NESCAC Shools Cheer On Sportsmen

Author: Thomas McCann

Middlebury celebrated its first National Sportsman Day March 4 in collaboration with several other New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools. It was decided at a NESCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting consisting of two representatives from each NESCAC school February 9 that a celebration of sportsmanship should be carried out. Kathryn Perine '03, a major influence behind the celebration at Middlebury College, described it as "a day in which to honor and recognize the importance of sportsmanship in athletics."
Dan Doyle, founder of the Institute for International Sport, delivered a speech on the importance of ethics and sportsmanship at the February meeting that inspired NESCAC schools to promote good sportsmanship on their respective campuses.
Heeding the advice of the Institute for International Sport, Middlebury initiated several different programs through which sportsmanship was demonstrated and encouraged. For several days prior to March 4, pamphlets were distributed across campus with the goal of publicizing the day.
In keeping with Middlebury's commitment to the community, the program involved not only the College student body, but also younger athletes in the local schools. Perine noted that on Tuesday March 4 "athletes volunteered to visit the local schools -- both the elementary and high schools -- to speak to gym classes about the value of sportsmanship and the importance of recognizing it."
Several students shared the work of preparing the celebration, with Nuala O'Donohoe '04 and Sarah Bunnell '04 responsible for putting together the pamphlets. In addition, Perine spoke with the Addison Independent in order to increase publicity and coverage of the event itself, as well as to encourage the involvement and commitment of Middlebury College.
The motto of National Sportsman Day, scrawled across the front cover of the pamphlets, was "Dare to Play Fair." Further illustrating the theme of the celebration, a statement on the inside declared, "sport transcends just winning and losing. Being an athlete provides a venue in which to challenge yourself, set goals, and achieve them, on an individual and a team level."
The distribution of the pamphlets coincided with the NESCAC hockey playoffs held at Middlebury this past weekend. The reminders of what sportsmanship means to players, fans, parents and coaches encouraged thought on where the real focus of attention should be during such a competitive weekend.
While this year was a success for those who organized it, the lack of time between the original meeting and National Sportsmanship Day itself was limiting.
There is hope that other schools will recognize the efforts of Middlebury College to honor and uphold the values of sportsmanship. The next meeting of the NESCAC SAAC is scheduled for April 13, during which time all the schools will compare experiences and consider initiatives for next year.