Feb. 11, 2009

In an effort to highlight good sportsmanship around the conference, every two weeks, theACC.com will highlight a specific example of sportsmanship from a different school. This week, the spotlight is on Duke and the women's lacrosse team.

"Often times, you cannot get a good read on what someone is like when you are simply competing, so it was fun getting to know them on a more personal level."
Duke's SAAC Web Site Special to theACC.com by KayAnne Gummersall, Duke women's soccer player and Co-Chair of Duke's Student Athlete Advisory Council This past Friday, the Duke women's lacrosse team played the England National Team. It was a well-fought game, both teams showing signs of great offense. The final score was Duke 15, England 11. Signs of sportsmanship were displayed throughout, where both Duke and England players offered a helping hand when a player went down, but it was what happened after the game that showed a side of athletics we often take for granted. Winning is great, and obviously something all of us as athletes value and strive for, but it cannot be argued that the fun factor must be there as well. After the game, the two teams ate dinner together on Duke's campus. Sure, they had just competed and obviously England was upset with the loss, but the players described the meal as a great bonding experience and explained that the overall tone was happy. The fact that these two teams were able to get together after the game is something that most other teams cannot say they would do. Duke's Carolyn Davis Yes, winning is a vital component of the game, but it is okay to leave things on the field and move on shortly afterwards. The players interacted with each other and the Duke team said that it was a very rewarding experience; getting to meet the England players and learning about their culture was something that if they had not gotten together after the game, they would not have had the chance to experience. One Duke player said, "It was great meeting the girls on the team after the game. Often times, you cannot get a good read on what someone is like when you are simply competing, so it was fun getting to know them on a more personal level." After all, every team has similar goals in that we all want to be successful, have fun, and ultimately win. Often times, it is easy to get caught up in the game and forget that we are all in this together. We may have different names on the front of our jerseys, but this should not stop us from interacting with each other off the field. The fact that these two teams were able to put the game behind them and get together for a post-game celebration shows the strides we are making as individuals and as teams.