Good Sportsmanship Should Always Happen At Historically Black Colleges And Universities Athletic Events
By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
I keep up with HBCU athletic contests. Football season is almost over, and it has been an exciting season for several teams. I hope that your team, like mine, had a good season. We are already looking forward to next season.
HBCU football was more popular this year than in previous years. I believe television has played a big role in its increased popularity. Back in the day, these games were not televised. You either had to go in person or read about the result in the newspaper.
Sportsmanship has always been a big part of HBCU athletics. Leaving the court or field always meant shaking hands with your opponent. I was a tennis player at an HBCU and I always shook hands with my opponent after a match. It did not matter how difficult the match was or whether I won or lost.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case now. It seems that competition has brought out the worst instead of the best in some student-athletes. This lapse in judgment has created some acrimony among some athletes.
Let’s be clear. One fight is too many and there have been a few of them lately. Unwanted publicity has come to some HBCU programs. You know those programs and the embarrassment they are facing.
Some players and coaches have been suspended by their conferences. I have maintained that student-athletes are ambassadors for their schools. There is a responsibility they have to conduct themselves properly. I would opine that all student-athletes today are on scholarships. Many of them are paying zero dollars to attend college.
HBCUs have rich histories of both academic and athletic excellence. These reputations have been earned. Our institutions have made it through tough and turbulent times. Despite these challenges, they have been successful in educating thousands of young men and women, most of whom are African Americans.
Sports halls of fame are filled with the names and statues of HBCU graduates. The same can be said for HBCU conference halls of fame. Those enshrined have conducted themselves in a manner that made their schools proud of them. I was blessed to have been inducted into an HBCU conference hall of fame. The experience is one that I will never forget.
Parents and love providers attend athletic contests to cheer for our children. We have invested our time, energy and love hoping they will be successful. When a student-athlete is on the playing field or court, they are representing their families.
I can only imagine how those involved in the recent skirmishes are feeling right now. They are ashamed of their behavior. It only takes a minute to lose control, yet the consequences stay with you for quite a while.
Many college athletes want to get NIL (name, image and likeness) agreements. NIL agreements are the talk of the sports world now. Everyone has one or wants to get one. These deals can make instant millionaires out of these student-athletes.
It is my thinking that companies look at not only athletes on the field or court performance but also look at how they carry themselves. We know that despite what some say that character does count in their assessment. I wonder if those young men thought about character when they decided fighting was better than fortune. Obviously, they did not.
Post-season opportunities will await teams in the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see how the suspensions affect them playing going forward.
Let’s hope that those affected will have learned from those momentary lapses and not be repeat offenders. College students in the athletic arena are role models. They are admired by young boys and girls who are just starting to play sports. Our children and grandchildren are watching you. Don’t disappoint them.
