NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP DAY 2005 Defeat Gamesmanship

2009 NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP DAY INFORMATION PACKET www.internationalsport.com/nsd TABLE OF CONTENTS Contact Information.…………………………………………………………..3 Welcome to National Sportsmanship Day Letter……………………………...4 Promotional Suggestions....................................................................................5 Sample Press Release……….............................................................................6 Sample Media Advisory…….............................................................................7 Essential NSD Definitions…..…………………………………………………8 Suggested NSD Activities for Faculty, Staff & Parents................................9-13 Teamwork and Cooperation Games ………………………………………14-22 Follow-Up Survey………………...........................................................….23-25 Sportsmanship Quotes……………………..................................................26-27 * For additional activities, including Two Uncommon Acts of Principle and Three Great Guideposts to Sportsmanship, visit our website (www.internationalsport.com/nsd) and review the many click-on opportunities. 2 NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP DAY 2009 CONTACT INFORMATION E-mail: e wheeler@internationalsport.com Telephone: 401.874.7408 Fax: 401.874.2429 Website: www.internationalsport.com/nsd 3 NATIONAL SPORTS MANS HIP DAY INFORMATION PACKET TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009 Dear Sportsmanship Day Coordinator: Thank you for accepting the important role as your school/organization’s coordinator for the 19th annual National Sportsmanship Day Dare To Play Fair! program, to be held Tuesday March 3, 2009. As part of this program, you will join elementary, middle and high schools, as well as colleges and universities, from all 50 states and over 100 countries. If you are unable to celebrate National Sportsmanship Day on March 4th, please feel free to do so when it is more convenient. The objective of National Sportsmanship Day (NSD) is to promote students’ appreciation of the critical role of ethics, honesty, peaceful conflict resolution and fair play in athletics and society through education and sport. We have organized the NSD program to serve as a forum for discussion on the role of sportsmanship in today’s athletic world and society in general. NSD’s “Dare To Play Fair” Program will challenge students, coaches, administrators, officials and parents to reflect upon the true purpose of sport and competition and to gain a better understanding of what is right and wrong on the playing field and in life. With your help, and the cooperative efforts of thousands of participating schools, we will continue to make strides in fostering sound ethical behavior and fair play. Packet Overview The Information packet is designed to assist you with your preparation for the March 3, 2009 celebration. This year’s theme is “No Fighting in Sports”. You will find a number of thought-provoking questions, Right-vs-Right conundrums, role-playing scenarios, and a host of other activities that will help you convey the true meaning of sportsmanship. This packet (and at other points in the NSD ’09 website) contains four age-specific sections: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Colleges/Universities, as well as a section for Parents. Once again, you are not limited to the activities within your grade level. You should tailor the event to best suit the needs of your school/organization. Additionally, please remember that you are not restricted to administering only the suggested activities. Feel free to implement your own creative ideas, and let us know of your successes by completing the follow-up survey found on pages 23-25. Website Overview In addition to the Information Packet, please utilize some of the many other NSD website features, all of which you can click-on. As you will note on the 2009 NSD Home page, these features include two Uncommon Acts of Principle, three Great Guideposts to Sportsmanship, and many, many other important opportunities. Thank you for participating in the 2009 National Sportsmanship Day. After completion of the Day, please complete the Follow-up Survey, or simply email me your thoughts, so as to help us to continue to improve National Sportsmanship Day. Erica Wheeler Chief of Staff Director of National Sportsmanship Day iis102@etal.uri.edu 401-874-7408 4 PROMOTIONAL SUGGESTIONS 1. Send a memo to all faculty with a letter of endorsement from the school superintendent or state education director to encourage participation. 2. Post flyers throughout your school outlining National Sportsmanship Day and distribute them to all coaches and faculty. 3. Display promotional posters in the most visible areas in the school. 4. Administer the Banner Contest and Poster Contest prior to the Day as explained in the list of general activities. Display all final products throughout the school. 5. Form an NSD committee comprised of students, coaches, teachers and parents to plan the day’s/week’s events. 6. Announce your plans for NSD with other morning announcements. 7. Encourage teachers from all grade levels in your school to promote NSD and incorporate the ideals of ethics, fair play and sportsmanship in their classroom discussions. 8. Send a letter and a press release to appropriate media (newspaper, radio, television) highlighting your major programs. Include information regard ing NSD in your school newsletter, magazine, or any other appropriate publications or mailings. 