When the Whistle Blows

The final seconds tick away. Parents and classmates clap. Players bend over for a few moments of rest before heading back to the sidelines, letting the major moments of the game pass through memory. It was a roughly played game with a disappointing outcome. As players criss-cross on the way to their respective benches, they avoid eye contact, remembering the dirty foul on their star player, the cheap shot behind the referee’s back, and the frequent shoving and jostling for position. At the moment, they want absolutely nothing to do with the other team, yet out of tradition, and fear of a coach’s punishment, they line up and go to congratulate the opponent. The teams pass each other, slapping hands and giving kudos 100 percent with their hands and mouths, and 0 percent with their hearts. And all this is done in the name of sportsmanship.

A long-standing tradition in high school sports, the team handshake following a game is generally viewed as a classy show of respect for the opponents. However, it all too often becomes a ritualistic exchange of scowls and sometimes unfriendly chatter. In order to prevent doing more harm than good, and to allow more freedom in expressing true sportsmanship, lining up and shaking hands with the other team after a high school game should not be a mandatory action.

Parents and fans may be surprised to find out that these exchanges aren’t always as positive as they seem. Yes, there are many times when it is a friendly exchange between players and coaches, and yes, lots of high school athletes do display good sportsmanship in victory or defeat. In hard-fought competitions, humiliating blow-outs, and rivalry games, however, post-game interactions can easily become less than friendly. Putting aside one’s anger, humiliation, or dislike of the opponent in the heat of the moment following a game takes a lot of self-control and maturity, something that many high school students simply don’t possess. While being gracious to the opponent despite the outcome is a quality trait that should be taught, if players haven’t learned it through years of post-game handshakes in youth leagues, then only coaches, parents, and other role models can effectively encourage them to display a better attitude.

As for the players who are genuinely interested in congratulating a specific player, the current system can actually hinder them from doing so. They might be able to exchange a few words with an opponent or two after the game on their way back to the sidelines, but players are usually encouraged to hurry back to get in line for the hand shake. Then, as the teams pass each other, there is about one second in which to say something to a specific player. After that, it’s hurry back for the coach’s post-game speech, load the bus, and get out of there, leaving minimal opportunities to show true, heartfelt sportsmanship.

What, then, is the solution? In almost all professional sports, the final whistle is followed by several minutes of mingling, shaking hands, and exchanging words with opponents. Some players take the time to congratulate several other players, and some head to the locker room right away. Players that are in the spotlight are commended for displaying good sportsmanship, and criticized when they do not. Thus, this informal system can actually encourage a more positive display of emotions. While it is easy to hide poor sportsmanship behind a mass handshake, leaving the field without talking to or at least shaking hands with an opponent is much more obvious. With the right influences from coaches or parents, a player would be more likely to linger on the field and find a few people to congratulate. Even if it starts only as another ritual, it is possible that the more personal interaction could change the player’s attitude.

Sportsmanship is an honorable display of character that athletes should strive to learn. Few ways of learning are more effective than simply putting something into practice, and an unstructured post-game system would allow an open setting for high schoolers to do so. When the whistle blows, will they be in a learning environment, or a ritualistic one?