For the past four years, the Northern Lakes League has partnered with Leadership Toledo to assemble student athletes/leaders from its member schools to discuss a variety of important topics during its annual Sportsmanship Conference. Each year, students are challenged to dive into their roles as leaders within their respective classrooms and in the sports they choose to play.
Approximately 50 students who compete game in and game out, come together to answer questions like:
Who are you and what do you stand for?
What is sportsmanship? How do personal values
How do personal values and sportsmanship connect to leadership?
Self-Control–What’s stopping us?
“These are pretty significant topics for teenagers–and I assure you, they’re up for it,” said SHS Principal Robb Brown.
This year, Springfield High School was represented by Dallas Allen, Morgan Amick, Sara Daney, Antonio Maye, Reese Miller and Kiersten Wilkin.
“Leadership Toledo has considerable expertise in working with teenage students, and we applaud the exercises they designed to help the participants define what sportsmanship means in their individual lives, those of their peers and within their extended families,” Mr. Brown said.
Since the first gathering of 48 leaders in 2017, the NLL has shared the definition of sportsmanship that was written by all school leaders, coaches and students: Sportsmanship is upholding a competitive environment where respect, compassion and integrity are expected from all athletes, coaches, officials and spectators.
During each of the ensuing three conferences, participants were given the definition to discuss, challenge and update if needed to ensure its continued relevance in their lives and sports careers.
To date, it has withstood the test of time, not because it can’t be improved upon but because over the years, students have all agreed that respect, compassion and integrity are the cornerstones of the character needed to do more than simply play a sport, explained the principal.
“Each of these student leaders excel in sports thanks to more than the talents that many were born with,” he added.
“Through dedication, practice, and a lot of sacrifice they show us all what it takes to compete in high school sports,” he continued.
“It takes vision and the desire to be part of something larger than their individual talents–what it means and takes to be part of a team. Like them, I, too, was a high school athlete and enjoyed all that it meant to be a teammate. I’ve watched my kids use the skills they acquired as good teammates to become better siblings and succeed in their efforts to continue playing the sport they love in college and in chosen professions.”