9. Send the sample media advisory to appropriate media in your area (newspaper, radio, television) prior to your celebration highlighting upcoming activities you have planned for NSD. 10. Request that athletic coaches solicit the participation and support of their players in all scheduled NSD activities. 11. Colleges and universities should contact their sports information directors for assistance with promotion and media coverage. 12. Contact local radio and television personalities and encourage them to support NSD. Personally call any members of the news media whom you know to acquaint them with NSD and your school’s celebration. 13. Get parents involved. Create a brochure or flyer and send it to parents announcing your NSD. 5 SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE National Sportsmanship Day 2009 FOR I MMEDIATE R ELEASE Date: Contact: (Your Name) Telephone: National Sportsmanship Day to be Celebrated March 3, 2009 (Your Town, State) – The students, faculty and staff of (Your School) are joining more than 13,000 schools nationwide and in more than 100 countries in celebrating the seventeenth annual National Sportsmanship Day “Dare to Play Fair” program, on TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009. National Sportsmanship Day (NSD) was developed by the Institute for International Sport, which is based at the University of Rhode Island, to create an awareness of the issues of ethics, fair play and sportsmanship within athletics and in the broader context of society. Activities scheduled for National Sportsmanship Day at (Your School) include... Any special activities, such as the “Team Sportsmanship” program, special school assembly, special discussion groups, etc. should be emphasized in a sepa rate paragraph. If you plan any public activities, list them here in a separate paragraph with dates, times and locations. Anyone wishing to celebrate National Sportsmanship Day by organizing their own activities should contact the Institute for International Sport at 401.874.2375 for a free instructional packet and poster, or iis102@etal.uri.edu, or visit the NSD website at www.internationalsport.com/nsd. 6 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 SAMPLE MEDIA ADVISORY Media Advisory The Institute for International Sport Presents National Sportsmanship Day TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009 Media Advisory To: ______________________________________________________ From: ____________________________________________________ Event: Celebration of National Sports mans hip Day Time & Location: ___________________________________________ Activities Planned: ________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ____________________________________________ For further details, please contact: ______________________________ At: _______________________________________________________ 7 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 ESSENTIAL NSD DEFINITIONS Sportsmanship - Conduct becoming to one participating in a sport (such as fairness, respect for one’s opponent, and graciousness in winning and losing). Examples include: - Picking an opponent up off the ground after a hard foul in basketball - Shaking hands with the opposing team after a well-played hockey game - Refusing to argue with a tennis official after an incorrect call Gamesmanship - The art or practice of winning games by questionable means without actually breaking the game’s rules, but violating their spirit; or the use of ethically dubious methods to gain an objective. Examples include: - Holding an opponent’s jersey in basketball - Faking an injury to stop the clock in football - Taking a “dive” to get a possession of the ball in lacrosse or soccer Right-vs-Right Conundrums - Challenging situations that present themselves in the course of athletic contests in which there is not one right answer, but instead a degree of “rightness” on both sides of the issue. These topics will be explored in greater detail later in the packet, but some examples include: - NBA teams’ late-game practice called “Hack-a-Shaq” - Resting a team’s starters for a late-season game to prepare them for the postseason even though the game’s outcome will determine other playoff participants and seeds - A student-athlete missing her team’s basketball game so that she could attend a volleyball recruiting showcase with the hopes of earning a college scholarship 8 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 SUGGESTED A CTIVITIES - FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS Teachers’ Conference Prior to National Sportsmanship Day, discuss the program at various academic department meetings. Explain the concepts behind the Day and encourage all teachers to participate. This will be an excellent opportunity to declare a “Sportsmanship Week” and coordinate other schoolwide programs. National Sportsmanship Day, with essay, poetry and poster contests, is truly an integrated program that can provide positive reinforcement for your physical educatio n and athletic departments. Urge your teachers and coaches to submit articles to the school and local newspapers about athlete and fan sportsmanship exhibited in the classroom and on the field. Sportsmanship/Ethical Conduct Committee Organize a committee of parents, teachers, coaches, officials, administrators and a local