By David Jacobson
Positive Coaching Alliance
One principle of Responsible Sports is “Honoring the Game.” This is a refined form of sportsmanship, which includes some specific do’s and don’ts, rather than just a general advice and direction to “be a good sport.” One of the ways to remember these specifics is the acronym ROOTS, which stands for respecting Rules, Opponent, Officials Teammates and Self.
As coaches, you can introduce this concept to your players in words. It is even more important to reinforce the concepts through your actions. If you model Honoring the Game – letting your players see you respecting ROOTS – they are all the more likely to follow suit.
So here some suggested words, and actions, to help your players Honor the Game.
Rules
What you can say to your players:
Rules are what allow us to keep the game fair. Respect for the rules is important, even when it's possible to break them without getting caught. I want you to play by the rules, even if you think you won't get caught if you break them.
What you can do:
Never instruct your players to break the rules. Even those little things like blocking a base runners path.
Opponents
What you can say to your players:
Without opponents, we could have no game. A good opponent makes us do our best. I want you to try your hardest to win, not because you hate your opponent, but because you want to play your best. I promise that I will show respect for opposing coaches and teams, and I expect you to do the same.
What you can do:
Let your players hear you praise opponents. Clapping in appreciation of a nice play by an opponent, like a great defensive play in the outfield, sets a great example for your players.
Officials
What you can say to your players:
It is very important to respect officials. Often, this can be the most difficult part of Honoring the Game, so we need to remember to keep it in our minds when we play. Officials are trained to enforce rules, and they have a very hard job. Without the officials the game would be unsafe and unfair. Officials are not perfect, and sometimes they make mistakes. However, there is no excuse for treating officials with disrespect when they make errors. I want you to show respect for officials, even when you disagree with the call.
What you can do:
Shake officials’ hands before and after every game. Approach officials quietly and after asking permission to discuss a call or understand what they saw on a questionable play.
Teammates
What you can say to your players:
One of the best parts of sports is playing on a team. Some of your teammates may already be your best friends, and others may become your best friends. Later in life you will often be part of a team, and it is important to learn to work together. I hope you feel a commitment to each other as teammates and that you will support each other before, during and after practices and games.
What you can do:
Treat every one of your players exactly as you hope they treat each other. As coach, you may end up correcting players more than they would correct each other, but with the same respect and with the same mix of praise that you want your players to provide their teammates.
Self
What you can say to your players:
Some people only Honor the Game when their opponents do, but I want us to Honor the Game no matter what the other team or its fans do. I want us to be the kind of team that Honors the Game even when others do not because we set our own personal standards, and we live up to them no matter what, which shows that we respect ourselves.
What you can do:
If your opponents are not Honoring the Game, point it out to your players and tell them you are consciously showing self-respect by living up to your standards. “It’s not easy for me to keep quiet when I hear the other team trash-talking, but I am restraining myself, and I need you to do the same thing.”
It’s one thing to preach Honoring the Game. It is quite another to practice it. Doing both can help your athletes get the most out of their youth sport experiences, that will ultimately, carry over into life experiences. Check out more about Honoring the Game, ROOTS, and other Responsible Sport Coaching principles you can use to help your team in the Responsible Coaching section.
In an effort to benefit millions of youth athletes, parents and coaches, this article is among a series created exclusively for partners in the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports ProgramTM powered by Positive Coaching Alliance (http://www.positivecoach.org).
