Outstanding Sportsmanship

[CoachMikeLHS]

So we are up 5-0 at the half. Second half, I leave my defense, and put in my subs. In particular, a disabled kid that I have known for 12 years. He has played soccer since he was 5. He has heart, and comes to every practice. He is dedicated, and he does what I tell him. He is not fast, and not skilled at the game as the rest of his peers. I treat him like all the other players, though. No special treatment, so to speak. And he and his parents know that I play him every chance I get. Which this season, hasn't been much.

He plays forward, because all he can do is blast toe balls. So, he gives it his all for about 10 good minutes. I pull him to get hydrated. All of a sudden, I see the coach from the other team, and one of his seniors walking down the sideline towards me. I have no idea what they are doing. They get real close and ask to speak to me.

The captain tells me that if we put #10 back in towards the end of the game, they will let him get a through ball, and their keeper will make a very acrobatic try for it, but miss.

Well, last year this kid scored 2 goals. They were PK's, and he made them on his own. He is a big kid, and you don't want to be standing too close when he kicks.

Well, I tell them that is a nice gesture and we will see what happens the rest of the game. Well, I put him in with about 10 minutes left, and before we can get set up to make the pass to him, he steals the ball from one of his team mates, stumbles through the defense, and sticks one in the corner. There was absolutely no help from anyone on that. I did get onto him for running over his own player to get a ball, but he expected that from me as a coach, anyway.

After the game two of the seniors from the other team come over to me and my wife about how great our team looked. We tied this particular team last season. They just wanted to tell me how much we had improved since last year. I don't get suprised very often. This kind of sportsmanship is what I would like to see out of all of my kids.

[sportsnut624]

Great story. Really shows the important things in life.

[ucsoccer]

/popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> one amazying story...... sportsmanship goes a long way and sometimes leaves a better and longer impression on someone

[tcamom]

Thanks for sharing this. We always hear the bad stuff, gripes and complaints. Very refreshing to read that our sport is building (or revealing) character in young men.

[SSHSCoach]

So we are up 5-0 at the half. Second half, I leave my defense, and put in my subs. In particular, a disabled kid that I have known for 12 years. He has played soccer since he was 5. He has heart, and comes to every practice. He is dedicated, and he does what I tell him. He is not fast, and not skilled at the game as the rest of his peers. I treat him like all the other players, though. No special treatment, so to speak. And he and his parents know that I play him every chance I get. Which this season, hasn't been much.

He plays forward, because all he can do is blast toe balls. So, he gives it his all for about 10 good minutes. I pull him to get hydrated. All of a sudden, I see the coach from the other team, and one of his seniors walking down the sideline towards me. I have no idea what they are doing. They get real close and ask to speak to me.

The captain tells me that if we put #10 back in towards the end of the game, they will let him get a through ball, and their keeper will make a very acrobatic try for it, but miss.

Well, last year this kid scored 2 goals. They were PK's, and he made them on his own. He is a big kid, and you don't want to be standing too close when he kicks.

Well, I tell them that is a nice gesture and we will see what happens the rest of the game. Well, I put him in with about 10 minutes left, and before we can get set up to make the pass to him, he steals the ball from one of his team mates, stumbles through the defense, and sticks one in the corner. There was absolutely no help from anyone on that. I did get onto him for running over his own player to get a ball, but he expected that from me as a coach, anyway.

After the game two of the seniors from the other team come over to me and my wife about how great our team looked. We tied this particular team last season. They just wanted to tell me how much we had improved since last year. I don't get suprised very often. This kind of sportsmanship is what I would like to see out of all of my kids.

 

 

 

BRILLIANT!!

[jenjarrell]

BRILLIANT!!

 

This really brought tears to my eyes. Of all the reasons that kids play sports....this is the one I love the most. While I don't know the athletes you're talking about, others do, and I would like to say that I am very proud of them. There are many championships to be had, but being the champion of good sportsmanship is perhaps the most honorable and the most difficult to achieve (under some circumstances). I hope that many people read your message and learn from it...it really isn't all about winning on the scoreboard, but making moves to be winners in life...that's the mark of a true athlete. Thanks for sharing.

[oaklandpats]

Good story thanks for sharing. Hopefully this will get passed around.

[Logan]

good story, it reminds me of a player on gile co. he was a pretty good player untin he broke his leg and had to get a metal rod to help support the bone, he walks with a limp but still comes to every practice and every game but one and he was in nashville running a half marathon wich is 13 miles.

[rebelfan1969]

It's stories like this that makes me happy to be a coach. It's good to know we have teams that do show sportsmanship and care about other teams. It's not all about who scores, it's the teamwork and getting the job done.

Thanks for sharing this one! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[AlcoaDad]

It's stories like this that makes me happy to be a coach. It's good to know we have teams that do show sportsmanship and care about other teams. It's not all about who scores, it's the teamwork and getting the job done.

Thanks for sharing this one! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

 

 

 

I agree, thank you for posting that story. /motorbike.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":motorbike:" border="0" alt="motorbike.gif" />