sportswriter within your school or athletic conference to handle sportsmanship issues. Devise a plan of action to improve sportsmanship and establish a policy to be adhered to at all organized league events. Garner support from school committees to have the policy officially adopted by schools. National Sportsmanship Day Newsletter Work with the school newspaper or yearbook staff to create an NSD newsletter. Include a list of all NSD-related activities and other relevant information. Send the newsletter to parents and other prominent individuals in the community. Physical Education Dialogue Recommend that all physical education teachers set aside time during each class throughout the week of March 4, 2008 to discuss ethics, fair play and sportsmanship. Recognize and reward displays of good sportsmanship in the class. Coaches’ Forum In response to National Sportsmanship Day, organize a coaches’ forum that will involve all coaches within your athletic department. This will be an excellent opportunity to analyze the current state of ethics and sportsmanship within your school’s athletic program. During the session, identify problem areas and develop a strategy to improve the awareness of good sportsmanship for the future. Have the coaches examine their behavior as role models and how it affects the attitudes of their players. 9 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 SUGGESTED A CTIVITIES - FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS Coaches’ Forum for Parents With the recent influx of poor sportsmanship by parents, a forum for parents should be held prior to each season. This forum should be mandatory for all parents of athletes participating on school teams. At this forum, coaches and school administrators should o utline to parents the proper behavior expected from them at home and away games. Let parents be aware that if they act in a bad manner they will not be able to attend games for the remainder of the season. Provide examples of positive cheers, rather than negative jeers. Parent/Athlete Roundtable With the increase in parental pressure on children who participate in school athletics, especially at the high school level, schools should hold a Parent/Athlete Roundtable. Parents and their children can sit down with coaches and talk about the pressures and commitment that go along with participating in varsity athletics. It is reported that many athletes who no longer enjoy athletic competition continue only because of parental pressure. This Roundtable will allow athletes and parents to talk about this and other issues relating to the topic of parental pressure on children participating in varsity athletics IN THE CLASSROOM Sportsmanship Week Using March 3, 2009 as a focal point, your school may declare the entire week “Sportsmanship Week”. The concepts and issues discussed on Tuesday may be further explored throughout the week, beginning with a “Thought of the Day” or “Quote of the Day” to be included in the morning announcements. Have officials choose a “Sportsperson of the Game” for each home game, and recognize these athletes at the end of the season. Ask your coaches to choose a “Sportsperson of the Week” from their team and display photographs of these players and their coaches on a sportsmanship bulletin board. Logo Contest/Poetry Contest Ask your Art and English departments to conduct a logo or poetry contest for National Sportsmanship Day. Use the winning logo as a theme for the Day’s events, reprint it on a banner to hang in the gym, or make pins to hand out to spectators at home contests. Solicit support from local newspapers to publish winners of the poetry contest. 10 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 SUGGESTED A CTIVITIES - FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS Team Sportsmanship Initiative This program offers high schools and colleges the opportunity to put together “Team Sportsmanship” teams who will visit local elementary and middle schools during the week of National Sportsmanship Day. During their visits, these student-led teams will discuss issues of ethics, fair play, and sportsmanship with younger student-athletes. In addition to providing a great community service opportunity, Team Sportsmanship has been tremendously rewarding for both the visiting student-athletes as well as the younger ones. For more information on this exciting program, contact the Institute for International Sport at 401.874.2375, or visit our website at www.internationalsport.com/ns d and click-on “Team Sportsmanship.) Guest Speakers Invite one or more guest speakers to your school on National Sportsmanship Day. Speakers may include local athletes, alumni, coaches, administrators, sportswriters, officials or umpires. Rivals Unite Get together with members or players of your school’s biggest rival, and plan a community service project together, such as “Team Sportsmanship.” Such a project will enable opposing players to interact off the field in a positive, noncompetitive situation. Developing these relationships will foster and encourage good sportsmanship and fair play on game day. Top Ten List of Good Sportsmanship This activity requires that individual students or small groups create their own Top Ten List of Good Sportsmanship. The class may then share their ideas and agree on a final Top Ten List that can be displayed in the school and at athletic contests. Suggest transposing the list onto T-shirts that can be sold at home games. Any profits may be used for the purchase of new equipment or uniforms. 