Strategies that athletic coaches can use to show sportsmanship
Athletic coaches must apply strategies or techniques that are reliable and useful to show sportsmanship in the field of athletics. Athletics is one of the sporting activities that require dedication and proper coaching for athletes to succeed due to stiff competition. Sportsmanship is treating others with fairness by promoting acceptable behavior during the contest. Coaches can apply a strategy of encouraging teamwork and cooperation to achieve a common goal. Reinforcing positive values where athletes work together by encouraging and helping those who are struggling to catch up with others. Coaches should focus on the entire team and not an individual athlete by communicating this to all players to mind each other when in the field.
Secondly, the coaches should complement athletes in the team, showing remarkable performance. Different teams complementing each other will demonstrate respect and togetherness; hence, promoting sportsmanship. The strategy should aim at showing and displaying that each team is essential and can compete without hate even if they are defeated during competition. Thirdly, the coach should show deference or high esteem in defeat and victory. Irrespective of the outcome, the coach must hold his head high and be proud of the efforts athletes put. Being humble in times of triumph and remaining calm and respectful after a defeat is critical for coaches to understand and pass to the team. Athletes should be taught not to celebrate excessively after a win and learn from the loss and go back to track without losing hope because the past is gone and in the future are chances. Athletes should know that there a right and wrong way to celebrate a defeat and a victory to encourage the team for future competitions.
Furthermore, criticizing constructively and in private is a strategy the coaches should apply. The approach will help to avoid embarrassing and demoralizing athletes. Explaining to the players in private and politely on what went wrong will help them pull up their socks. Also, it allows athletes to rectify their mistakes and generates a positive rapport with the coach and the team without creating any animosity and disengagement. Lastly, the coach can enhance integrity among the team by encouraging them to follow the rules. The athletes should be encouraged not to engage in morally and legally questionable actions such as doping for them to preserve high levels of integrity.