"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying."
-Michael Jordan-

“Dare to Play Fair” is the motto for the National Sportsmanship Day held on Tuesday, March 2, 2004. This event serves as a forum for administrators, coaches, students, alumni, parents and fans to discuss the issues of ethics, fair play and sportsmanship.

Sportsmanship plays such an important role on the court, on the field, and in the classroom. When we are in an intense situation with a game or with our players, remember there is always a teaching moment. It is important to build character and integrity. It is not the referee’s fault, but the fault of poor shot selection, an unforced turnover, or a neglected block out. It is much too easy to point the finger at the other guy instead of stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for individual and team performance.

If today's sports stars lack the qualities that represent sportsmanship, such as honesty, integrity and humility, our youth will follow in the same footsteps.

Good luck to those that have the passion and desire to work with student-athletes. You deserve a standing ovation!

Lisa Rakoz
Health & Fitness Section Editor

• Win without gloating
• Lose without complaining
• Treat your opponent with respect
• If you make a mistake, don't pout or make excuses. Learn from it, and be ready to continue to play.
• If a teammate makes a mistake, offer encouragement, not criticism.
• If you win, don't rub it in.
• If you lose, don't make excuses

This is found in “Teaching Kids how to be Good Sports.”

ANGER MANAGEMENT

One out of five Americans has an anger management problem.

Anger is "an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage," according to Charles Spielberger, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger.

Cognitive Restructuring

This is changing the way you think. Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner thoughts. Replace these thoughts with more rational ones.

Problem Solving

Make a plan, and check your progress along the way.

Better Communication

Angry people tend to jump to—and act on—conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you're in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses.

Do You Need Counseling?

If you feel that your anger is really out of control, if it is having an impact on your relationships and on important parts of your life, you might consider counseling to learn how to handle it better.

Trash talking, chest bumping, in your face smack walking, hand jiving, high fiving can be a parent’s nightmare.

Kudos go out to the professional athletes who walk the talk and stand high in character and strong work ethics.

It has been estimated that 22 million children and youth, ages 6 to 18, are involved in organized sports outside of school (Poinsett, 1996). Research indicates that participation in sports can promote healthy development.

According to the American Sport Education Program (1994), sports participation:

• Builds an appreciation of personal health and fitness;
• Develops a positive self-image;
• Teaches how to work as part of a team;
• Develops social skills with other children and adults (such as taking turns and sharing playing time);
• Teaches both how to manage success and disappointment; and,
• Teaches how to respect others.

1. 50% of sports participants may drop out by the time they reach early adolescence.
2. Females who play sports in high school are more likely to do well in high school and college, feel popular, and participate in extra-curricular activities.
3. They are 92% less likely to get involved with drugs, 80% less likely to get pregnant, and three times more likely than their non-athletic peers to graduate from high school.
4. 43% of girls who exercise six and seven days a week, reported feeling "confident and capable" about their bodies. Just 17% of inactive girls could say that.

There are three general categories of prescription drugs that may be used as performance-enhancers:

1. Stimulants (amphetamines) - these drugs can cause the body to run in overdrive. Our bodies are not designed to work that way and could eventually collapse from exhaustion.
2. Blood Doping - this can be done in one of two ways. First an athlete can give himself his own blood through transfusions. Second he can administer a hormone, like erythropotin (EPO), causing the body to produce an excess amount of blood. In both cases the body has more blood than normal, increasing the number of red blood cells in circulation. This causes the body to carry increased levels of oxygen allowing athletes to run or jump farther and faster without cramps. This can also cause the blood to thicken or result in clots.
3. Anabolic (steroids) - the body responds to exercise and stress by creating more muscle. Steroids naturally produced in the body are the conduits to muscles being created through activities like running or weight lifting.  Steroid doses in excess of what nature intended can cause devastating side effects to the sex hormones, including sterility. Liver damage and liver cancer can also result from high levels of steroid use.