11 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 SUGGESTED A CTIVITIES - FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS Poster Contest Ask your Art department to conduct a poster contest prior to National Sportsmanship Day. Display posters throughout the school to promote the Day. The school may choose to d isplay winning posters in the cafeteria, gymnasium or any other highly visible location. Reward the students who devise the most creative and appropriate illustration of sportsmanship with free tickets to a local athletic event. Right-vs-Right Conundrums In this packet, you will find a selection of age-based Right-vs-Right conundrums (see definition on page 8) depicting real life situations that can be used to stimulate personal reflection and lively discussion on critical issues of sportsmanship. These proposed topics can be used with groups of any size, and in a variety of manners: large groups can debate opposing sides of an issue, small groups can act out different scenarios, individuals can reflect on the conundrum in an essay writing activity, etc. Captain’s Roundtable Assemble the team captains of all the sports within your athletic program for an open forum on the current state of ethics, fair play and sportsmanship within your school, athletic conference and state. Brainstorm and create a list of suggestions that will increase the awareness of these issues. These ideas may then be presented to your school’s athletic director and/or other appropriate administrator. School Assembly Using a team of student leaders, engage in a school-wide discussion on the thought-provoking topics of sportsmanship. Through a combination of small- and large-group activities and discussions, broach such topics as sportsmanship and gamesmanship, role model selection and Right-vs-Right conundrums. Together, search for ways to incorporate practices of good sportsmanship into your daily lives. For more information on this idea, and to see a proposed hour- long discussion outline, visit our website at: www.inte rnationalsport.com/nsd/ns d_teams ports mans hip.cfm. 12 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 SUGGESTED A CTIVITIES - FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS ON THE COURT/ON THE FIELD Visible Signs of Sportsmanship In your gymnasium, post signs that promote and encourage displays of good sportsmanship. This will be a constant reminder to all students and other individuals who use the gym that sportsmanship should be a top priority for all sports and all ages. Prior to a game, encourage both teams to perform with the ideals of sportsmanship and fair play in mind. This may be illustrated by reading a quote or phrase about sportsmanship before the game or alternating players from each school when lining up before the playing of the National Anthem. Fan Appreciation Post signs to thank fans for their support, but at the same time, subtly remind them to adhere to your schools belief that sportsmanship, ethics and fair play are important. Include a list of Do’s and Don’ts for the fans of your athletic programs, and have a public address announcement explaining them before every game. Make sure proper discipline is taken with people who do not abide by the rules. Encourage your fans to support players that display good sportsmanship and coaches that act as good role models for their players. For example, support coaches that do not run- up game scores. Annual Sportsmanship Award Prior to National Sportsmanship Day, have the coaches and players of all athletic teams at your school nominate players for the Annual Sportsmanship Award. The individual who displays the best attitude and team spirit toward his/her respective sport should receive this award. Suggest that your local newspaper sponsor a conference or statewide sportsmanship award to be selected from the list of local school winners. For more ideas on sportsmanship promotion, including links to other excellent Internet resources, please visit our website at www.internationalsport.com/nsd. 13 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES These games can be very entertaining for all students, but the primary goal of this activity is to foster dialogue among students upon completion of each task. Students will be reminded of the importance and, as illustrated in these games, the necessity of teamwork and cooperation. Games Directory Goblins and Zombies . Cookie Monster Octopus Tag . Human Tic Tac Toe Vocrab-Soccer . Behavior Savers Hoop Ball . Roll With It Four Corner Warm-Up . How was Sportsmanship during PE today? All Aboard . Knots Mile of Yarn . The Human Machine The Mob Job 14 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES Goblins and Zombies (grade 2 -5) Playing Area: Gym, auditorium or outside Equipment: 12 hula hoops, 12 sponge balls, 4 orange cones and 2 long jump ropes Setup: Goblins are in hoops scattered around inside a square playing area marked by 4 orange cones. Goblins have one sponge ball a piece to throw at children trying to run across the graveyard. Objective: To last as long as you can before turning into a Zombie. Rules: Goblins must always keep one foot inside the grave (hula hoop) when throwing sponge balls. Goblins can retrieve ball and throw again if one foot is in grave. If children are hit below the head with sponge ball, they must freeze in their spot and become zombies. Zombies must stand stationary with feet together while trying to reach out and help tag children as they go through graveyard. Anyone tagged by a zombie becomes a zombie. If someone catches a sponge ball while running, they continue and do not become zombies. 