Honoring the Game: The ROOTS of Positive Competition
What is Honoring the Game? The concept of "Honoring the Game" describes the behavior members of US Club Soccer, want to model. To help athletes, coaches and parents remember the concept, we say that Honoring the Game gets to the ROOTS of positive competition, where ROOTS is the acronym for respect of:

Rules
Honoring the Game means we refuse to bend the rules to win a game. Getting away with illegal behavior, just because the referee is not looking, doesn't change the fact that it is against the rules of the game

If you win by ignoring or violating the rules, of what value is your victory?

Opponents
Without opponents, competitive sports make no sense. We aren't challenged to do our best unless we have a worthy opponent. Therefore, a worthy opponent is truly a wonderful asset and should be treated with respect.

A phrase that sums up how sports competitors should treat each other is "Fierce and Friendly." If we knock someone down going for the ball, we grab the loose ball and try to score. But when the whistle blows, we help our opponent up. We savor fierce competition when the game is on and friendly relations when time is out.

Officials
Honoring the Game means respecting the officials, even when you disagree. Referees have been selected and trained to enforce rules to keep the soccer match from becoming chaos. Officials like athletes, coaches and parents are not perfect and make mistakes. However, there is no excuse for treating officials with disrespect when you disagree with them. US Club Soccer leaders on the field, from the tournament committee to the referees, are trying to make the game safe, fun and fair for all competitors. When officials make a decision to cancel a match or red card a player, they are only trying to respect the rules of the game, not single out one athlete or team.

Teammates
To truly Honor the Game, athletes must be willing to make a commitment to one's teammates to never do anything, on or off the field, which would embarrass them or compromise their efforts to be the best they can be. Just as the strongest chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a team's morale, reputation and success is dependent upon what kind of standards any single player holds himself to

Self
A question we hear frequently from coaches, is "How can I expect my players to set high standards and Honor the Game when our opponents do not?" US Club Soccer members want athletes, coaches and parents to Honor the Game no matter what the other competitors, coaches or fans do. We want you to be the kind of team and player that Honors the Game even when others do not because you set your own personal standards. You have respect for yourself and would never do anything to dishonor the game.

To learn more about the US Club Soccer-PCA Partnership, or bringing the benefits of Positive Coaching to your club, visit Positive Coaching Alliance at www.PositiveCoach.org

[Adapted from US Club Soccer March 2005 Newsletter, www.usclubsoccer.org]