"Mandatory" Sportsmanship Survey- The importance of sportsmanship in athletics

The Florida Atlantic athletic department sent out e-mails to every coach and athlete to complete the Sun Belt Conference Sportsmanship Survey.

The e-mail stated that if every athlete on every team did not complete the survey, then the team would not be allowed to compete in the Sun Belt Conference Championship.

I think that's a little extreme. I mean I do understand, and agree, that sportsmanship is extremely important in athletics of all levels (but still, come on.)

The survey was very beneficial because it offered a lot of information about sportsmanship and the correct ways to react in particular stressful game situations.

However, I'm sorry to say but if an athlete is that competitive, then they probably aren't going to be thinking about a little survey when they are upset in a game.

Do you think these athletes were thinking about a sportsmanship survey making these descisions?

When you're an athlete, there are times where you might make bad decisions such as:

• hitting another player,
• yelling at a referee,
• using foul language,
• talking back to a coach,
• or anything disrespect in the presence of a game, practice, etc.

But athletes don't act inappropriate and disrespect on purpose, it's out of frustration from competitiveness in the game and with other players. We just want to win.

I hope these surveys work to remind athletes because sportsmanship is important. But until then, athletes just need to practice self-control in real-life situations.

And trust me... it's harder than you think!