15 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES Cookie Monster (grade K - 3) Playing Area: Gym or multi-purpose room. Equipment: 10-15 bean bags, 1 bucket, 1 hockey stick Setup: Have everyone in the class get a partner. Sit partners about 15 feet apart facing each other, and give each set of partners a bean bag. Objective: To keep your “cookies” away from the Cookie Monster for as long as possible. Rules: The bean bags represent “cookies”. The partners share their cookies by sliding the bean bags back and forth across the floor without the Cookie Monster getting them. The Cookie Monster will be moving around trying to steal the cookies with his/her spatula (hockey stick). If the Cookie Monster gets a cookie, he/she will take it and put it in the cookie jar (bucket). Partners can hold the cookie for about 5 seconds before sliding it. The Cookie Monster has about 3 or 4 minutes to get as many cookies as possible. Then a new Cookie Monster is chosen and the old Cookie Monster will take his/her place on the floor. Octopus Tag (grade K - 3) Playing Area: Gym or Outdoors Equipment: None (just willing kids!) Setup: Mark off a sizable rectangle, and build a “safe zone” at both ends of playing field. Objective: To stay unfrozen for as long as possible. How to play: This is a good game to play inside. If you happen to play it outside, make sure the boundaries are reasonable because if the area of play is too large, it won’t be as much fun. Make a safe zone at both ends of the boundaries and place the person who is “It”, right between the bounds. All the other players stand at one of the safe zones. The person who is “it” yells, “Anything out there for dinner?!” and everyone else tries to run for the opposite safe zone. Then “it” runs around and tags who ever they can. When someone is tagged, they have to sit down on the spot where they were tagged. The next time everybody runs, these players have to try to tag the runners, using only their arms, but they have to stay seated. Everybody keeps running back and forth through the “Octopus Field” until only one person is left; next round, they’re “it”. 16 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES Human Tic-Tac-Toe (grade 1 - 5) Playing Area: Inside Equipment: 9 chairs Objective: Get three X’s or three O’s in a row up, down, horizontally or diagonally. Set up: Place nine chairs at the front of the room three by three, and divide the class into X’s and O’s. Rules: Flip a coin to decide which goes first, the X’s or the O’s. Just like in regular tic-tac-toe, the X’s and O’s alternate except they sit in the chairs instead of drawing it out on paper. The winner is determined as in regular tic-tac-toe across, up and down or diagonally. There might also be a tie which is known as a cat You can sit them by asking questions on sports rules, proper sportsmanship behavior or about things you have been doing in phys-ed. If they get it right, they get to sit; if not, the same questions goes to the other team. Vocrab-Soccer (grade 2 - 5) Playing Area: Gym or auditorium Equipment: Nerf soccer ball, 8 cones Objective: Be the first team to spell a selected vocabulary word. Setup: Divide class into two teams on each side of court or room. Place 2 cones on each end of the court as goals 6 ft. wide. Teams are facing center court sitting with legs straight in front. Rules: Players from each team are numbered with players having the same number as an opposing player. Players come out as their number is called, one number is called for the goalie and one or more numbers for the players kicking. Players are in crab position and move + kick from this position without touching the ball with hands. Only the goalie can touch with hands. Players on sides keep the ball in bounds with outstretched legs. Teams score when the ball is kicked through the opposing goal. Points are letters of class vocabulary words (I recommend using some of the sportsmanship words from the Word Find.). The first team spelling selected vocabulary word wins. A 1-2 minute period is used for each number called. This keeps it fast paced. 17 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES Hoop Ball (grade K - 5) Playing Area: Gym or multi-purpose room Equipment: Sponge balls enough for class (can be small), 6 hoops and long jump rope Setup: Place the jump rope in the middle of the floor and three hoops at each end. Objective: Eliminate all players from the opposing team before they eliminate you. Rules: All balls must be thrown below head level. Anyone who hits someone above the shoulder level goes to the other team’s hoops. If you are hit with a ball shoulder level or below, you go to the other team’s hoops. If a ball is thrown at you and you catch it, the person who threw the ball goes to the hoops on your side. If a student crosses the center-line while trying to throw the ball, then he/she must go to that team’s hoops. A player gets out of the hoops by successfully catching a ball thrown by a teammate and then can return to his/her side and continue the game. If they have a foot in the hoop they are considered to be caught by the other team. Comment: You are the main judge who decides who got hit or not, without discussion. Inform