An evaluation of current sportsmanship practices and perceived importance of sportsmanship education by athletic directors and guidance counselors associated with three Wisconsin interscholastic athletic association conferences

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increased public awareness of the poor sportsmanship behaviors being displayed by coaches, students and parents involved in high school extra-curricular programs. Most of the research concerning the issue concentrates on college athletic programs. In my attempt to locate articles related to sportsmanship education I found little research concerning current sportsmanship practices and education programs being implemented in America’s high schools. School counselors and athletic directors may hold the responsibility to educate students and community members concerning positive sportsmanship behaviors. Many school counselors are being asked to educate students on proper social skills and incorporate character education into their guidance curriculums. While at the same time athletic administrators are increasing efforts to address poor sportsmanship and violence in high school extra-curricular activities. This study will evaluate current practices used by high schools and determine the level of difference in the importance of implementing sportsmanship education into the regular classroom environment. Recent research literature shows that the health of sportsmanship education and practice is declining in high school extra-curricular activities and athletic administrators have failed to address the problems by oversimplifying the problem (Rudd & Stoll, 1998). Therefore the research hypothesis for this study was that athletic directors, the current administrator in charge of sportsmanship education in Wisconsin schools, will rate the importance of implementing sportsmanship education into the school curriculum as less important than high school counselors who are being asked to implement moral character education curriculum in today’s schools through classroom instruction and discussion groups. After reviewing data collected from the sportsmanship questionnaires it was found that the research hypothesis for this study was not proven. Athletic directors and guidance counselors believed that athletic directors should be the primary source of sportsmanship education. The study also evaluated the current sportsmanship practices being used in three Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic conferences. Only one participant believed their school implemented a classroom sportsmanship education curriculum and the most commonly used sportsmanship practice was the display of banners on school grounds promoting good sportsmanship.