Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, Al   36507

Cynthia Knowlton

Regional Extension Agent

4-H & Youth Development

March 2, 2009

YOUTH AND SPORTSMANSHIP

The development of sportsmanship is an important part of growing up.  To become contributing, competent, caring, capable adults, youth must develop sportsmanship.  All participants in youth sports programs, whether at school, the community, or a club, should be expected to demonstrate each of the following elements of sportsmanship before, during, and after their participation.

• Conduct:  Demonstrate and maintain high standards of personal behavior and conduct which suits you as an individual and as a representative of your family, your club, your community or other youth programs which you are involved with.
• Fairness:  Learn and follow the rules.  Do not cheat.  Be objective, honest, and just in evaluating yourself and others.
• Honesty:  Be truthful, fair and straight-forward in everything you say and do.  Show integrity.  Do not lie or deceive.  Do your own work.  Do not understate or overstate your abilities, skills, or accomplishments.
• Competition:  Accept that the nature of competition is seeking to get what others are seeking to get also.  It involves rivalry between participants to earn rewards, and results in both winners and losers.
• Courtesy:  Be well-mannered in your conduct.  Be respectful, thoughtful, considerate, cooperative, friendly and cheerful in your attitude and your behavior regardless of whether you do well or not, or whether you win or lose.  Be pleasant and nice toward other participants, spectators, program officials, judges, the media, your coaches, parents and others.  Give others the benefit of the doubt.  Treat people kindly. Don’t boo, heckle, use offensive language, or behave rudely.  Keep your emotions under control.
• Graceful Acceptance of Results:  Accept coaches/judges’ suggestions and calls with a positive attitude.  If you are not a winner or did not get what you expected, do not gripe, complain, whine, pout, make excuses, or say you didn’t feel well.  Congratulate those who do win and who performed better than you did.  Recognize, appreciate, and try to learn from the accomplishments and admirable traits of others.  Recognize, learn from, and try to improve your own shortcomings.  Do not protest or make accusations unless you have proof and are willing to personally face the person(s) you are accusing.  If you win, thank the people who congratulate you.  Be happy but do not gloat, brag, act conceited, or downplay your accomplishments.  Finally, regardless of the outcome thank your parents, coaches, referees, and others who helped you.

Credit to the following:  Kathryn J. Cox, Ph.D. - Extension 4-H Specialist/Youth Development, Ohio State University

Job Search Workshop

There will be a Job Search Workshop on March 25. It will be held at the Baldwin County Extension Office, 302A Byrne Street, Bay Minette from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Topics will include: Job search techniques, Resume Development, Job interview skills and job related topics. This workshop is free and open to anyone. For more information, contact Rick Zapata at 251-937-7176.

Email address: cknowlto@aces.edu

Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

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