For most siblings, after they grow into mature adults, their petty childhood rivalries stay in the past.
On the other hand, the competition will always be there for me with my younger sister Hope.
One of our favorite games to compete against each other in is H.O.R.S.E. For those who have not played the game, it is a basketball variation that requires more shooting skills than anything.
I cannot recall ever losing a game to her until she came to visit me in Auburn last week and beat me. I didn't take it well.
If you're like me, you probably take sports too seriously at times, especially when it involves your siblings.
Everyone has a different ego when competing. I can't stand to lose at anything.
A few hours after the tough loss, I eventually accepted that my little sister has grown into quite the athlete and started to act my age instead of my shoe size.
It's easy to get frustrated when you are losing, but there is more a person can gain from competing than winning or losing.
Learning sportsmanship teaches people how to deal with moments of truth in your daily life, and it should be carried beyond the field or court.
Sportsmanship, whether you like it or not, is a connection to your character off the field.
The outcome of sports is often uncertain, like life can be. Sports teach us how to react to things that are out of our control.
Being a "good sport" is holding yourself to a higher standard and enjoying the sport for the sake of playing the game and friendly competition.
Some things we can do to have better sportsmanship are treat others with respect, encourage and congratulate your opponent when they do something good, not gloat when you win, not pout when you lose, avoid making up with excuses, and be able to take criticism without taking it personally.
Your attitude is a big part of what makes you a good or bad sport and shows how mature you are as a person.
Your competitive spirit is going to get the best of you sometimes, but how your emotional reaction is what defines you.
If you're a bad sport you could end up giving others a bad reputation.
Aaron Hernandez's immaturity left a mark on the New England Patriots franchise even after the former tight end's involvement with the team was over when he was arrested on a charge of double murder in 2013.
Hernandez got the lowest score possible for "social maturity" during a pre-draft assessment in 2010, and there were members of the franchise that knew about his immaturity beforehand.
I'm not saying that anyone could have kept Hernandez out of prison, but who knows what might have happened if his behavior was taken more seriously by the Patriots organization or teammates in the locker room.
Monitor yourself, on and off the field, with these things and they can be life lessons as well as good sportsmanship and will make you a better person in the end.
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