Respect in the
Sports Program
A Reflection on Respect
By Will Arias
A
s the boys enter their years in our Upper School, the
theme of respect continues to be an essential part
of their physical education experience. As the elder
statesmen of the student body, they are expected to assume
leadership roles both in and outside of the classroom. Coach
Jorge Roman introduced the following framework to our
department to serve as a guide to how respect integrates
into our classes, practices, and games via “R-O-O-T-S” -
R – Rules
O - Opponents
O - Officials
T - Teammates
S - Self
In the Fourth Grade, the boys are involved in a variety
of physical activities and sports. They are consistently
encouraged to respect the games and activities to which
they are introduced. Boys are taught what it means to be
a leader and how that translates into action. In the Fifth
Grade, the boys earn the responsibility of choosing and
focusing on one sport per season. Games and activities
become more competitive and the emphasis is on the boys’
ability to organize themselves, follow the rules, and hold
themselves accountable. Sixth Grade marks a pivotal year
in the boys’ physical education development, as they are
given the opportunity to not only choose their sports, but
also compete inter-scholastically. This occasion marks the
first time the boys are asked to apply all five components of
the R-O-O-T-S framework for respect.
While the boys continue to practice and compete in their
Winter 2020 • 13