SPORTSMANSHIP

Diane DietzChief Communications Officer, Big Ten ConferenceThursday, July 8, 2010

How do YOU define sportsmanship?

Is it…

• Ethics?

• Fairness?

• Fellowship?

Is it…

• For the players?

• For the coaches?

• For the fans?

sports∙man∙ship(noun)

conduct (as fairness, respect forone’s opponent and graciousnessin winning or losing) becoming toone participating in a sport

source: Merriam-Webster

What do you think?

Does Webster’s definition capture the essence of

“sportsmanship”?

What do you think?

Can ANYONE define it?

The United States

Supreme Court had a

similar problem with

pornography…

How did they define it?

“I know it when I see it.”

-Justice Potter Stewart in Jacobellis v. Ohio 378 U.S. 184 (1964)

SPORTSMANSHIP

SPORTSMANSHIP

SPORTSMANSHIP

SPORTSMANSHIP

SPORTSMANSHIP…You know it when you see it.

SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE BIG TEN

CONFERENCE

SPORTSLIKE CONDUCT

History of Big Ten Guidelines

SPORTSLIKE CONDUCT

Big Ten Handbook

SPORTSLIKE CONDUCT“It shall be the responsibility of each member university to ensure that all of its students and all individuals employed by or directly associated with it comport themselves in a sportslike manner when representing their university, especially at intercollegiate athletic contests.”

-2009-10 Big Ten Handbook, Agreement 10.01

SPORTSLIKE CONDUCT

• Acts of unsportslike conduct

• Procedure

• Disciplinary action & penalties

SPORTSLIKE CONDUCT

Game Management Manual

SPORTSMANSHIP INITIATIVES

SPORTSMANSHIP INITIATIVES

• Sportsmanship award

• Sportsmanship ads and PSAs

SPORTSMANSHIP INITIATIVES

SPORTSMANSHIP INITIATIVES

• NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct

• Online tool kit

• NCAA Sportsmanship Award

"In the end, it’s extra effort that separates a winner

from second place. But winning takes a lot more than

that, too. It starts with complete command of the

fundamentals. Then it takes desire, determination,

discipline and self-sacrifice. And finally, it takes a great

deal of love, fairness and respect for your fellow man.

Put all these together, and even if you don’t win, how

can you lose?"

-Jesse Owens

"The most important lesson I've learned from sports ishow to be not only a gracious winner, but a good loser aswell. … You learn a lot about sportsmanship. I mean, it'sreally tough to shake the hand of someone who just beatyou, and it's even harder to do it with a smile. If you canlearn to do this and push through that pain, you willremember what that moment is like the next time youwin and have a better sense of how those competitorsaround you feel. This experience will teach you a lot onand off the field!"

-Amy Van Dyken (six-time Olympic gold medal swimmer)

“One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.”

-Knute Rockne