During competition it’s easy to get caught up in the action of the game and, as parents, forget to honor our opponents. Respecting opponents is one component of ROOTS, the acronym that stands for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self, which helps us remember the code of Honoring the Game.  

See how to honor your youth player’s opponents, and how our actions as Responsible Sport Parents carry over to the actions of our players and what you can do prepare your young athletes to not react negatively to an opponent regardless of the scoreboard. 

To start, think about how your athlete would react to an opponent after losing a big match. Would you approve of their reactions? Would the coach know how to control his or her emotions and Honor the Game? Read how to respond to this scenario and what you can do to prepare your athletes to always honor their opponents, on and off the field. 

Read more about Honoring Opponents

The Liberty Mutual Responsible SportsTM program supports volunteer youth sports coaches and parents who help our children succeed both on and off the mat.  We offer many youth sports resources including $2,500 community grants, instructional videos, weekly tips, peer and expert advice, and coursework for those interested in improving the youth sports experience for all involved.