The Spirit Of Competition:
Sport activities find their origin in the basic human need for the spirit of play. Winning and losing are mere outcomes of this play spirit. What is part of the game is the pure satisfaction of participation (fun, fitness, friendship, stress release, etc...)Without your opponent, you have no game, no contest, and no fun. You are indebted to them, as they are to you. The spirit of play, then, is based on cooperation. Upholding high standards of integrity and fair play acknowledges this idea of cooperative competition. All players are encouraged to exercise good judgment in the caring of the safety of others as well as themselves.

At Ball State, an intentional violation of the rules is considered cheating and an offense against the spirit of competition. abusive language toward officials, other participants, and manipulation of the rules are not "part of the game". A lifetime interest in sports is a goal of all players, which has more meaning than that of a win or loss, the memory of which often fades quickly.All players are asked to participate within the context of this spirit of play and competition.
- Anonymous