For Immediate Release:
Contact: Staci Schottman, NAIA Director of Public Relations and Communications, 816-595-8116, sschottman@naia.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and Heartland Soccer Association today launched a partnership committed to teach players, coaches and parents the importance of personal and social character as well as the methodology for growth from the status quo to a healthy and balanced youth sports community. This collaboration celebrates Heartland’s unwavering commitment to use the power of sport to teach lessons for life.

The partnership seeks to use the NAIA’s Champions of Character program within Heartland’s infrastructure to restore character values and raise a generation of student-athletes who understand and demonstrate in everyday decisions integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.

“We are excited to work with the NAIA to execute valuable and new curriculum based on the Champions of Character program,” said Josh Aldridge, sponsorship director for Heartland Soccer Association. “The NAIA boasts a proud reputation for the role it places on character in sport and will help Heartland support performance-driven athletics while defining expectations and standards that drive successful teams in and out of competition.”

The Champions of Character program provides athletes, coaches and parents the training to help them know and do the right things inside and outside the sports setting. The program is dedicated to the principle that character is a choice and that being a champion is about reaching your potential and making good decisions consistently in daily life. The initiative was developed in 2000, in response to the growing problem of deteriorating standards of integrity in sports and society.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Heartland Soccer Association to bring character-based resources to a broad audience of players, coaches and parents,” say Dr. Rob Haworth, Vice President for Champions of Character. “Sport can positively impact the lives of young people if programs, parents and coaches value and teach core character traits. The benefits of character-driven sport are extensive.”

Haworth brings experience in helping youth sport organizations improve their results through a focus on performance excellence initiatives with expertise in aligning those efforts with core character values. Haworth will work with Heartland’s 2,000 coaches and will lead the group through an optional online Champions of Character training course. The NAIA will present to target audiences within the Heartland community at quarterly meetings convened for the purpose of character education. Also, the NAIA will sponsor a Champions of Character award that will be presented at each Heartland Soccer tournament. 

In addition to programming elements, the NAIA and Heartland will jointly develop a statistical collection mechanism to allow study on the influence of the Champions of Character program on the Heartland community. This effort will serve the joint purpose of granting understanding into directional programmatic growth needs and any plans for expansion into additional youth markets.

To learn more about the NAIA Champions of Character and Heartland Soccer Association partnership contact Eric Massey, NAIA director of development, at emassey@naia.org.

About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is the governing body for athletics programs at its nearly 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. The long-held mission of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of well-rounded students and productive citizens through intercollegiate athletics. The Association offers equitable access and opportunities for participation in its 23 national championship events held annually throughout the country.

Today, the NAIA strengthens its commitment to student-athletes and strives to enrich their college experience by supporting academic achievement and character development. NAIA Champions of Character is the association’s innovative flagship program designed to instill character values in student-athletes, coaches and youth in the communities it serves. To learn more visit www.NAIA.org. 

About Heartland Soccer Association
Heartland Soccer Association is a nonprofit and educational youth soccer association. Heartland represents approximately 760 teams (11,000 youth players), 2,000 coaches, and 300 referees per season in Johnson County, Kan. Heartland is a member of the Kansas Youth Soccer Association, the US Youth Soccer Association and the US Soccer Federation. Six clubs make up the Heartland Soccer Association: Blue Valley Soccer Club, Olathe Soccer Club, Overland Park Soccer Club, Northeast United Soccer Club, Southwest United Soccer Club and Kansas Premier Soccer League. To learn more visit www.heartlandsoccer.net.