We believe there’s something more important than just winning or losing a tournament. We believe that the team, school, and fans who support their athletes with dignity and class are the true champions. That’s why we’ve proudly sponsored the WIAA/Rural Mutual Insurance Sportsmanship Award for over 55 years.
We would like to congratulate Eau Claire Memorial on being this year’s recipient of the Boys Team Tennis Sportsmanship Award.
When talking with Head Coach, James Litscher, we asked him what this Award meant to him as a coach, the team, and the community along with how they teach their athletes about sportsmanship.
Our school, parents, coaches, and players are all extremely proud to receive this award. We know that there were other teams that were deserving. This award is valued just as much as a Conference Championship, Sectional Championship, or State Tournament appearance. The State Sportsmanship banners have a place alongside these team accomplishments at our school. As a coach, it is very rewarding to see all of our players demonstrate good sportsmanship. We try to emphasize respecting yourselves, our opponents, and the game by winning and losing with poise and composure. I tell our players that if 1 player acts out it will be a reflection on our entire team. Good sportsmanship has to be emphasized in practice and during competition. I try to let players know when they are handling difficult situations well in practice and matches. They also have to know immediately if they do not meet expectations. Our captains and team leaders also play a role. I expect them to lead by example, and to let teammates know if they are not demonstrating good sportsmanship. Learning good sportsmanship is a part of any athlete’s maturation. It allows them to focus more on the energy, effort, and execution required to succeed and play their best. Poor sportsmanship takes away from that. Poor sportsmanship also takes away from the positive memories we want to take away from our season.
Coach Litscher has been coaching for 32 years. During that time, they have been fortunate to win the Sportsmanship Award several times. He enjoys having young people come into their program and watching their growth in 4 years. He also enjoys hearing about what they do beyond those 4 years.
Congratulations again on a great season and winning the WIAA/Rural Mutual Sportsmanship Award. This is a great achievement for the Eau Claire community.
