Good Sports

A good friend of mine who was a successful high school and club coach once told his team that sportsmanship awards “are for losers.”

Maybe he should tell that to Wayne Gretzky. Or the Haddonfield High School girls soccer team.

Gretzky, possibly the greatest hockey player of all time, managed to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy five times. The Lady Byng is awarded to the NHL player who shows “the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability." Gretzky also had his name on four Stanley Cups, was named MVP nine times and play-off MVP twice. If that’s being a loser I’ll take it.

Turning to high school soccer. Each fall the coaches of the Colonial Conference in South Jersey rate opposing players, coaches and fans on sportsmanship. The past six seasons the Haddonfield girls team finished first in the voting. Losers? Not unless you call five South Jersey Group two championships and two State Cups over that time span being losers. (They’re also pretty good students. Forty-four players in the program were on the honor roll this past fall.)

Sorry, my friend, but I think you’re wrong on this one.