What is Sportsmanship? What are examples of it in coaching, public health and safety, within communities, amongst fans, and what is the future for sportsmanship?

1. SPORTSMANSHIP
By Tyler Smith

2. SPORTSMANSHIP
Treating others fairly within any scenario that displays high integrity, respect and genuine care.

3. COACHES
(1) JERRY SANDUSKY
An extremely serious issue is the known situation at Penn State: the Jerry Sandusky Scandal. Over the
course of about 15 years, Jerry Sandusky (Penn State assistant football coach) sexually abused what is
seemed to be 10 young boys. The first incidents are suggested during the 1994-97 time frame; no one
heard anything until 1998 where a mother claimed her child said something about it. There was no clear
evidence thus far. Basically, the coach Jerry Sandusky, raped young boys and although other coaches and
people of the Penn State football program knew, they did not file any lawsuits or tell authorities; that is
the primary reason for the scandal. CNN wrote an article about it and says, “Penn State says that the
Sandusky case has cost the university $3.2 million thus far in combined legal, consultant and public
relations fees.” (CNN). It gave not only him and his family a bad reputation, but the university and
everyone affiliated with it.

4. COACHES
(2) DAVID SHAW
David Shaw, an assistant coach of the Arizona Cardinals voices his opinion over the reactions of several
athletes and President Trump discussing the issue of kneeling for the national anthem. What coach Shaw
says is that every citizen of the US has rights to voice their opinion - that is what makes America, America.
He says the players are free to say / stand for what they believe, and so is Trump - every person is. David
Shaw says although he personally would not kneel for the national anthem, he respects and loves
everyone who stands, sings, kneels etc. He says, “I think there should be respect for people that have
different viewpoints and different outlooks.” (Mazeika). What David Shaw believes and says is what
every individual in the world needs to recognize: although one may not have the same belief you do,
respect, love and care for them no matter what. Not many realize that disagreements are okay, therefore
everyone wants to be right.

5. HEALTH & SAFETY
(1) CHILDHOOD PLAY
In my own experience of playing sports, most of it came from playing in
the neighborhood with my friends. Through the years of tackling each
other, wrestling each other to the ground, shooting hoops, swinging
bats there were plenty of injuries. Nearly every time one of us kids
were getting hurt, we would handle the situation unethically: we would
tell the person that was hurt that they are fine and they just need to
walk it off; that they shouldn't tell their parents or else we would never
let them be on that team or even play again. Looking back on it, its
pretty funny, but it was also wrong of us. We all at some time needed to
be looked at from a parent; without it, we kept getting hurt and some
things haven't changed to this day.

6. HEALTH & SAFETY
(2) PEYTON MANNING
A big name that is famous for coming back from a serious injury is Peyton Manning. In 2011-2012 he had
multiple neck surgeries. Through it all, his actions, the doctors and others who helped him were highly
ethical. Some told Manning that he would never play football again, but through his persistence to
maintain healthy habits and not rush the recovery, he ended up shattering records on the Broncos in
2013, proving all of the doubters wrong (Jussim). Throughout the whole journey, everything was done
wisely and with time, proving to be highly ethical.

8. COMMUNITY
BOSTON BRUINS
Back in October of 2014, a few players from the Boston Bruins went out to a local children's hospital for
halloween and dressed like the cast of Frozen, visiting hundreds of rooms to try to cheer the kids up
(Bleacher Report). This is crucial for the community, the organization and the players because it gives the
media an opportunity to see who the players are as people: genuine, giving and loving in how they live.
Many athletes simply give large amounts of money to charities, but when an athlete can take time out to
go and connect with people, changing their lives forever, it really is something super special and unique.

10. FANS
The line that should be drawn between being a good fan and going too far is when a fan takes action to
stand for what they are passionate about. We all live in a culture where people want their idea to spread,
and everyone else's to fail; the same is true for sports: we want our team to crush every other and win it
all. Fans are allowed to speak their mind, cheer verbally and show up to games, but when a fan typically
takes an action (mainly negative) for their sports team, they have gone too far. National Geographic
released an article by Brian Handwerk and he interviewed Allyce Najimy, senior associate director at the
Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University in Boston. She says that, "You add the
adrenaline, the alcohol that's often being consumed and in a highly charged atmosphere things tend to
set people off more than they would in a calmer environment." (Handwerk). Although there are many
factors that go into creating a fan to react poorly, people just can't do that; they must have self control to
not harm or hurt anyone in any way. I remember being younger and always playing football with the
neighborhood kids in the backyard. We were all fans of different teams, and would argue and even get
into fights because of how passionate we were. We were small, but we still shouldn't have done that.

11. FUTURE
As for the future of sportsmanship, it is going to both positively and negatively grow. The more people
being born, the more good responses and ideas; also the more negative reactions and influences. As long
as sports, and people, continue to grow, there will be an overall increase, but also greater influence for
even more negative sportsmanship to be displayed. There will always be both sides in every situation -
people will continue to do dumb things, but also great things - it is all a part of being human.