Greatest Examples of Sportsmanship

VIDEO: What Would The World of Sports be Like Without it? Watch Video Below..
15-yard penalty. Technical Foul. Penalty Stroke. These are just a few examples of penalties that result from unsportsmanlike conduct such as excessive celebration during a sporting contest. For more serious instances of unsportsmanlike behavior including altercations, there are fines, suspensions and bans from tournaments or post-season play among other punishments. Why suffer through penalties or pay thousands of dollars in amends when you can just as easily be a good sport?

If I had to pick one concept which most closely mirrors to sportsmanship, it would be respect. Respecting your opponent, as well as your team, coaches, officials and the game, is paramount to good sportsmanship. The concept of respecting individuals is easily understood. This is where the Golden Rule comes in; treating others as you would want to be treated. But how do you respect a team as a whole or the game itself?
Respecting your team can be stated as putting team goals ahead of your own. We all probably have had at least one teammate that was obsessed with his or her personal statistics but less interested in how the team performed. These teammates are often seen as detrimental to team chemistry because they may cause resentment and distrust. The opposite is the athlete who follows the team’s game plan and is willing to take on the role that the coach feels is best for the team. Good team members also pick up their teammates when they fail. Sports are full of failure. Star baseball players fail to get a hit 7 of 10 times; star Basketball players miss 50% of their shots; and even the best quarterbacks throw interceptions. Encouragement and support can range from a pat on the back to a few comforting words or even a brief conversation to make sure the player’s head is in the game and not focused on the recent failure.
http://www.decaturparks.com/sportsmanship-a-deeper-understanding.php