Blow the whistle on bad sportsmanship
“Nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts, we got screwed.”
“Get off your knees, you’re blowing the game.”
“That’s alright, that’s ok, you’re going to pump our gas someday.”
These chants are not uncommon at athletic events.
At Chadron State College, athletes are used to playing sports with these phrases repeated in the background.
Not only are our athletic teams known for their skill, but for the heckling of fans in the stands.
Whether targeting officials, or bringing down the opposing team, our fans find a way to verbally embarrass players, coaches, and/or referees.
Sporting events are athletic competitions for a reason. These are meant to display a team’s talent and physical abilities.
Teams consist of coaches and players. Fans are not required to attend, but can dictate the team’s reputation.
No participation or negative contribution affects the team’s morale in the eyes of the competitors.
Chants should encourage the performance of players. Instead, they usually are misconstrued as lack of confidence in the college’s athletic programs.
It seems the only support we give to the athletes is tearing at the other teams’ “feelings.”
Strong athletes are not affected by negative sayings from crowds. Their performances are only dictated by personal preparation and training.
The bottom line is, participation from fans should be meant for encouragement. Think about if teams only played in order for the other team to lose. If this were the case, athletes would no longer strive to become MVP or spend hours training to improve their capabilities.
Teams would not exist. Single players would band together to beat another group of single players out of spite instead of personal gain.
Sports are based on accomplishments, not defeat. Fans need to base their support on the same idea. Fans with good sportsmanship say, “go team,” not, “stop opposing team.” It’s disrespectful to the two teams, the sport itself, and most of all, to the fans’ reputations. There’s a reason players are penalized for foul language and personal attacks. Fans need to be considerate to their teams as well.
Actions speak louder than words, sports fans.
Be a fan, but don’t blow it for the team.