The hyper-competitive youth sports environment has created a culture that has become accepting of poor sportsmanship.  This culture of competition is putting the positive youth sports experience that we want for our kids at risk, threatening to ruin the game for them.  As a parent, what can you do to fight poor sportsmanship and reverse this trend?

One of the most impactful things you can do is simply have a conversation with your kids on the topic of sportsmanship.

Are you wondering how to start the conversation on sportsmanship? Download our helpful handout which includes 4 easy steps:

• Step 1: Start with explaining What Is Sportsmanship?
• Step 2: Talk about When Sportsmanship Happens
• Step 3: Discuss What To Do When You See Bad Sportsmanship
• Step 4: Talk about Your Role As A Parent Is In Sportsmanship

While truly reversing this “win-at-all-costs” mentality cannot solely be accomplished with a single conversation, it is the first step in creating a culture that promotes and displays sportsmanship in youth sports.  It is your chance to remind your kids that sports can be much more than a series of games that are won or lost.

At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of responsibility and integrity shown by people every day. We created Responsible Sports, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display good sportsmanship. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning on and off the ice.

©2014 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Positive Coaching Alliance. All rights reserved. This material may not be distributed without express written permission. Any reproduction in whole or part by and individuals or organizations will be held liable for copyright infringement to the full extent of the law.