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Student-athletes learn importance of respect at 14th annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit

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Wednesday, November 8, 2023 | 1:44 PM

More than 400 student-athletes from schools throughout Western Pennsylvania gathered Wednesday morning to discuss and learn about what they can do to create a stronger leadership environment through sportsmanship on and off the field of competition.

The 14th annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit at the Sen. John Heinz History Center in the Strip District gave students the opportunity to share stories and experiences and learn about the history of strong sportsmanship through past and present examples.

It also presented ways to keep leadership and sportsmanship at the forefront, not only through WPIAL competition but also through daily interaction in the classroom and community.

WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer stressed the importance of sportsmanship and respect through treating an opponent, teammate or others how they want to be treated.

“The WPIAL is only as good as our student-athletes let us be,” he said.

“We have other districts reach out to us asking, ‘How do you do this or how do you do that?’ Some will say, ‘I don’t think we can do that.’ But I always tell them that we have special people in the WPIAL. We have special student-athletes. They understand the commitment and the responsibility that comes with being an athlete.”

Uniontown native and Laurel Highlands graduate Gene Steratore, a former NFL and NCAA basketball official who serves as an NFL rules analyst for CBS Sports, shared his experience interacting with others in the game and how everybody wins through good sportsmanship and service.

“Through this journey of life, the good fortune many of us do have, regardless of the platforms we may acquire and the talent we have, don’t wait until you are older to start giving back to anything and everything,” Steratore told the room full of student-athletes.

“What you will get from giving back with what you have already learned will be some of the most rewarding things you will ever do in your life. When we obtain accomplishments in life, if we’re wise, we appreciate those who sacrifice things in their life to allow us the opportunity to succeed.”

Being a teammate, in sports and in life, holds special meaning to Nicholas Palermo, a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“To me, sportsmanship means three things: integrity, honor and a positive mental attitude,” Palermo said while speaking to the group.

“Some of you will play your sport in college, and some of you won’t. Even if you go onto the pros, at some point, your sport career comes to an end. Will sportsmanship still apply? Integrity, honor and that positive mental attitude are ways you can live your life. It’s that way in the Marine Corps. We do the right thing because it’s the right thing. Do the right things and set an example for others to follow.”

Ron Idoko and Shawn Robinson, former Pitt football players, represented the Orange Arrow organization which helps college student-athletes interact and coach younger student-athletes in their off-field goals and performances.

An Orange Arrow mission is to utilize a sports-themed approach to help the athletic community win in the game of life.

Idoko shared a quote from writer and teacher Susan Statham — “Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often” — and pointed to ways one can define their personal narrative including reflecting on intentions and considering areas for growth; documenting distinct resources, exchanges, experiences and takeaways; moving beyond one’s comfort zone; engaging with humility; always making sure someone knows they are not alone; and being a source of support.

Retired North Hills athletic director Dan Cardone, one of the founders of the WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit, said the WPIAL is committed to promoting many good deeds student-athletes can display and practice throughout their athletic and social engagements.

Those include wishing classmates and opponents good luck after a hard-fought competition; thanking officials, coaches, athletic directors, bus drivers, parents, custodians and others they interact with for their work and support in making the athletic experience the best it can be; and posting congratulatory messages about their school and/or opponents.

Additional good deeds include leaving every facility in better shape than when you found it, treating others as they want to be treated, being gracious in victory and defeat, respecting the game they play and simply helping a teammate, an opponent, an administrator or a friend.

Members of the WPIAL Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council presented ways for athletes and teams to display cultural competency through the ability to interact and relate to people different from them in a positive way through the basics of acceptance, appreciation, acknowledgement and attention.

The committee encouraged all to remember to always “Do No Harm” by thoughts, words or actions.

In connection with the WPIAL council, four student-athletes from the Freeport Area High School Community Equity Advisory Group & Student Athlete Advisory Council — Josie Russo, Sydney Selker, Colton Otterman and Mark Caruso — shared their experiences and work throughout the year with their school and community.

“This is a group of individuals from inside and outside the school settings who work together to evaluate and improve the way people interact with each other in a positive way,” said Russo, a senior captain on the Freeport girls volleyball team.

Russo said the group helps provide equitable access to programs, allows for discussions on cultural humility, and also opens discussion about athletic initiatives and procedures.

“Having this group is important to educate students on the importance of equity in a school setting,” she said.

The WPIAL Sportsmanship Committee recognized the winners of the WPIAL Sportsmanship Awards for each schools’ efforts to promote the tenets of leadership and sportsmanship through responsible actions before, during and after competition and throughout the school year.

This year’s award winners, recognizing accomplishments for the 2022-23 year, are Armstrong, Elizabeth Forward, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and South Fayette.

Each school received a banner to display in their athletic facilities.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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