Preparation

Preparation forms a basic tenet of professionalism in sports, often overlooked amid more overtly ethical
concerns. It means putting in the work required to perform on the field: showing up for every practice,
studying the playbook, staying in shape during the off-season and even watching footage of opponents
to get an idea of how they play. Preparation is key to performance, and without putting in those long
hours beforehand, the athlete won't be able to do his best on the field.

Opponents

Sports professionals need to treat their opponents with honor and respect. This becomes blurry
sometimes, since trash talking and "head games" have become viable strategies on the field. But
opponents are not the same as enemies, no matter how heated the rivalry. Treating them with respect
means adhering to rules of sportsmanship and fair play, as well as offering a handshake and a "well
done" after the game no matter who came out on top.

Losses

No one is perfect, not even the 1972 Dolphins (anyone who saw their sloppy Super Bowl victory can
attest to this). Sooner or later, every athlete is going to lose a game, blow a big play or fail to perform
when he needs to. Professionalism dictates that the athlete take such setbacks in stride: accept
responsibility for the failure with grace and dignity and understand that it's part of the game. At the
same time, it behooves the professional to examine what went wrong and work harder to ensure that
he doesn't repeat the mistake in the future.

Competition

The purpose of any sporting match is to evaluate the participants as fairly as possible, which means
adhering to principles of fair play. Some athletes believe that they should get away with as much as they
can--that it's the referee's job to "catch" them and that unless they are called on their behavior, they
can use cheap tactics, surreptitious fouls and doctored equipment to get ahead. The most egregious
examples of this type of behavior involve doping or sabotage. True professionals adhere to the notions
of fair play, relying on their skill and preparation to prevail, rather than bending or breaking the rules.

Team Effort

Some sports rely solely on individuals: tennis, for example, or golf. Most, however, field entire teams,
and even athletes for individual sports rely on coaches, trainers and other "team" members to win
matches. In that dynamic, the professional understands that the team matters more than the individual.
It means performing one's duties within the team's strategies and not emphasizing personal glory over
the group's accomplishments.