Meeting the Need

Sports do not build character in young people! Character-driven adults do. The Champions of Character process equips athletic participants (coaches, athletic administrators, and parents) with the skills necessary to build character in the context of sport.

Our sports culture is full of examples of a breakdown of the basic values that most citizens expect of each other in a civil society. The media regularly feature stories about the criminal actions of professional athletes — assault, domestic violence, dog fighting, performance enhancing drugs, sports betting. News reports on cheating and unsportsmanlike behavior by athletes in college, high school and youth sports are equally troubling.

At the same time, the expectations that coaches and parents have for the athletes they support have led to conduct that detracts from the sports experience. Poor demonstrations of character are easily copied by young athletes. However, when athletes develop their skills in an environment in which adults’ actions foster character-driven conduct, they are bound to do the same.

Inherent to the Champions of Character process is the belief that character is handed down from one generation to the next. When those who provide athletic opportunities are willing to commit to character-driven athletics and put the athlete first, both the game and society overall benefit.

To find out more about the Champions of Character process, contact Kathy Busch.