Sportsmanship Case study

By Marielle McEnaney

What does sportsmanship mean to me?Sportsmanship in sports should be defined as respectful, considerate, fair and a team player. Athletes have to be considerate and respect calls the ref makes otherwise they could be penalized. Athletes must be fair because otherwise it is considered cheating if they do not play by the rules, and no body like cheaters. Athletes must also respect their opponents and teammates because in the end they all love the game and it is not worth creating a bad experience or injuring someone, so they do not want to play again.

Coach with bad ethicsPittsburgh Steelers coach , Mike tomlin demonstrated bad ethics by standing on the white line with his back the play to slow down kick returner Jacoby Jones. This act was childish and unsportsmanlike because he purposely interfered with the play so Jones was not able to score. Mike Tomlin failed to respect others and not interfere with the game which is very important sportsmanlike characteristics.

Owner with good ethicsRed Sox owner Tom Yawkey made the Jimmy Fund the official charity of the Boston Red Sox and has helped raised lots of money to build care centers and help many suffering people. I believe this is ethical because Yawkey is giving back to the world and helping many people which everyone should try to do. Yawkey expresses sportsmanlike conduct by being dedicated to helping those in need and being persistent to make the charity a household name.

Good Health and SafetyMy friend Jenny broke her leg playing soccer two years ago pretty bad. She had to get a rod and two screws in it, and they said she might never be able to play the way she did ever again. Through intense physical therapy and good ethical health care Jenny made an appearance back into sports. Her doctors believed in her and gave her the best possible help to get her back on the field and this year she was captain of both the soccer and basketball team.

Bad Health and safetyA representation of bad safety is from Michigan State quarterback Shane Morris. He was hit under the chin by a player during a game, and his coach should have immediately taken Morris out to be checked for a concussion. The coach forced the kid to keep playing instead of sitting out, and after the game Morris was diagnosed with a concussion. This is an example of bad safety because Michigan State coach could have prevented Morris from a severe concussion, and they are just lucky that is all Morris had with the bad health care decisions made by the coach and player.

Athletes giving back to their communityTwo professional athletes that come to mind

when I think of giving back are NFL twins Devin and Jason McCourty who demonstrate good ethics. They created a “Tackle Sickle Cell” campaign which raises awareness and money to help find a cure to the disease that impacted their family. Also, they put on a football clinic in their hometown to help show kids healthy lifestyle. This has impacted their community in a positive way because the twins come back to their hometown and show young kids how to become better at the game they all love.

My thoughts on fan behaviorI believe in sports fans should be supportive and cheer on their team, and not harass others. When the fans start making fun of the players/officials, opposing teams fans, or disrupting the play of the game this is where I draw the ethical line between being a "good fan" or "going too far.” I do not believe there is any need for student fan behavior these days. Fans go out of their way to make fun of the players on the court, and I believe this is disrespectful and they should use that aggression to cheer louder for their own team.

What the future holds for Sportsmanship?I believe rules about sportsmanship are going to

get more strict in the future. I believe in professional sports unsportsmanlike conduct will have bigger consequences in the future because there is no need to be disrespectful. Today athletes are getting away with many disrespectful actions that are influencing the young athletes poor decision making on the field because it was okay for their “role model” to do it. This photo demonstrates what I believe good sportsmanship is. Shaking an opponent's hand after a match because they working just as hard as you to be their.

Works Cited"ABC Open Pic of the Year 2015." ABC News. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

"Steelers Won't Lose a Pick for Mike Tomlin Sideline Incident." CBSSports.com. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

"McCourty Twins Return Home to Pay It Forward." New England Patriots. 2015. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

"Sportsmanship: Honoring The Game Toolkit For Coaches." PCA Development Zone. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.