SUNY Oswego event to spotlight sportsmanship

On March 1, SUNY Oswego's 10th annual Sportsmanship Day Symposium will bring attention to the importance of sportsmanship by sharing experiences where sports have proven to be more than just a game.

SUNY Oswego's sociology department and sports studies program will host the event from 2:20 to 5:15 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in Room 103 of Lanigan Hall in celebration of the 28th annual National Sportsmanship Day. The event is free and open to the public.

The symposium seeks to draw attention to Sportsmanship Day and the meaning behind it.

"I would ask students, what does sportsmanship mean to them?" said Tim Delaney, professor and chair of sociology at SUNY Oswego. "It always amazed me that people were puzzled by that, how to define sportsmanship."

The objective of National Sportsmanship Day is to get the conversation started -- to promote ethics, honesty and fair play -- and to encourage sportsmanship entirely. The Oswego event advocates for the same outcome; through presentations from the perspectives of students -- including student-athletes -- and faculty it showcases what sportsmanship means to them and how it has been present in their lives, whether through personal experience or in the media.

The symposium, created by Delaney and the sociology department, brings out the potential that sportsmanship has and why sports hold such an importance among so many.

"I am not naive enough to ignore the negative things in sports, but I also firmly believe there's far more positive things," said Delaney. "Sports are a microcosm of society. We study sports because whatever you find in sports you find in the rest of society."

SUNY Oswego recently launched a sports studies program, created by Delaney and Chris Mack, associate professor of history. The related academic minor focuses on the interdisciplinary studies of history, sociology, psychology, human development, broadcasting, journalism, health science and physical education.

Students were able to add sports studies as a minor beginning in fall 2017; at least 80 are enrolled. The program also sponsors study-abroad opportunities so students can experience sports in other cultures.

National Sportsmanship Day was created by the Institute for International Sport and has been recognized on the first Tuesday of March for the past 27 years. This year, that day falls on Tuesday, March 6. The day is dedicated to emphasizing the importance of building character through sport.

For more information, contact Tim Delaney at Tim.Delaney@oswego.edu or Beth Mesanna at Beth.Messana@oswego.edu.