the children to promote good sportsmanship by being honest if he/she gets hit. Usually it’s not a problem because children get right back in the game. Have fun! 18 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES Roll With It (grade 3 - 6) Playing Area: Gym or multi-purpose room Equipment: Basketball/playground ball for each team, the song “Roll With It” by Stevie Winwood, and students - the more, the better! Setup: Divide class into small (4-7) teams. Each team forms a straight line. A ball is given to the leader of each line. Objective: Teamwork and passing skills. Teamwork is the key to this exciting game! Game: When the song begins, the leader starts the game by passing the ball to the person behind him/her. The passing continues until the ball reaches the last person. He/She dribbles the ball to the front of the line and begins passing again. The teacher determines which type of pass the students are to perform (chest, bounce, between the legs, over the head, to the side, etc.). While the students are passing the ball they must listen to the music. Whenever the chorus of the song (“Roll With It Baby”) comes on, the students must spread their legs shoulder width apart and begin rolling the ball on the floor. The ball should travel to the last person who in turn dribbles the ball back to the front. When the chorus stops, the students begin passing again. Four Corner Warm-Up (grade 4 - 6) Playing Area: Gym, multi-purpose room, or auditorium Equipment: 4 cones, jammin’ music with player Setup: Divide class into groups of four and put them in a circle around their team’s cones (in four corners of the gym/room). Have students number themselves off. Objective: Fitness, teamwork, and innovative exercises! Game: When the music starts #1 leads his/her favorite exercise 10x, then leads his/her team into a lap around the gym. Once back to their respective cones #2 is the leader leading his/her favorite exercise and leading the line in a jog. Continue until all members have had a chance to lead. KIDS LOVE IT! 19 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES All Aboard (grade 3-6) Playing Area: Indoors, classroom Equipment: One large sheet of paper. Setup: Lay the large sheet on the floor, and spread it out. Objective: To get the entire class on a specified area without falling off. Rules: Have all the students stand on the sheet together. Once they have done this fold the sheet to make it smaller. Again, have all the students get on the sheet. Continue this process. Eventually, the sheet will be so small that the students will need to use a great deal of cooperation, teamwork, and ingenuity to get the whole class on the sheet without anyone falling. Knots (grade 4-6) Playing Area: Indoors, classroom Equipment Just an even number of students - no more than twelve. Setup: Have the students form one big circle, facing each other. Objective: To untangle a human knot. Rules: Students close their eyes and reach across the circle with their right hand to grasp the right hand of another student. They should pretend that they are shaking hands – but hold on! With eyes open, have each student reach across the circle with their left hand and grasp the left hand of a different student. No student should be holding both hands of the same person. Now, without letting go, have the students untangle themselves. The result should be a circle of intertwined circles, or one large circle. 20 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES The Human Machine (grade 4-6) Playing Area: Indoors, classroom. Equipment: None, other than a group of cooperative students. Setup: Arrange the students in groups of about seven. Assign each group a separate machine (e.g. car, telephone). Objective: To have a group of students build a machine using nothing but its members as the working parts. Rules: As a group, the students must build the machine using only its members as the parts. The students must decide who will be each part. Once the machines have been built, the st udents demonstrate how they have interpreted their project and how their group works together to make the machine work. This game requires a great deal of cooperation. If the students are old enough, you can let them pick their own machine. The Mob Job (grade 3-6) Playing Area: Indoors, classroom. Equipment: A group of willing students, and one roll of masking tape. Setup: Divide the class into groups and have each group line up in a single file line and hold hands. Objective: To have the groups retrieve objects while working together. Rules: While the front of the line remains stationary, have the back portion wrap itself around the stationary students. The end result will be a compact circle of students. Once the compact circle has been formed, wrap the group with two or three layers of masking tape or thin string at the midsection level. Each group has the task of retrieving specific objects (flag, ball, cardboard box, etc.) without breaking the tape. 21 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 TEAMWORK & COOPERATION GAMES Other Ideas to Further Bolster Teamwork, Cooperation, and Communication in All Age Groups: Assorted Relay Races - Divide teams or classes into smaller groups and challenge them to a series of relay races. In the first, they must sprint from one end to the other and back. In the second, they must do the same, while also dribbling a basketball. In the third, they must do the same, while kicking a soccer