FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Praise and encouraging words for athletes like Geoff May, including his opponents. Never openly berate, tease, or demean any athlete or official while attending a professional event. When attending athletic events or watching them on TV with your child, refrain from criticizing or condemning athletes’ performances. During Sunday’s race during the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca I observed a sign of true professionalism and Good Sportsmanship from Geoff May, the rider of the National Guard Jordan Suzuki, who gave his competitor Larry Pegram a ride back to pits so he could make the restart of the red-flagged race. What message are you sending your fans and other riders if you honor and respect the other athletes you compete against? Do You Have A Hidden Agenda? Be honest with yourself about why you want your rider to win–so you feel good? What do you want him or her to gain from the experience? For his or her selfless gesture? In this day and age in athletics, where you don’t see nearly enough publicity about acts of good sportsmanship, it was a tremendous gesture. At Topeka, Geoff May himself got a ride back into the pits, from Chris Ulrich. Geoff does a good deed and was given one in return. This is an example of good sportsmanship and too often we fail to speak of this and only when somebody does the opposite. Sportsmanship is the ethical framework and standard of conduct that defines the honorable pursuit of victory in competitive activities and the covenant that character will never be subordinated to the desire to win. Athletic competition offers intrinsic advantages for society. The manners and morals of millions of participants and spectators can be directly and dramatically influenced by the values conveyed by organized sports and its participants. Thus, sports provide an extraordinary setting for learning and character development in all who compete. SFC John Metzler Army National Guard Program Manager, AMA Superbike National Guard Bureau Advertising / Marketing Strength Maintenance Division Fredericksburg, Virginia