RESPECT

Sports have always been a huge aspect of my life…I grew up as an athlete and now as a coach, I’m on the other end of the spectrum. No matter my status as an athlete or a coach, I will always be a fan.

A true sports fan loves competition and the atmosphere it brings. We not only respect the game, but the players, coaches, and officials too…unless they’re replacement refs for the Steelers vs. Packers game, which is a complete other story I won’t get into today!

With all that being said there is nothing that upsets me more than seeing a “fan” be disrespectful. I’m talking about unsportsmanlike conduct here and it drives me nuts.  I was reminded of this tonight as I sat on the bench of our high school volleyball games and listened to a group of boys yell and make unnecessary and disrespectful noises all throughout a game.

I won’t get into details, but I will say that I don’t think people always realize how much their thoughts, words, and actions will show what type of person you are. Not only are you making a fool by saying and or doing such things, but you are also poorly representing your family, your friends, your school, and your community. You may think you are cool or being cute, but trust me…this is not the case!

One must take responsibility for their words and actions and be respectful. If you’re a true fan and if you really love the sport – you can handle the bad calls and you can handle another team beating you…you can do this while still cheering on your team, and you can still do this with the upmost respect!

As Laurence Sterne said, “Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.”