South has extracurricular activities for students to participate in, make friends, find their passions, and relax. Sometimes, unfortunately, these activities become toxic and stressful to students; sportsmanship is necessary for any environment or consequences can arise.
The Oxford American Dictionary defines sportsmanship as the fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, and it is usually used in a sports context. Sportsmanship is also applied to any extracurricular activities, like National Honor Society, the musical, and student council. These aren’t sports, but they need sportsmanship to work together to create a healthy environment for every student involved.
In NHS, for instance, students must volunteer to earn their graduation cords. However, the process can become unfair when the same students consistently sign up for hours before others get a chance. Maybe a sign-up sheet with limited sign-ups per person can be utilized, or a form could be distributed to gather who needs hours and who has hours already.
If a toxic environment arises in students’ lives, the consequences can be severe for students. The emotional effects can be stress, feelings of isolation, which could stem from coaches, advisors, directors and peers.
Sports along with extracurricular activities, can also see a drop in participation to avoid the toxic environment. Students can also lose their friends due to the stress of the environment, bullying, and a possible social divide. For example, cast and crew members.
If coaches, advisors, and directors cultivate a healthy environment for their students, they can see the positives of it and can positively impact students.
`Students can have a sense of community and can promote healthy communication among their peers. Students can also make new friends outside their normal friend group and create core memories during their high school years that students will remember for the rest of their lives.
If coaches, directors, and advisors see the signs of a toxic environment unfolding, there are solutions to take to prevent harm among their students.
Communication is key here to take to the students, and communication among the people in the activity as well. Compromising is also important to keep the balance between the people in authority and the people participating in the activity.
Coaches, directors, and advisors can also foster healthy mediation and promote the use of empathy among their peers in any sort of activity. Also, using teambuilding exercises can help students gain empathy and promote friendship among their peers.
When all these other solutions fail, promote civility among themselves. Unfortunately, some students aren’t going to mesh together no matter what. By promoting civility however, it can prevent any further issues among students.
