Playing sports is more than playing games and winning medals, it is a way to learn good sportsmanship and understanding the value of teamwork. These traits can be used on and off of the playing field and also useful in everyday life.
Children have open minds, and sports is a good way to persuade children to use good and rational behaviour rather than argumentative behaviour – it’s okay to lose. Sports alone can’t teach children about fair play, however, guidelines and rules have to be put into place.
What Types of Guidelines?
Each club or team should have rules about fair play or a ‘fair play code’ to make it more than a game but an opportunity to strive with opponents in playing fairly whilst the cheaters are not allowed to playing in the rest of the game. A constructive activity for children who play sports would be to write their own set of rules and differentiate what is right and wrong themselves rather than getting told what is. By doing this they will subconsciously apply their fair play rules to themselves throughout sports and their everyday life.
Further than just following rules, fair play allows sports players to portray the right attitudes and spirit in the way they carry themselves, showing not only respect for the rules but the other players in the game. By children having their own responsibility to respect individuals and participate in a positive manner with good judgement by encouraging uplifting vibes for everyone involved.
The movement of fair play can be translated into everyday life as a child grows older. Respecting the rules in a game can translate to respecting rules enforced by the law, children showing respect for their team mates translates into showing respect for their peers and colleagues and understanding that losing is not a bad thing can translate into when they don’t succeed they have to keep trying. All of these are wise valuable lessons that can be easily taught through sports at a young age.
Fair play can be encouraged through a range of guidelines for good attitudes and behaviour. Some of these guidelines include:
- Stay clear of arguing – Children should stay focused on the game at play rather than getting angry at referees, teammates or coaches. Bad language and words that are negative should be avoided to keep a peaceful playing field.
- Respect the other team – Whether a team wins or loses it is crucial to show respect for the other team and the effort they have put into the game.
- Encourage teammates – When all of the teammates encourage each other, that’s when team sports work the best. Teammates should praise each other when they are successful and help encourage them when they are not.
- Be happy with the result – If the opposing team wins, the child should accept defeat and still knowledge the abilities they have and how they can improve for next time. If the child’s team wins, they should not brag and belittle the other team.
- End with a handshake – All good sports players know to end a game on a positive note, and it is important to translate this trough to children at a young age. Whether they won or not a handshake helps to civilise the came at the end