The Kids' Guide to Sports Ethics

By Christopher Forest

Athletes train hard and play to win. Coaches work to give their teams the edge on game day. But not everyone is on a level playing field. Poor sportsmanship and questionable behavior can cast a shadow over sports. Stories of true sportsmanship and fair play bring out the spirit of competition that makes sports great.  Produced in partnership with Sports Illustrated KIDS.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Jan 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491416471

Christopher Forest

Richard Watson spent many of his younger years drawing medieval knights, dragons, and entire comic books inspired by his love of reading. He studied illustration at Lincoln University and lives in the north of England.

Book preview

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ETHICS AND

SPORTSMANSHIP

CHAPTER 1

HONORING THE GAME

CHAPTER 2

PLAYER INTERACTION

CHAPTER 3

PRESSURE TO SUCCEED

CHAPTER 4

STORIES OF SPORTSMANSHIP

GLOSSARY

READ MORE

INTERNET SITES

INDEX

ETHICS AND SPORTSMANSHIP

Sports have entertained people for ages. The solid crack of a bat smashing a game-winning home run. The work of an Olympian that pays off in a gold medal. The buzzer-beating shot of a college student that wins the national championship.

The U.S. women’s soccer team wins the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Players shake hands after a competition as a show of respect and sportsmanship.

At all levels, sports often leave us with pictures of hard work and dedication. Athletes practice and train before the start of a volleyball season. A player hustles down the first base line to beat a throw. Fans cheer the home team as the players hoist a championship trophy high.

But sports also present a lot of questions, especially for athletes. What is the right way to act on the field? What’s the best way to train ethically? What unwritten rules are there to follow?

It’s during such times that sportsmanship becomes important. There are no official rules of sportsmanship. However, many athletes hold to the idea of sportsmanship and ethical behavior—like an honor code to the game.

sportsmanship—the spirit of playing a sport fairly and to the best of one’s ability

UNWRITTEN RULES

During a baseball game, you swing the bat hard and hear a solid smack. You look up and know the ball is going to leave the ballpark. You want to watch the ball carry over the fence. But the pitcher is already staring you down. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

It might be fun to stand there and watch