South Anchorage Mighty Moose Hockey Association: Hockey 101

Teaching the Basics OF SPORTSMANSHIP

One of the most common myths in sports is that teaching and enforcing sportsmanship is the sole responsibility of the coach. Not true. In fact, when it comes to behavior, the coach's job is to observe players during games, and to enforce the basic guidelines of sportsmanship. The real job of teaching good sportsmanship starts with Mom and Dad. It's up to you as the parents to lay the foundation, not the coach.

Be prepared to sit down at appropriate times and have a "teachable moment" with your child. Winning and losing are fundamental elements of any sport, and hockey is no exception. Explain that in hockey there is a right way and a wrong way to behave prior to, during, and after the game, regardless of the outcome. These principles apply on and off the ice, and during practices, as well. Usually, the older the child, the more difficulty the player has in dealing with losing. Make it clear to your child that if he or she wants to be a member of the team, they must abide by the rules of good sportsmanship.

Make it clear that every game has a winner and a loser (and sometimes, events transpire that may seem unfair) but that defeat --no matter how emotional --is not an excuse for acting out. Explain that blaming an official for a bad call (or the coach or a teammate for a bad decision or play) is unacceptable. Even in victory, good sportsmanship is important -- bragging or making fun of an opponent after a win cannot be tolerated.

The Great Game
What is it that this game offers to us? There is something to be said about this game that only people who play it can truly understand. Players of all ages and abilities provide the atmosphere that does not exist in many other sports. The game itself is so dominating that no one individual can control its destiny. The existence of the best players on the team does not control the outcome of the game. The time and effort players and parents put forth displays a passion that the game demands. I have seen that this great game can truly absorb people. Early morning practices, weekend games, travel to other towns, expensive equipment, and cold arenas, demanding schedules are just a few examples of what we endure to play/watch this great game. Commitment, discipline, working together, goal setting, effort, time management, friends, camaraderie, are more examples of what the players participating provide. To watch players at the highest level of the game execute their skills at top speed, provide a role to their team, sacrifice their bodies, to compete to the best of their abilities is truly an art. Over the years I have watched the five-year-old fall, to get back up and repeat this countless times over and over. I have watched him when he took his first slap shot now at age twelve. At age 16, seeing these same kids pull up to the rink and now they’re in the drivers seat. What does this great game provide for you? “What a game”