Whether you’re an athlete or fan we’ve all seen or experienced players on the field shake hands after a crushing football game, tennis players jumping over the net after a grueling match to shake hands and gymnasts hugging each other after an event. This is all part of good sportsmanship. A long-standing tradition in sports and competition that means to play by the rules, be gracious, and handling both victory and defeat with class. Being a good sport can be summed up as the “golden rule” treat competitors you play with and against as you'd like to be treated yourself.

Some may say that sportsmanship isn’t addressed enough in gymnastics. Many athletes don’t truly understand what being a good sport is until they lose. Just ask 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber. The defending world champion and a shoe in for the all-around competition in London was edged out by teammates Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas. We all recall Jordyn’s reaction after failing to qualify for the all-around finals. The tears, the emotion, the shock value what a dramatic display of disappointment for Jordyn. How could the best gymnast in the world, finishing 4th in qualifying not get an opportunity at fulfilling her dreams? Our hearts all went out to her, she was the face of the sport and expected to win the all-around. Fans were eager to know how this news was going to affect her performance in the team and floor event finals.



Jordyn posted a comment on her Facebook page shortly after the results.

Here are three tips to take away from Jordyn's experience and to increase good sportsmanship in an athlete: 

Tip #1 To get good at winning, you have to get good at losing
You train, you compete, and you get the hardware. But when your hard work doesn’t pay off how do you deal with losing? The bottom line is that you will not win every competition. That glorious winning streak will come to an end. If a teammate performs better than you, congratulate their efforts. The desire to beat out your competition is ok, but beat them on their best day. If you have a bad meet, you need to move forward, get back to the gym and work on improving.

Tip #2 There’s no I in Team
If you’re in sports, you’ve heard this expression time and time again. Gymnastics is one of the only sports that allow athletes to compete as individuals and as part of the team. As an athlete you’re not performing alone, but rather, together with teammates in order to achieve a goal.

Gymnastike Video: Jordyn Wieber reflects on Olympic experience

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After the final day of competition in London, reporters asked Jordyn what was her most vivid moment of her Olympic experience?
“I knew coming into this (team finals) the team (competition) would be the most important thing. The most vivid moment would be at team finals and knowing that each and every one of us put in our best effort to come up on top. That was truly amazing and spending all this time with these girls, it’s been so much fun,” replied Jordyn.

Jordyn knew she needed to compete successfully for something bigger than herself. The Fierce Five built a strong bond in and out of the gym. Encourage your team to do the same. Whether it’s a team building exercise or a sleepover, these are the vivid moments that will last a lifetime. They will support one another at times of disappointment and raise each other up when it counts.

Tip #3 “This is a sport and things happen, you have to turn the page and take the next chapter.” USA Gymnastics National Team coordinator Martha Karolyi.

Forgive yourself when you make a mistake and get right back into the game. This is exactly what Jordyn did at team finals. As reporters flooded Jordyn with questions about what it was like to watch the all-around finals, Jordyn’s honest response was classy and demonstrated great sportsmanship.

“It was hard, inside I was a little hurt and heartbroken just knowing I wanted to be out there on the floor competing. But I was definitely in the stands cheering as loud as I could for Aly and Gabby and I’m glad things turned out so well for them.”

It’s important for athletes to be reminded how to keep their composure when they perform well but receive a disappointing outcome. If your athlete is having trouble composing themselves at a meet have them go to the restroom with their team captain and take a minute to gather their thoughts. Stepping away may help them flip their emotions and he or she will be better equipped to move on and perform with a clear mind at their next event.

In 2013 Jordyn was awarded the inaugural Nadia Comaneci Sportsmanship Award presented by The International Gymnastics Hall of Fame (IGHOF).

"I'm happy to present the award to Jordyn Wieber," Comaneci said. "Jordyn was the reigning World All-Around Champion but failed to qualify for the finals in London, and yet she showed great sportsmanship by overcoming her personal disappointment to help lead the US women to the gold medal." (Source International Gymnastics Hall of Fame)

Jordyn’s Olympic experience can be a lesson for future generations of young gymnasts and fans. The lesson being, when you demonstrate good sportsmanship, everyone wins. It’s a quality of a champion.