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I would like to start by thanking the members of the pass ATAA Executive for the hours of volunteer time that they have done over the pass years for the ATAA. As well, I would like to thank our new members and welcome them to the ATAA Executive Team. I’m very excited about being your new President and can’t wait to start dealing with some issues. Also I would like to thank the people that supported me with their vote, along with all the people that congratulated me and expressed their support at the Indoor Target Provincial’s.

I am very happy to have David Middlebrough as Vice-President as we work well together and have a lot of common views. It is also good to see that Alberta will have a wide representation from Lethbridge, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton and Lac La Biche on the executive. With this wide representation better decisions can be made for all ATAA members.

I would like the entire executive to start with a positive, open mind. Executive members should review their job description and responsibilities before the next meeting. As well, think of one or two things that they would like to see changed in the upcoming year to better our organization and then bring them to our first meeting on May 7^th at the Hall of Fame in Red Deer.

If any ATAA members have any concerns about our organization please feel free to e-mail me, I’m very approachable and interested in your concerns. I have worked very hard to promote archery for our club, along with our zone and I’m looking forward to promoting archery across the province. We have a great sport that has been passed down from generations why can’t we Build it Strong, Enjoy it, and Pass it onto our children’s children?

Definition: Sportsmanship – expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect and fellowship for one’s competitors.

Sportsmanship typically is regarded as a component of morality in sport, comprised of three related and perhaps overlapping concepts; fair play, sportsmanship and character. Fair play refers to all participants having an equitable chance to pursue victory, acting toward others in an honest, straightforward , firm and dignified manner even when others do not play fairly. It includes respect for others including team members, opponents and officials. Character refers to disposition, values and habits that determine the way that person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes. Is typically seen in polite behaviors toward others such as helping an opponent up or shaking hands after a match. An individual is believed to have a “good character” when those dispositions and habits reflect core ethical values.

Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable characteristic or disposition such that individuals differ in the way they are generally expected to behave in sport situations. In general sportsmanship refers to virtues such as fairness, self-control, courage and persistence and has been associated with interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly, maintaining self-control in dealing with others and respect for both authority and opponents. Five facets of sportsmanship have been identified:

Full commitment to participation (e.g. showing up, working hard during all practices and games, acknowledging one’s mistakes and trying to improve.)
Respect and concern for rules and officials
Respect and concern for social conventions (e.g. shaking hands, recognizing the good performance of an opponent.)
Respect and concern for the opponent (e.g. lending one’s equipment to the opponent, agreeing to play even if the opponent is late, not taking advantage of injured opponents.)
Avoiding poor attitudes toward participation (e.g. not adopting a win-at-all-costs approach, not showing temper after a mistake and not competing solely for individual prizes.

The above 5 points are the criteria used in deciding the recipient for this award.

Message from Your New ATAA President

Al Woolrich Memorial Sportsmanship Award