The Athlete's Covenant

In this in-depth study of sportsmanship and athletic teams, Suzanne S. Hudd analyzes the athlete's covenant, a set of informal guidelines that remind athletes they play for others as much as themselves. Hudd studies the waning commitment to the collectivistic properties of sport and the growing belief that sportsmanship is a thing of the past.

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Using everyday sporting experiences as a foundation, Suzanne S. Hudd lays out a set of informal rules that athletic team members learn to uphold. Prescribed within the “athlete’s covenant,” these guidelines support the transformation of the player’s individual commitment to hard work into a set of collective, role-related obligations that are applicable across time and sport. Hudd’s analysis highlights this “everyday sportsmanship” practiced within the team which flows naturally from the mimicry and synchrony that players routinely use to perfect their talents. Working to turn star players into team players, the covenant encourages athletes to set their sights on goals that surpass what their individual talents alone can provide. Hudd theorizes our waning commitment to these important collectivistic properties of sport has contributed to the belief that sportsmanship is a thing of the past.