Peace, Love, and Gators plus Sportsmanship

The last couple Gator News-emails have provided important thoughts and guidance on sportsmanship, and I thought I would share a few reflections in the blog as well, because sportsmanship and teamwork are so important to the swim team experience at Mount Vernon Park.

If you are a parent or athlete that has been around competitive sports, or even recreational sports, for a while, you’ve probably seen some pretty bad sportsmanship in action around the DC area (and anywhere else you have lived).  Maybe it’s the uncensored parent that can’t help but yell or complain from the stands; whether at the coach, referee, or even their own child.  Or perhaps you’ve encountered that ultra-intense coach that is throwing an all-out tantrum because a call doesn’t go their way.  Or what about the crazy videos that pop up on the news or internet of players fighting each other, or fighting coaches or referees?!  Clearly these are pretty overt examples of bad sportsmanship in action.  But there are also the more subtle examples that we experience as well.  And unfortunately the swim world is not immune to either overt or more subtle poor sportsmanship.  MVP team reps – both past and present – see a lot of what goes on inside and outside the swim meets and certainly have some bad stories to tell.  Situations like a mean spirited skit before a swim meet, a club not making our team feel welcomed, or a prank executed the night before a meet that damages MVP property. 

In spite of any challenges we have experienced with sportsmanship over the years, I have always been extremely impressed with how dedicated the MVP Gators are to representing ourselves in the best light possible.  Our team reps and coaches work hard establishing a culture of teamwork and sportsmanship that is embraced by our swimmers, volunteers, parents, and fans.  And the efforts don’t go unnoticed.  As Tonda and Jim shared in Gator News this week, MVP has received so many compliments from other teams for great sportsmanship, being warm and welcoming hosts, and being a lot of fun to compete against. And whether we win or lose, this season or next, the true benchmark for being a great team is being well respected around the NVSL for how we treat each other and our opposing clubs.  I love this story that Tonda and Jim shared about our recent meet with Hamlet.  Hamlet was so impressed with the Welcome Banner that our swimmers made for them at our last pep rally that they plan to make banners for visiting teams at their own pep rallies in the future!

Having great sportsmanship at Mount Vernon Park (and in life) is about having perspective – that swimming is a sport, that those that compete are children, that the goal of participation is personal and team growth, and that working together, being supportive, and having a positive experience with other swim clubs are the true goals that we are working to achieve. Here’s a great page on the Gators website on our team’s philosophy on sportsmanship: Gator Sportsmanship Philosophy

Thanks to all of you for embodying the sportsmanship ideals that MVP hold dear. 

Here’s a final thought from the greatest Olympic swimmer of all time, Michael Phelps.  Phelps experienced some recent poor sportsmanship while at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.  A competitor from another country continued to trash talk him ahead of his races.  Phelps wouldn’t have anything to do with such nonsense.  Instead, he said “I'm going to let what I do in the pool do my talking.” Baltimore Sun Article - Phelps