The Sportsmanship of the Irish

Today's blog post was written by Tony Kim.  Tony is a senior psychology major at Purdue North Central and is an intern for Play Like a Champion Today. In a previous post, Tony pledged his support for Manchester United, although he supports displays of sportsmanship from all teams in all sports.

In this month of celebrating all things Irish, there was more going in Ireland than just celebrations of St. Patrick. Adam O’Reilly, an under-14 youth soccer player for the Ringmahon Rangers, took the ball at the spot in the 18 yard box. Instead of burying it in the bottom corner, top shelf, or side netting of the goal—he simply passed it into the hands of the opposing team’s goalkeeper. Without context, this would seem like a blunder on his part. The story, though, proves quite the contrary.

Facing the division leaders, O’Reilly’s Rangers were losing 1-0 when their opponents goalkeeper injured himself with the ball in the box. Without a thought, one of the goalkeeper’s defenders threw the ball off the pitch. Even though the injury was one that should have stopped play, the defender never waited for the the whistle to blow to indicate stoppage. Thus, the referee had no choice but to award a penalty to the Rangers for the blatant handball.

Here comes the kicker—pun definitely intended.

Receiving the nod to take the penalty with explicit instructions from his coaches, young O’Reilly stepped up to the spot. Understanding that the penalty was given on a play where relief for an injured player was sought, he passed it right back to the goalkeeper to have play continue as it should have after the injury.

Even though it would have leveled the game at 1-1, O’Reilly and his coaches knew that it giving the ball back and not pursuing a goal from a necessary stoppage of the game was the right thing to do. O’Reilly, his coaches, and the Rangers have shown us not only that soccer is not as pitiless as professionals show us—but that good ethics and sportsmanship is being taught at the all-important youth levels of sports.