One of my favorite places to be in the summer is out at the baseball field cheering on Madden’s team. Madden had an incredible season. One of his last big events was in Iowa and out of a ton of talented baseball players, he made the All-Tournament team. He continues to be self-motivated and his effort is really paying off. 

The summer baseball season has wound down now, but at one of the last games of the season, something strange began to happen in the dugout and in the stands.

During the last few innings, the other team in the dugout became really obnoxious. Instead of cheering for their teammates, they directed their energy toward trying to mess up our team. Earlier, our team had been up by eight – the game being one to nine. Then the other team got up to eight to nine. At that point, the other team became especially unsportsmanlike, coming down really hard on our team and seriously trying to mess with the pitcher.

To me, responding like that is in really bad taste and not classy at all. Most umpires would also stop the game and tell the dugout not to act like that. For some reason, the umps in this particular game just let it happen.

Overall, it was also a really weird energy dynamic at that game, even up in the stands. The parents from that team were also making inappropriate remarks and arguing with those from our team. So it wasn’t so surprising what was happening in the dugout – because that behavior starts with the parents. If the kids see and hear their parents acting that way, of course they are going to follow that example. And it’s so unfortunate that these parents were setting that kind of example for their kids, who are going to continue to behave exactly like them. But we can see that problem in many sports. It’s not only happening at the baseball field.

We ended up winning that game, but as we were leaving, it also got me thinking.

How you respond in those situations comes down to your character – and what you are made of.

Who are you going to be when you’re triggered, or when you’re in a vulnerable situation? How will you respond? How will you show up? Are you going to show up with negative energy?

Character is truly revealed when you’re being pushed and your back is up against the wall.

The way that the other team was behaving was more than just rude and disrespectful. It was weak.
 
And I was especially proud of the fact that our team did not return that bad energy. When you’re in a situation like that and something’s coming at you, it’s easy to sort of react in the same, negative way. Instead, our team – in the dugout and on the field – continued to cheer for their own players. They didn’t do or say anything negative or obnoxious to interfere with their opponents. Score aside, that proved them to be the stronger team.

True good character is revealed when you choose not to throw back the same bad energy. When you choose to stay focused and you stay positive. So I was proud that our team chose to do that.

I feel that if we avoid feeling intimidated or jealous, and instead just celebrate and support others, even when we are competing against them, then everyone is better off.  If you can get to that point, not just in sports but in how you approach life, that’s actually a good way to live.

I have seen a LOT of inspiring sportsmanship while watching the best in the world. 

Secure athletes are able to take a look around when all is said and done, and clap for their competitor.