Message from Dr. Michael Steward Sr. on Sportsmanship.

Webster’s Dictionary defines sportsmanship as "one who abides by the rules of a contest and accepts victory or defeat graciously. The Kokusai Senshu Tokukai (The International Champions of Virtue) defines sportsmanship as "those qualities, which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others. Further, an awareness is expected of the impact of an individual's influence on others behavior." Sportsmanship is probably the clearest and most popular expression of morals. Sportsmanship is a thing of beauty. When you witness an example of good sportsmanship it reinforces that our athletes are learning morals, ethics and integrity from their martial arts sports experience.

The ideal of sportsmanship permeates virtually every aspect of our culture. The ethic of fair play may be witnessed in all facets of life. However, its origin has been firmly established in sports, as conceptually and pragmatically a training ground for good citizenship and high behavioral standards. Sportsmanship is viewed by The Kokusai Senshu Tokukai (The International Champions of Virtue) as a concrete measure of each school's and individual's understanding of their commitment to the educational nature of martial arts.

The responsibility for developing sportsmanship involves many different people. The complexity of this subject, in implementation, extends far beyond the boundaries of our definition. The Kokusai Senshu Tokukai (The International Champions of Virtue) is philosophically and practically committed to the attainment and maintenance of all codes of behavior addressed in this website. While enforcement of these codes has priority status, the recognition of exemplary behavior is a major goal of this effort.

In recent years, the ideal of sportsmanship has often been relegated to a secondary role. A need exists to again make this role primary and to restore placement of all athletics in an educational perspective. The problems are quite evident and will require a maximum effort by everyone involved to achieve the desired outcomes. Willful compliance by all concerned is necessary to achieve the goals of sportsmanship. Martial arts and their companion, competition, may be the last stronghold of discipline in our society. Martial arts in particular are called upon to absorb more of their responsibility for teaching basic social values. Any contribution of this magnitude requires the development of positive, definitive programs. The behavior expected of any participant (direct or indirect) must be explicitly spelled out; to that end comes the purpose of this website.

Our website provides The Kokusai Senshu Tokukai (The International Champions of Virtue) members, and member schools with a comprehensive perspective on the rules of sportsmanship. It serves as a behavior guide for all groups involved with our sports activity, as well as a source of preventative information. The material on our website offers direction and guidance, along with expectations which correspond to the goals indicated.