Sportsmanship - Being a Good Fan
| Category: | Sportsmanship |
|---|---|
| Notes: | Good before a Pinewood Derby, a camporee, a pack or troop competition, or the start of a school sports season. Speaks to Scouts and, gently, to the parents in the room. Pairs with the other Sportsmanship minutes. |
When we talk about sportsmanship, we usually talk about the people competing. How to win with class and lose with grace. But tonight I want to talk about everybody else. The people on the sidelines.
Because you're going to be a fan a lot more often than you're going to be the one competing. At the Pinewood Derby, watching your friends' cars race. At school games. At camporee events. Watching your brother or sister play soccer on Saturday morning.
So what does a good fan look like?
A good fan cheers for their team, loudly, and that's great. But a good fan doesn't boo the other team. They don't yell at the referee. They don't make fun of the kid who dropped the ball or whose car came in last.
A good fan cheers for good effort, even on the other team. If a kid from the other side makes an amazing play, a good fan claps for that too.
And a good fan remembers that the people competing are mostly kids, doing their best and probably nervous. Every one of them can hear what's being shouted from the sidelines.
That goes for grown-ups too. Kids learn how to be fans by watching the adults around them.
So next time you're in the stands or on the sidelines, cheer like crazy for your team. And be the kind of fan the other team is glad to have there too.