The answer to the big question of the role of sportsmanship in professional sports.

1. SPORTSMANSHIP CASE
STUDY
What role does sportsmanship and ethical behavior
play in professional sports?
By Denali Johns

2. WHAT IS SPORTSMANSHIP?
 Sportsmanship is the trait each athlete should have in every sport that
includes fairness, respect, maturity, and treating the other athletes the
way they would want to be treated, in which all are portrayed on and
off the field/court/track etc. Many athletes are taught this trait starting
at a young age, but some do not carry it with them throughout their
career. But, sportsmanship is just as important as any other skill that an
athlete would improve and practice on.

3. OWNERS AND COACHES
 Not only do athletes have the responsibility of portraying good
sportsmanship, but coaches and owners do as well. More importantly,
they are the ones who set the example for their team and how well
their players behave on and off the field.

4. OWNERS AND
COACHES
 Jud Damon is a positive example of an
athletic director that radiates good
sportsmanship onto his colleagues around
him. Because of his atmosphere to his
ways, the work environment and
environment of his school contains the
respect and behavior that a good sport
needs.

5. OWNERS AND COACHES
 No matter what level of play the athlete is, coaches
and people of power are the role models and who the
athletes look up to the most during the season. They
hold the highest level of respect and if this person has
good sportsmanship, it will reflect onto the team.

6. HEALTH AND SAFETY
 In regards to the health category of sportsmanship, it comes down to
the ethical and unethical treatment athletes receive. Sometimes it is not
the player’s choice for the way they are treated and it is influenced by
the higher ups, and sometimes it is all up to the player’s decision.

7. HEALTH AND SAFETY
 As a part of having good sportsmanship, one must make the decision
of how they are treated for an injury. This involves morals and simply
making the best decision that will be beneficial to their career in the
long-run. Any corruption or scandals that occur due to an athlete’s
decision is poor sportsmanship and not only affects their reputation,
but their team’s as well.

8. ATHLETES AND
COMMUNITY
 Instead of focusing on both the positive and negative
examples of sportsmanship, highlighting the positive
is a better example to set. Professional athletes have a
certain power they hold over the community, and all
of their actions are seen by the community. This makes
every professional athlete an automatic role model as
soon as they start their career in the big leagues, and
many players, are cut out for it.

9. ATHLETES AND COMMUNITY
 Athletes can start movements across the country for any kind of cause,
whether it be health related or political. They have the power to make a
change, and with good sportsmanship, that change can have a huge
impact on the community. NFL player Colin Kaepernick took a knee
during the national anthem in order to protest police brutality towards
blacks. He chose a peaceful and mature way of getting his point to the
world and he became a role model for many.

10. FAN BEHAVIOR
 It is important that spectators have good sportsmanship as
well, be it at home watching the television or live at the game
in the stands. This includes appropriate cheering, no use of
inappropriate language or insulting the other team, and
encouraging the team you are rooting for. Fans also must
respect one another and their opinions of who is playing at
the game. It all comes down to respect in the end.

11. CONCLUSION
 Although sportsmanship has come a long way, it hasn’t necessarily been positive. Yes,
there is more equality and less discrimination when it comes to race and gender, but
player’s attitudes towards each other and the fan’s attitudes has not gotten any better.
There is still disrespect and insults being thrown that are unnecessary to the play of
the game. It is expected that there is some negative interaction between opposing
sides, but a line is always crossed. I believe that it will take some time, but that line will
become clearer to both the players, coaches, and fans, and they will learn how to
avoid crossing it.