The Nuances of Sportsmanship

October 5, 2023
By Sofia Medrano

Good sportsmanship is exactly what it sounds like: being a good sport. When emotions run high during a game, a display of good sportsmanship can keep the game running smoothly versus having a fight break out between teams.

However, it isn’t easy to find a balance when exhibiting sportsmanship. If you offer to help a player from the other team, your teammates might think you’re being too nice. On the other hand, if you ignore your opponent completely, you come across as rude and could fuel tension during a game. Where is the happy medium?

Sportsmanship is all about respect, respect for the game, and respect for the players. Stopping a ball for an opponent before it rolls too far out of bounds or helping them after they fall are simple ways to show respect to your competition. We see these happen all the time and may find ourselves doing them.

Certainly, demonstrating good sportsmanship during a game can be perceived as being nice. So how do you know when you are being “too nice” to your opponent? How “nice” can you be before it affects your game? When finding that fine sportsmanship line between being overly friendly and showing respect, here are some points to remember.

An opponent is always an opponent

It’s ok to make small talk with an opponent or ask for pardon if you accidentally kick them a bit too hard. Though, it is important to keep in mind that your opponent is just that: an opponent.

They are on the opposing team, and we should treat them as such. This doesn’t mean that we should aim to be mean to them. If our only goal during a game is to injure another player or purposely embarrass them, we are not playing the game correctly.

On the contrary, we aren’t besties with the opposition. Talking to them so much that you lose your focus can cause errors in your playing and create strains within your own team.

Remember the nature of the game

Soccer is a competitive sport, and when we are overly kind to our opponents, it takes away from the nature of the game. Letting an opponent win a ball because we don’t want to bump them or choosing not to score because we don’t want to hurt their feelings is being too nice. There are no thrilling, heart-racing moments that keep us on our toes when both teams are intentionally letting each other score in a game. Besides, how can players expect to improve without healthy competition? The competitive aspects of the game push players to strive for greatness! We need it.

Kindness always has a place in the game, even amongst opponents. Yet, being overly nice takes away from the competition and can even affect your growth as a player. Both teams are playing to win at the end of the day, so don’t let yourself be nice to a fault. Learn to navigate the fine line of sportsmanship!