Today, there will be a basketball game between the boys’ teams from Breathitt County and Wolfe County. Over the last few years, this game has become an intense rivalry. Before the game, I’d like to once again address the issue of sportsmanship.

Unlike the football rivalry with Belfry, which is located two hours away, the distance between Breathitt High School and Wolfe High School is approximately twenty minutes. The close proximity makes this rivalry worse than the Belfry one. With Belfry, we only have to see them on game day. With Wolfe, we could run into them in Wal-Mart. So, let’s establish some friendly rules to be good sports.

First, don’t get mad when students cheer for their school. It’s what they should be doing. Likewise, don’t get mad when students cheer for their friends that go to a school different than yours. Again, it’s what they should do. Cheer for your school first when they’re playing. If your school isn’t involved, cheer for the school where your friends are.

Second, cheering for your team does not mean insulting the other team. All you need to worry about is giving positive encouragement to your team. You don’t do that by being negative about the opposing team. Really, there isn’t much need to say anything about the other team. Just focus on being positive for your team.

Third, if the other team’s fans aren’t good sports, that doesn’t give you the right to be a bad sport, too. You have to live with what you do. They have to live with what they do. You don’t want to be the idiot somebody’s talking about at your 20th high school reunion. How the other team’s fans behave should not impact how you behave. It might not be easy, but don’t react to negativity. Ignore them.

Fourth, being a good sport includes your online activity about the game, not just your behavior at the game. Don’t post negative comments about the other school or team. Period. If they do, don’t comment back. Let it go. If you don’t know and like these people, you probably don’t need them on your friends list anyway.

Fifth, adults need to act like adults. While the students are almost adults and should behave appropriately, their age and lack of experience can sometimes explain their inappropriate behaviors. Adults, however, should know better and should set a good example for the students. Adults should support the school of their choice, but they should not encourage inappropriate behavior among the students. When adults hear students engaged in negative conversations about the other team, they should take the time to talk about good sportsmanship. Students listen to us more often than we think they do. Sometimes they’re just waiting for somebody to give them some guidance. So, adults, set a positive example for the students.

Finally, at the end of the day, it’s just a ball game. In the grand scheme of things, a couple years from now, it won’t mean much of anything to the general public. There are things of much greater importance going on in the world. Ball games are supposed to provide entertainment and a break from the “real world” so people can have a good time. I do understand, you have a better time when you win than when you lose. However, when things get ugly, suddenly nobody is having a good time, which defeats the purpose of the game being entertainment. Just let the teams play the game, and then leave it on the court. When it’s over, it’s over. If you don’t like the score, there will be a chance for redemption in a future game. Bad sportsmanship will not make it better.

I strongly encourage everyone to be good sports at this game, and that includes adults and students. I am a huge sports fan, but it’s just a ball game. Win or lose, life goes on. When the game is over, you don’t want people talking about your bad sportsmanship, and, trust me, if you make a spectacle of yourself, they will be talking about you, and not favorably at all. Remember, you live with what you do; others live with what they do. You don’t have to like what others do, but that doesn’t mean you have to also make a fool of yourself. Instead, don’t trash the other team; support your team by using positive encouragement. In the end, you’ll be a better person if you’re a good sport.