Top 10 Lessons I Hope My Kids Learn from Sports...

As it relates to my prior post about kids' sports today, regardless of the level at which my children play sports (if any), I just hope they learn the following:

1. How to win AND lose gracefully. Look the opposing team in the eye, shake their hand, congratulate them on a win, grin and bear a loss...refrain from gloating or bragging.  There is nothing uglier than a pompous athlete...particularly when they lose their next game.
2. How to play clean...if you work hard enough you can play by the rules and still do well.  Cheating/short cuts are for slackers, and unless you are playing a sport conducive to fighting (ice hockey), fighting/pushing/shoving does not belong on the field.
3. Don't be defined by your sport, keep your ego/emotions in check....keep your head up even if you lose and learn from your mistakes to grow and improve.
4. Be passionate (have you seen Rudy?), but temper your temper. The world has enough John McEnroe's. 
5. Be a leader and encourage your teammates...offer words of support, remark on their successes, offer to help whenever/where ever needed.
6. Try not to compare yourself with others...as better or worse...this is counterproductive thinking every time...everyone has different strengths/weaknesses. 
7. Believe in yourself.  If you don't think you can do it, you never will. You will make mistakes, have bad days or games...You must have confidence that you can learn, grow, improve, the grit to dust yourself off when you fall, and the courage to work hard to accomplish anything you set your mind to.
8. Although trite, it TRULY is not a matter of if you win or lose, but how you play the game...sportsmanship is a matter of character...don't be a douche-bag, A-hole, or smart-ass (excuse the language, sorry Lucia!)
9. All of the typical sports cliches that are so so true: NO WHINING, work hard/play hard...mind over matter...no pain no gain...no "I" in team, etc. 
10. Your experience/lessons learned from playing sports will teach you tenfold about hard work, motivation, discipline, teamwork and how these things relate/apply to later aspects of your life including school, career, family, marriage, etc.