[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3043-3044]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP DAY

  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, today marks the 15th anniversary of 
National Sportsmanship Day, which is celebrated on the first Tuesday of 
each March. National Sportsmanship Day was the creation of the 
Institute of International Sport at the University of Rhode Island, and 
it is now the largest initiative of its kind in the world.
  On March 6, 1990, the Institute celebrated the first National 
Sportsmanship Day in approximately 3,000 schools. By promoting 
sportsmanship through this ceremonial day over the ensuing 15 years, 
the institute has made a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of 
thousands of young student-athletes. The institute has received 
thousands of letters and e-mails commending its leadership in this 
area. National Sportsmanship Day also has spawned many local 
sportsmanship initiatives, led to the creation of an annual essay 
contest on sportsmanship in USA Today, and inspired the celebration of 
sportsmanship days in foreign countries such as Australia and Bermuda.
  This year, through the institute's Team Sportsmanship initiative, 
groups of college athletes will visit their local elementary, middle, 
and high schools to further a dialogue among youth about sportsmanship 
and fair play. As evidenced by media reports on drug scandals and on-
field fights, the promotion of sportsmanship among youngsters remains a 
useful and beneficial endeavor.
  I applaud this year's participants in National Sportsmanship Day, and 
congratulate the institute for its ongoing work to instill the best of 
values in America's youth.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today, March 1, is National Sportsmanship 
Day. A project of the Institute for

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International Sport at the University of Rhode Island, National 
Sportsmanship Day is the largest initiative of its kind in the world. 
Now in its 15th year of promoting the highest ideals of sportsmanship 
and fair play among America's youth, the day will be observed in over 
13,000 schools in all 50 States. The day will involve more than 5 
million students, teachers, administrators, coaches, and parents in 
discussions on the issue of sportsmanship.
  National Sportsmanship Day was first championed by Rhode Island 
Senators Claiborne Pell and the late John Chafee. This year, National 
Sportsmanship Day will honor these Senators; USA Today, which conducts 
an annual National Sportsmanship Day essay contest, and its sports 
editor Monte Lorell; the President's Council on Physical Fitness; the 
Old Dominican Athletic Conference, which has reinforced the values of 
sportsmanship among its teams; and Playing for Peace, an international 
organization which uses basketball and sportsmanship to bring young 
people together from communities such as Belfast, Northern Ireland and 
Johannesburg, South Africa.
  I am proud Rhode Island is home to the Institute for International 
Sport and National Sportsmanship Day, and pleased to see the positive 
influence it has had on youngsters across the Nation during its 15 
years of promoting the best in athletics.

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