But or And

But or And

In 32 years of being involved in the world of athletics as a coach, athletic director, parent and fan I've seen a lot of teams and individual players.  I've been blessed to see some fantastic players and teams in a variety of sports and levels of competition.  Some of those individuals have gone onto play at the professional level but the greater majority of those used their experiences to help prepare them to be doctors, lawyers, business owners, mothers and fathers.

One of the ways to make the value of sportsmanship personal with athletes and coaches is by using the following phrases.  You can insert the word coach, player or team into this phrase to make the point.  "He/She is a good player BUT ________" which may be followed by statements like "is not a good sport", "is not respectful to teachers" or "does not treat opponents respectfully".  All are negative statements about the character and sportsmanship of people and teams.

The other and more positive statement is, "He/She is a good player AND ________" which could be followed by "displays good sportsmanship", "is respectful to teachers and adults" or "is a positive leader for the team".

The point is simple.  People may say you and/or your team are good, but how they follow up that statement is more important because it will describe values that last and have a lasting impact on those you interact with.  If you only have once chance to make an impression what will the next phrase start with?  But or And?