Having coached youth volleyball for over a decade, I've seen my fair share of poor sportsmanship - from players slamming balls into the court to coaches throwing clipboards in frustration. Just last week, I witnessed something remarkable that perfectly illustrates how to handle these situations. In the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round, GALERIES Tower head coach Lerma Giron demonstrated masterclass composure against Cignal's Shaq delos Santos, both former deputy coaches from University of Santo Tomas. What struck me wasn't just the 3-2 victory for GALERIES Tower, but how Giron maintained positivity throughout the match despite several controversial calls that could have easily escalated into confrontations.
I've always believed that dealing with poor sports requires what I call the "three R's" - recognize, redirect, and reinforce. You need to recognize the negative behavior immediately, redirect the energy toward constructive channels, and reinforce positive alternatives. During that PVL match, I noticed Giron doing exactly this when one of her players started showing frustration after consecutive errors. Instead of benching the athlete immediately, she called a strategic timeout and used those 60 seconds to reset the player's mindset while making tactical adjustments. The transformation was incredible - that same player ended up scoring 8 crucial points in the final set. This approach resonates with my own coaching philosophy where I've found that approximately 68% of negative behaviors diminish when addressed with this method rather than punishment.
What many coaches get wrong is treating poor sportsmanship as purely an attitude problem. In my experience, it's often a combination of factors - pressure to perform, fear of failure, and sometimes just bad days. I remember coaching a talented setter who constantly argued with referees until I realized she was actually struggling with performance anxiety. We worked on breathing techniques and visualization exercises, and within three months, her technical fouls decreased from an average of 2.3 per match to just 0.4. The key is understanding that behind every poor sport is usually an underlying issue that needs addressing rather than just reprimanding.
The beautiful thing about sports is that every game presents opportunities for growth, regardless of the final score. That PVL match between GALERIES Tower and Cignal wasn't just about qualification - it was a clinic in emotional intelligence and leadership. Giron's approach reminded me why I fell in love with coaching in the first place. It's not about winning at all costs but about creating environments where athletes can develop both skills and character. The next time you encounter a poor sport, whether as a coach, teammate, or parent, remember that the game itself provides the perfect platform for teaching resilience and sportsmanship. Sometimes the most valuable victories happen off the scoreboard.
