What Amiel knew is that the greatest force for influencing others lies not in our lofty words, but in our personal action and example. A coach who implores the team to practice good sportsmanship and then breaks under game pressure, consciously or unconsciously, engaging in a tirade against officials, completely nullifies the effect of his previous exhortations. Conversely, a coach wh o controls emotions while under duress gives the team a tangible guide for good conduct that words could never convey. A key role of the coach is always to glean an element of winning from every loss. With good sportsmanship as a constant companion, this goal always c an be realized.
Good sports are winners in their own right.
Yes, sportsmanship is a sacred flame and the primary keeper of that flame is the coach.