Embracing Good Sportsmanship

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Cheerleaders love the thrill of competition day. From piling all their hair up high to putting on that bright, shining uniform, it’s all just in preparation of hopefully taking home that “Grand Champion” title. While kids vary in their level of competitiveness, it’s important to ensure you’re instilling the right sportsmanship values in their minds. How do they behave when they lose? Or more importantly, how do they act when they win? We are here to discuss good sportsmanship.

Life Lessons

Good sportsmanship is a skill that stays with you for life. While it can be hard to define, we believe it’s all about teaching children to respond appropriately to situations that are both exciting and disappointing. Sportsmanship is understanding that loss is normal. Winning does not need to be rubbed in the faces of those who did not place as well. Even when you lose, learn from your mistakes, don’t let them hold you back, and always do your best. Of course, this is all easier said than done. So how do we teach good sportsmanship to our cheerleaders?

Instilling Good Sportsmanship

We believe in following these tops tips and strategies to keep the positivity high and the sportsmanship strong in our young athletes:

  • Do your best When athletes are giving their all when they compete, it is less likely they will blame their failures on external factors. They can take responsibility when they gave the competition their all.
  • Respect the other team If your team wins, teach your child to accept victory kindly and respectfully in regards to the other team’s efforts. If your team should lose, accept defeat, acknowledge the other team’s abilities, and move forward with new determination.
  • Encourage teammates It’s easy to blame a loss on a teammate who messed up, but this only weakens the team. Accept responsibility as a group and build up anyone who made a mistake. Blaming the loss on them will only upset them further.
  • Respect the judge’s decisions Even if you believe your team out-performed a team that scored higher than you, do not try to contest this decision. The judges are professionals, and they may have seen something that you missed. Accept the final call, even if you disagree.
  • Wish others good luck It never hurts to encourage a team, even if they are your rivals, as they go out on the mat. Positivity is contagious, and it can only help you when it is your team’s turn to perform.

 

WSA Cheer and Positive Teaching

Cheerleading is a competitive sport, but it’s also one filled with exciting and useful life lessons. Encouraging good sportsmanship early on can only help these athletes to become amazing adults in the future. Sign up for the cheerleading national championship hosted by WSA Cheer by reaching out today. We can’t wait to come to a venue near you to see what your gym can do! Our national championship winners receive jackets, and our Grand Nationals awards World’s bids to the best of the best. If you’re ready to show off what your team can do, sign up today.