What is the role of a sportsman? According to Mr. Webster it is a man who takes part in sports. But what is the true essence of being a sportsman? Some people say “to fulfil their dreams”, some is “to give great honour to our country”, but I say, “it is to have the proper attitude in sports”.
The only desire of a sportsman is to win a game but does it really end that way? Sportsmanship is not gained by winning; it is the other way around. Learning a specific sport is easy, but having the proper manner or character in a competition is difficult to master.
See for example in basketball, players tend to hurt each other just to have the ball and hear the crowd cheer for he has shot the ball, not knowing that he already injured an opponent. In volleyball, players get mad when their teammates miss the ball and fail to continue the rally. Those are only some instances in a competition. Where’s the thought of sportsmanship?
In QCA, we have our intramurals and group competitions in every program that make us face the realities in a competition. Every time the judges announce the winners, they remind us that in every competition there’s a winner and a loser. Even though some of our competitions don’t turn out that good, it is still the way they prepared and laboured for their performance that counts.
Hard feelings are common in a competition. We should know that loosing will give us the right technique of winning. We should all know how to play fair, lose without complaint and win without boasting.
Let me share with you a short article from an anonymous writer, "An Athlete's Pride".
"I'm a high school player. I'm a team player. I play with my friends and with some of my enemies, but I respect everyone when it comes to my sport. I know I'm not going to get a multi-million dollar contract to play professionally. I know I may not even get my name in the paper. I play for love of the game. For the pride and honor, for the blood, sweat and tears it takes to make the team, to earn the spot, to win the game. I play because I can, I play because I know that my life would be empty without the sport I play. I would have a lack of everything my sport gives me... integrity, courage, talent, fearlessness, pride, strength, stamina, will, and the heart of a champion. If I didn't play, I would lose a part of me. I'm an athlete. I'm a girl. I'm a champion, not because my team always wins, but because when we don't, we learn from our mistakes. We try to fix them, and most of all because we have fun. I have built lifelong friendships and memories because of my being an athlete. I leave everything on the field or court and continue to push myself. I am never happy with second place, but I have learned to accept it. I have learned to get over and through my anger and be the athlete and player I have always dreamed of being. I don't play for my parents, for my family, for my friends; I don't play for my coach or my teachers or my school. I play for myself but when I'm playing I represent them. It isn't about winning or losing, but I hate to lose. I won't settle for a tie, and I am not satisfied with 100%. To play, you have to sacrifice everything, your body, your time, your sweat, blood, and tears, everything... for your team. I am a player, and athlete and a champion, not because I know what it is like to win, but because I know what it is like to lose. I know what it is like to feel the anger and pain that comes along with "second best." I have been that girl with tears in her eyes, walking out to receive the second place trophy and clapping as the other team, my opponents receive the first place one. I know what it is like to lose, to win, to want to quit, to want to cry, to not want to get up. I know what it is like to hear the cheers and yells for you. I know what it is like to feel the pressure of everyone on your shoulders, and I know what it is like to choke under that pressure. I know what it means to be an athlete, a true player, and that is why I play. I AM AN ATHLETE, A CHAMPION, AND A TRUE PLAYER."
