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What is NSD?

National Sportsmanship Day (NSD), founded by Institute for International Sport Executive Director Dan Doyle in 1990, has several important objectives:

• To promote ethics, honesty and fair play in athletics and in society in general through education and sport.



• To designate a day each year during which student-athletes, coaches, administrators and parents engage in thoughtful and reasoned discussion about the role of sportsmanship.



• To provide participating schools, clubs, and athletic organizations a template to successfully celebrate the day with sportsmanship themed activities, discussion topics, etc.



• To make participation in National Sportsmanship Day an anchor event which fosters good sportsmanship on a year-round basis.

As noted above, one of the key objectives of National Sportsmanship Day is to provoke thoughtful discussion and well-planned activities around the issue of sportsmanship. The ultimate goal is that the critical thinking skills developed through such engagement will enable sports to reach its full potential as a positive force in society.

NSD Quick Facts

• Number of years celebrated - 19. Since its inaugural celebration in 1991, over 90 million individuals have actively participated in NSD through their schools, clubs or leagues.



• 2010 Honorary Chairperson - Pierre Garçon. - The Institute for International Sport is honored to announce Pierre Garçon’s participation in this year’s program. Garçon is a role model both on and off the field and truly embodies the spirit of NSD.



• Elements of 2010 NSD include the following:
  
  
  • Age-based discussion topics from elementary school through college
  
  
  
  • 18th Annual USA Today National Sportsmanship Day Essay Contest.
    
    
  • Principle Theme of National Sportsmanship Day 2010 – "Competitive Self-Restraint"
  
  
  
  • Team Sportsmanship program - a great community service opportunity for high school and college student-athletes and coaches
  
  
  
  • Two Extraordinary Uncommon Acts of Principle involving three sports legends
  
  
  
  • Three Great Guideposts toward great sportsmanship - The Five Principles of Honorable Competition; The Dirty Dozen and the Nine Rules of Competitive Self-Restraint - all taken from Dan Doyle's forthcoming "The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting"
  
  
  
  • All-American Sportsmanship School Program
  
  
  
  • The National Sportsmanship Day Sports Ethics Fellows Program
  
  
  

Click here to learn about the history of NSD.