By Kim Freeman, Junior Leagues Vice President
ALTA Junior Leagues develop tennis skills and offer the opportunity for competition on the court, but they also promote an environment of good sportsmanship. This essential quality shapes how young players interact with each other and how parents engage with the sport. Both players and spectators play crucial roles in creating a positive and respectful atmosphere that enhances the experience for everyone. Let’s highlight what demonstrating good sportsmanship means.
Respecting your opponents and fair play are at the top of the list. This includes shaking hands at the beginning and end of a match, complimenting your opponent’s good shots, and maintaining a positive attitude regardless of the outcome.
Next is understanding and following the rules of the game while playing with integrity. This means calling your own faults, being truthful about scores, giving your opponent the benefit of the doubt on close calls, not excessively asking your opponent, “Are you sure?” and never trying to gain an unfair advantage.
Having emotional self-control is another vital aspect of good sportsmanship. Players should learn to express their emotions without resorting to negativity or poor behavior, which causes all players involved to feel uncomfortable and leads to potential conflicts.
Closely related to properly handling our emotions is maintaining a positive attitude with your teammates. Supporting your partner with encouraging words and positive body language when things are not going well, as well as celebrating each other’s successes, contributes to a fun, enjoyable match.
Parents also play an obvious and significant role in developing good sportsmanship in their children. Their behavior while spectating can either enhance or detract from the spirit of the game.
This brings us to the subject of the “no cheering policy” in the ALTA Junior Leagues. The Junior Manager’s Handbook states that ALTA strongly discourages cheering or clapping during the regular season, and it is not allowed during playoffs and City Finals.
This policy was primarily instituted to create a more focused and independent playing environment for our young players. It encourages juniors to develop their own skills and strategies on the court without relying on external support from parents or coaches. In turn, this helps them learn how to handle pressure and make decisions independently while maintaining good sportsmanship.
Furthermore, cheering can create distractions for players, potentially impacting their concentration and performance. By limiting cheering, ALTA aims to maintain a more controlled and respectful atmosphere during matches. It also helps to foster good sportsmanship by minimizing the chances of unsportsmanlike behavior or influence on the players. It emphasizes respect for both the opponents and spectators.
Focusing on skill development and personal growth rather than competition is essential for our juniors to prioritize learning and enjoyment over winning. By reducing the noise and cheering from the sidelines, the environment can be more inclusive and less intimidating for all participants, allowing each player to compete on a level playing field.
Overall, these guidelines are intended to support the growth of young players in a constructive and positive manner. Parents, players, and coaches should maintain open lines of communication to discuss expectations and behaviors. This dialogue can help address any issues that arise and reaffirm a commitment to good sportsmanship.
Finally, because fostering good sportsmanship is such an essential element of the ALTA Junior League, at the conclusion of each season, it is our honor to present Good Sportsmanship Awards to all the teams who have gone above and beyond what is expected. In recognition, each player receives a bag tag!
Please help us reinforce the importance of good sportsmanship by nominating any team that shows exemplary behavior on the court and by inspiring your own players to strive for this special award!
