Sportsmanship is the foundation of every positive Little League® experience, and each local league finds its own way to promote and share the highest level every time their youth athletes step onto the diamond, their coaches approach an umpire on the field, or a fan cheers from the stands.
To share some best practices straight from the grassroots level, Little League sat down with volunteers from local league officials around the country for a Local League Spotlight – a series of content created each month to help other leagues learn straight from each other’s success stories – to showcase ways they make sportsmanship a priority and getter a better understanding of how they make the Diamond Leader Training a priority for the volunteers within their league.
Rancho de Oro LL (El Cajon, Calif.)
Getting the Players Involved
“To reward sportsmanship on and off the diamond, we have implemented a token process where players are rewarded a token where they can receive something from the snack bar and show that they went above and beyond, whether it was shaking someone’s hand, cheering on the opponent, or picking up trash, just to name a few,” said Brandon Becker, League President. “We try and go out of our way to make those kids stand out, and it motivates other players to do the same.”
An Increase in Retention
“Before I took the Diamond Leader Training for the first time, I didn’t realize the significance of how it could help develop a coach. At the time, it was just our board members and All-Star coaches who were enrolled,” said Becker. “Once we made it a requirement for all coaches and managers in our league, our retention rate flourished. Our coaches were more prepared for the season, understood different scenarios that could happen, and embodied what the program provided. It was great for us.”
Rockmart (Ga.) LL
Sportsmanship Starts At The Top
“One of our biggest proponents of sportsmanship is our coaches’ meeting that we hold at the beginning of every season,” said Alex Wilson, League President. “We not only go over how to be a good coach, but we also preach why sportsmanship is important and how to hold ourselves to a standard. At the end of the day, we need to be good role models for our kids, and although everyone wants to win, it is all about the kids’ experiences. It starts at the top, and if we hold ourselves to a standard with sportsmanship, the kids will learn from our behaviors.”
Making the Diamond Leader Training a Requirement
“The Diamond Leader Training is not an optional program for us. All of our coaches are required to take the training when they start with the league. We let them know that up front from the very beginning,” said Wilson. “If you want to be a manager, coach, assistant coach, team mom, in the dugout, or want to do anything with these kids, you are required to do the training. At the end of the day, it is a free training and will only make us better as a league.”
Northwest LL (San Antonio, Texas)
Preach Sportsmanship Before the Season Starts
“One of my favorite best practices that we continue to uphold is the ability for players and families to come to our league meetings before the season,” said Tony Puente, League President. “At these league meetings, we share our goals for the year, how we are going to achieve them, and lay out the foundation for the season. One of our biggest goals every year is to continue the momentum we have built around sportsmanship is unlike anything I have seen before. Families, coaches, and volunteers are so bought in from the beginning that it has allowed our league to grow into a positive environment.”
The Lessons Come with Experience
“One of the beautiful parts of the Diamond Leader Training is that it gives you so many unique scenarios that you can implement every time you step foot on the field,” said Puente. “It helps you when it comes to working with parents, different personalities of kids, or on the field with umpires. It provides coaches with real-life experiences on what to do and how to de-escalate things and turn that negative situation into a positive one. I encourage everyone to take this program because you truly grow into your own as a coach and as a human being.”
Three Tips for Instilling Sportmanship
Le Mars (Iowa) LL
Bringing Our Community Together
“Sportsmanship is honestly a reflection of our community. Le Mars is a small town of about 10,000 people, so it feels like everyone knows each other,” said TJ Britton, League President. “Because our community is small and connected, there is a strong expectation to treat others with respect. Players, coaches, parents, and volunteers all interact with one another both on and off the field, which helps reinforce positive behavior and accountability.”
Communication is Key
“Every single year, before our season kicks off, I make a group chat with all of our managers from each league and each division of play, reminding them to get the Diamond Leader Training Program done ahead of Opening Day,” said Britton. “For some of our first-year coaches, they have never been surrounded by this many kids or been responsible for them, which can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. Educating my coaches, promoting the Diamond Leader Training Program, and being open to any questions, comments, or concerns is something I will always take pride in.”