Sportsmanship

At the end of January, I once again had the opportunity to represent Comerica at the Houston Touchdown Club's Comerica Bank Sportsmanship Luncheon, one of my favorite annual events.  This event honors 5A, 4A, 3A and private schools that have been highest ranked on multiple dimensions of sportsmanship by the refs.  The refs not only evaluate the players and coaches, but also the booster groups and parents.

The ceremony honors those who play the game with integrity.  Coaches are well known for their competitiveness and drive and many awards just recognize skill.  I've been delighted by the number of coaches in the past 7 years who have shared pride in winning this award and highlighting this success with their respective players, staff and schools.

It is always invigorating to hear competitive coaches share their pride in being honored for inspiring their players to play the game fairly and  well.

The Golden Rule serves us well in athletics and in life as we treat others as we'd like to be treated.

Sportsmanship

Though we all care about winning, we experience both wins and losses on the playing fields and in life.  What distinguishes life's real winners is the way they play the game.  Life's real winners are those who compete well, enjoy the experience, exhibit self-control and play fairly by the rules when winning or losing.