Remarks by Maylon Hanold ’81 at Presentation of the 2008 Billy Richardson Award for Sportsmanship in Football

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Former Olympian Maylon Hanold reunites with her former teacher, Jackie Suber, at CCES
ceremonies to award the inaugural Billy Richardson Award.


As a member of the class of 1981, I am delighted to be the spokesperson for the inaugural presentation of the Billy Richardson Sportsmanship Award. And as an Olympian and lifetime sports enthusiast, I am thrilled to be part of CCES’s continued recognition of sportsmanship.

Based on my personal experiences and research in sport, I have found that sport can dismantle character as easily as it can build character. The difference as to which one occurs, I believe, begins and ends with sportsmanship.

But what is “sportsmanship"?

I am sure there are many definitions, but I agree with the sport philosopher, Randolf Feezell, when he says, “Ultimately, the principles of sportsmanship are based on the delicate balance of playfulness and seriousness that are at the heart of sport.”

Indeed, sport and competition require a certain level of seriousness. Train well, try to win, stay focused and do your best. If athletes did not take sport seriously, then competition would cease to mean what it does. What has also become evident to me is that an overemphasis on the serious side of sport often leads to un-sportsmanlike conduct. Being too serious can lead to the win-at-all-costs attitude, which tends to preclude sportsmanlike conduct.

To counter the overemphasis on seriousness, we need to remember that sport is ultimately a form of play. In his book titled Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture, Johann Huizinga makes the case that as human beings we need to play--that play is inherently valuable. In this way we can see that sport need not always be viewed from a utilitarian framework. Instead, understanding sport as a form of play reminds us that sport has an inherent value beyond winning, beyond the hard work, beyond the things we learn about teamwork, beyond the personal best goals.

My own experiences and sport research convince me that now more than ever sport needs athletes who embrace this playful, joyful side of sport – who live it, who embody it. Billy Richardson was such an athlete.

On the playing field, Billy always embraced the joy in football, the joy of playing, the aliveness that you get from playing -- and it was infectious. Billy’s playful persona brought the team together. He was always positive, always finding the goodness and joy in the game. More importantly, Billy found goodness in others. He was as kind, friendly, and courteous to players on the opposing team as he was to his teammates.

But Billy as a football player was simply an extension of Billy as a person. He pursued life with playfulness and joy. He was a great friend. He had a smile that brought you in and made you feel good and a heart that knew no boundaries-- and for those of us who knew him, we are truly blessed.

While Billy is no longer with us in body, he is alive and well in the hearts of the class of 1981. And I know that Billy’s legacy of playfulness and kindness, in a world that sometimes forgets these values, will remain alive and well in the Billy Richardson Sportsmanship Award.