You Can't Always Win - The Good Loser

You Can't Always Win - The Good Loser

"You can't win all the time." This book is written for children, ages 7 to 11 or grades 2 to 6, to read on their own or with parents. It discusses good sportsmanship at the end of games, contests, sports and academic endeavors and illustrates the behavioral differences between being a Good Loser and a Not-So-Good Loser. It is one of few books on this subject with its amount of ethnic and gender diversity. It encourages young children, as they enter into organized sports and other competitive activities where they will begin to cope with the psychological challenges of winning and losing, to choose to be Good Losers despite being disappointed. A good book for parents, coaches, teachers, and instructors to discuss with kids at the start of any youth sports season and competitive endeavor. Written in a coach's/parent's voice: guiding, encouraging, caring and empowering. Mark Nixon was a member of the U.S. Virgin Islands National Men's Volleyball Team, student-coach of his high school girls volleyball team, captain of an Ivy League Championship-winning Men's Volleyball Team, volunteer-assistant college volleyball coach, and a silver medalist at the 2010 U.S. National Fencing Championships in the +40 age group.  He is still a competitive fencer (A - rated) and a coach of recreational fencers. When his two daughters got involved in organized sports, he and his wife (also a former athlete) strove to convey to them the principles of good sportsmanship, particularly in the face of defeat.  They were watchful for any questionable behaviors and were quick to engage the girls in conversations where they could use these behaviors as teachable moments to re-communicate their values and expectations of good sportsmanship.  This book reflects those discussions and hopes to assist other parents as their children begin playing organized sports. His daughters have since gone on to win and lose many domestic, international, and collegiate fencing tournaments.  To see an early display of their good sportsmanship in the face of defeat, see the video named "The Beginning" at:  plumfund.com/kasia.