By Alissa Caruso
Sportsmanship is very important when it comes to showcasing Graceland’s core values. Players at the college level are under a lot of pressure to perform at their best at each and every game. These pressures can test their abilities to keep their emotions in check, and that is where being level-headed and sportsman-like comes into play. Our teams are constantly representing Graceland whenever they step onto the field, track, or court, and their sportsmanship is just as important as their performance in their sports. Everyone wants to talk about the lack of sportsmanship performed at homecoming, but we also have plenty of examples of good sportsmanship within the other sports at Graceland.
The baseball team demonstrated great sportsmanship during the first game of their World Series when one player was not performing as well as he expected. After the game, his teammate, who played against him, helped pick him up and stay positive. This is a great example of players supporting each other through the pressure of competitiveness that comes with college sports.
Intramural soccer just finished up and the IM Play Fair award was bestowed upon the Shalom and Stewart Manor pairing for displaying the best sportsmanship throughout the tournament. In an interview with Nicole Sherer, who played in the All-Star game for Shalom, she explained that her team chose not to get upset about mistakes or taunting from others and just focused on the game. The lesson to be taken away from Shalom and Stewart Manor is that the game can be intense and competitive, but players choose what they let get under their skin and how they react to obstacles.
The women’s soccer team also exhibited sportsmanship at one of their games by helping up the opposition when they were tackled and fell down. All of these circumstances show the sportsmanship that represents the values here at Graceland. All players should strive to achieve good sportsmanship as well as peak performance within their sports.
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