Teaching Good Sportsmanship at home on a game court

11 years ago

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"I'm not going to play anymore!  You're cheating!"
"Am not!  You're just a sore loser!"


Learning how to be a good loser may be even more important in the long run than learning how to be a good player.  One of the best aspects of having Sport Court Game Court at your home is that your home will be the place kids in the neighborhood come to play, and you will have a chance to help your kids understand what good sportsmanship is really all about.  Research has shown that teaching good sportsmanship with a Game Court is one of the primary, unexpected side benefits that parents gain when they install one in their home or backyard.

What is Good Sportsmanship?
Sportsmanship is about having respect for other people, and showing courtesy and good manners no matter whether we win or lose.  Even more, sportsmanship is enjoying an activity for its own sake, regardless of whether we win or lose.  Moreover, a person who is a "good sport" knows how to cheer for the success of others, and is not always worried about themselves.  

Sportsmanship is an invaluable life skill
Competition is a fact of life in not only sports, but in school, and later in work.  So learning how to be a good sport and how to win or lose gracefully is a skill that carries on in many circumstances.  Whether your child faces the challenge of being thoughtful in responding to a friend who failed a test, or handling the congratulations from the losing baseball team, they will draw upon what they have learned about good sportsmanship from their parents when playing on the family Game Court.

How does a Game Court Help in Teaching Good Sportsmanship?
There are rules to any game and a home gaming space is the perfect teaching tool to develop "rules" into Sportsmanship. Moreover, sportsmanship is all about our relationships and how we treat one another.  When families install a Game Court, they spend more time talking and playing together, which gives parents many more opportunities to teach by example and through words.  The rewards come when you overhear your kid's conversations with friends:

"Great game! You sure outplayed me this time."
"I just got some lucky shots today.  Want to play again tomorrow?
"Sure!  See you on the Game Court after school!"

Tags:  Game Court active kids good sportsmanship Sport Court active families