48
maskmatters.org
FALL 2017
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DID YOU KNOW?
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Seventy-five percent of parents and coaches say teaching sportsmanship is the responsibility of parents.
UTMOST
CHARACTER
IN SPORTS
By // Jeremie Piette
I
grew up playing sports and
was lucky enough to play
at the professional level for
seven years, traveling to 17
countries. Today, I’m a parent of
two daughters and I own a soccer
business teaching kids how to
improve their skills, mentality
and brand. Through my own
experiences as a dad and a coach,
I’ve seen how sports brings out
passion and character in people—
and how it affects kids.
On the positive side, sports
can fast-track youth maturity.
Kids learn to work together,
and even against others. They
learn sportsmanship, which is so
much more than just shaking the
opponent’s hand at the end of a
game. It’s being a good listener,
encouraging a weaker player,
working hard, having a good
attitude when things don’t go
your way, trying to do the simple
things well—all of which are good
character traits for life, not just in
sports. Kids also learn sports can
be difficult and sometimes not
fair—just like real life.
I’ve also seen the not-so-
positive side of sports, like when
kids are only taught to have fun
and not to work their hardest. How
will they build good habits to give
their best in the future? I’ve also
seen kids, unfortunately, learn from
authorities who aren’t always right
in their own character and become
educate
+
sportsmanship
