football 5-a-side

6.    Football 7-a-side

7.    Goalball

8.    Judo

9.    Powerlifting

10.    Rowing

11.    Sailing

12.    Shooting

13.    Swimming

14.    Table Tennis

15.    Volleyball (sitting)

16.    Wheelchair basketball

17.    Wheelchair fencing

18.    Wheelchair rugby

19.    Wheelchair tennis

These athletes come from all over the world to show that they have the skills and power to triumph in their chosen sport by overcoming the obstacles they contend with.  Congratulations to every competitor; you make the world proud!

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR THE WINTER PARALYMPICS!

The Winter Olympic Games were completed on February 28th . However, another spectacular event is taking place in March, the X Paralympic Games, to be held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Dates for the games are March 13th to March 21st.

Approximately 600 athletes from 45 countries have been training hard to win gold medals. These games feature the best athletes in the world with various disabilities. The slogan of the Paralympic Movement is “Spirit in Motion”. The first Summer Paralympic Games were held in Italy in 1960. Sweden hosted the first Winter Paralympic Games in 1976. We look forward to cheering on our favorite athletes, and wish them all “Good Luck!”

For the Winter Paralympic Games, you will see great competition in the following events:

 1. Ice Sledge Hockey

2. Wheelchair Curling

3. Alpine Skiing

4. Biathlon

5. Cross-Country Skiing

 

 Summer Paralympic Games include:

1. Athletics (track and field)

 2. Boccia

3. Cycling

4. Equestrian

5. Football 5-a-side

6. Football 7-a-side

7. Goalball

8. Judo

9. Powerlifting

10. Rowing

11. Sailing

12. Shooting

13. Swimming

14. Table Tennis

15. Volleyball (sitting)

16. Wheelchair basketball

17. Wheelchair fencing

18. Wheelchair rugby

19. Wheelchair tennis

 

These athletes come from all over the world to show that they have the skills and power to triumph in their chosen sport by overcoming the obstacles they contend with.  Congratulations to every competitor; you make the world proud!