Being a good sport means several things, being a polite winner, accepting defeat with dignity, and being friendly regardless of the outcome of the competition.
When it comes to losing, it’s OK to feel disappointed but it’s all about controlling your reaction. The same goes for winning, everybody likes to win but that doesn’t mean it’s nice to gloat about it. With any competition, the most important thing to remember is that winning and losing aren’t as important as dancing your best, having fun, getting exercise, practicing your skills, and being friendly with the other dancers.
Win the right way. There are a number of things involved with winning the right way, and much of it has to do with being humble and genuine. No one will remember the exact colour of ribbon they received from every competition however they will remember the long lasting friendship they developed with their dance teammates.
Don’t gloat. One of the most important things about being a good winner is not gloating or bragging when you do win. The other team is aware that you won! You don’t have to rub it in. Avoid saying things like:
- “Haha we won and you lost!”
- “You’re terrible dancers, and that’s why we won”
- “We kicked your butts
- If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. You never know who is within listening range.
Congratulate your opponent. Everyone tries their best and deserves to be congratulated! Being a good loser means not being angry with the studio who won. If you do that, you can enjoy the victory they’re celebrating rather than sulking about your own loss.
- After the competition , tell the winning team that they danced well, and congratulate them.
- Cheer and clap for everyone, not just dancers from our own studio.
Avoid blaming others. Being a good loser also means accepting that you lost, and not trying to blame the loss on other teammates, the judges, or anybody else.
- The important thing is that you learn from the experience and use that to improve in the future.
- Use the feedback to work on corrections at the next practice.
Understand that trying your best is more important than winning. While winning is the object of competition, it’s not the only thing that’s important. Instead of caring only about winning, focus on things like:
- Performing on a stage
- Having fun
- Getting exercise
- Making new friends
- Improving your skills
Be a team player. Everybody on your team has something to contribute, and everyone deserves a chance to dance.
- Don’t be a show-off, even if you’re a more skilled dancer than your teammates or the other team.
- Come out and support your other team mates.
