In this video seen herewith….legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus expounds on the virtues of sportsmanship displayed by the players on the PGA Tour. Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. This is with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors. A “sore loser” refers to one who does not take defeat well…. whereas a “good sport” means being a “good winner” as well as being a “good loser”…..when someone who shows courtesy towards another in a sports game. Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable characteristic or disposition….such that individuals differ in the way they are generally expected to behave in sports situations.
Sportsmanship mainly refers to virtues such as fairness, self-control, courage and persistence….and has been associated with interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly….while they maintain self-control if dealing with others….along with respect for both authority and opponents. Sportsmanship is also looked at as being the way one reacts to a sport/game/player. The four elements of sportsmanship are often shown being good form, the will to win, equity and fairness. All four elements are critical….and a balance must be found among all four for true sportsmanship to be illustrated.
The truth of the matter is that sportsmanship is one of the pillars that makes the universe of sports such a positive environment….along with fair play while playing by the rules…..and honesty in a players approach to the game……as these elements and so much more are the reason that we a ImaSportsphile believe that education through participation in sports is one of the most valid forms of true education for an individual’s mind and body.