ball, cradling a lacrosse ball, juggling, or what have you. Continue until you run out of sports or equipment. Chances are that different teams will win different races and the lesson to be learned is that we all have different strengths, and each is worth celebrating. Balance Beam/Ropes Course - Challenge a team or class to get all of its members safely from one side of a balance beam to the other. This encourages them to think creatively and problem solve collectively. It forces them help each other to achieve a common goal. By doing so, they will build trust with one another. Journal Activities - Before a practice or class, ask your student-athletes to take five minutes to write their thoughts on team-related topic of your choosing. Topics could include, I play sports because..., Being a good teammate means..., and My team goals for this season are..., to name a few. When the time is up, ask if anyone would like to share their thoughts. The introspection this activity fosters ensures that all players become conscious of important team-related issues. Attend Another Team’s Practice - Pick a non-competition day when each of your school’s teams could attend one practice session for another sport to be run by the other team’s coaches. This would encourage student-athletes to appreciate how much work and skill goes into other sports, thereby further deconstructing inter-sport rivalries and barriers. Behavior Savers - Decorate some plain wooden clothespins (you could have your students decorate them with a sports theme). I call them Behavior Savers. Every time you catch somebody showing good sportsmanship, clip a clothespin to their shirt. It is fast and easy. Let the kids know they can always have them taken away. If a student keeps it until the end of class you can give him/her a reward. Rewards could be as easy as a round of applause from the class, line up first for recess or a sportsmanship certificate. How was Sports manship during PE today? - Cut up a ton of cards (size is your choice). Put “How was Sportsmanship during PE today?” at the top, then below put a number one, two or three. One being excellent and three being really bad. Rate the class at the end. Then keep a record of what the classes earn each week. The class with the most ones at the end of the grading period, wins recognition as the PE class with the best sportsmanship. This really works! 22 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 Follow-Up Survey Your feedback is extremely important to the success of this program in future years. Please complete the survey and return it by April 1, 2009. NAME: SCHOOL/ORG: ADDRESS: PHONE: 1. Did the “Informational” packet stimulate meaningful dialogue in your group (s)? What did you consider to be the most useful suggested activity/activities? YES NO 2. Do you feel that the Institute for International Sport gave you proper assistance and direction for National Sportsmanship Day? YES NO 23 3. Did you find the National Sportsmanship Day website useful to your celebration? What features were most effective in helping your school/organization promote sportsmans hip? YES NO 4. Do you feel that National Sportsmanship Day was a worthwhile experience for your school/ group? YES NO 5. Do you feel that National Sportsmanship Day was a worthwhile experience for your school/ group? YES NO 24 6. Would you be interested in participating in next year’s National Sportsmanship Day? YES NO 7. Was there a particular issue related to ethics or sportsmanship that was not included in this packet that you believe should be a part of future packets? YES NO 8. What was the most significant comment, thought, solution etc. which came out of your discussions on sportsmanship? Please return to: National Sportsmanship Day Institute for International Sport PO Box 1710 Kingston, RI 02881-1710 401-874-2429 iis102@etal.uri.edu Or Fax to: Or Email to: 25 National Sportsmanship Day 2009 Sportsmanship Quotes “Nobody will think you’re somebody if you don’t think so yourself.” African-Ame rican prove rb “The answers to these questions will determine your success or failure. 1) Can people trust me to do what’s right? 2) Am I committed to doing my best? 3) Do I care about other people and show it? If the answers to these questions are yes, there is no way you can fail.” Lou Holtz “The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” Abraham Lincoln “Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to produce uncommon results.” Unknown “Do not throw in the towel; use it for wiping the sweat off your face.” Unknown “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” Michael Jordan “Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly.” Shaquille O’Neal “Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness, and respect for authority are the price each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” Vince Lombardi “One man practicing good sportsmanship is far better than fifty others preaching it.” Knute Rockne 26 “A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” Ara Parashegian “In the end, it’s extra effort that separates a winner from second place. But winning takes a lot more that 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 “It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” Paul “Bear” Bryant “I ran and ran and ran every day, and I acquired this sense of determination, this sense of spirit that I would never, never give up, no matter what else happened.” Wilma Rudolph 27