How to Teach Character Through Sport (video)

Bruce Brown, Proactive Coaching

NAIA Champions of Character program

Method – Themes
Coaches are the key if we’re going to make any changes in the culture of sports

“Our major purpose is to teach athletes to think and act correctly.”

“Viewing coaching as an opportunity to hold athletes to the highest possible behavioral standards
is what gives this profession eternal value. Holding your kids to those high standards is not a
choice that great coaches have. If you…really, truly love your athletes, you’ll teach, set, and hold
them accountable for standards higher than victory.” -- quote from one of Brown’s books

Athletic philosophy statement different from most other kinds of philosophy statements:
∙because we are out there for public scrutiny at all times
∙needs to be more than a belief statement
∙has to be a belief statement attached to an action statement
–“This is what we believe. Therefore, this is what you will see if you come watch.”

Brown’s beliefs about character and sport:

1. Ethical behavior is not in-born in our kids – not born with the right behavior
∙all have capacity to be good, but it has to be taught

2. Some sports are potentially more problematic ethically and character-wise than others
∙Indications that a sport may be more problematic
--the more subjectivity there is in a sport
--barrier sports (with dividing lines) (e.g. swimming, track, volleyball) vs. shared-area
sports (two teams occupying same space)(e.g. football, basketball, soccer)
--shared-area sports have more potential to be problematic; the smaller the space, the
more players involved, the greater the potential for problems
--sports where contact is allowed, encouraged, a part of the game
--spotlight sport vs. group sport: one person in a spotlight has greater potential for
Problems
3. Ethical behavior is not taught simply by offering the activity; a player doesn’t learn ethical
behavior simply by participating

4. A player should not have to be good to get good out of the activity.
∙benefits should accrue to everyone in the activity, not just the most talented

5. The only values, mission statements, and ethics that count in any company or any team are
those that are reflected in the behavior of the people in that company or team

6. Athletics don’t teach character; coaches teach character

B. Brown video, p. 1
“Athletics offers the best opportunity in a young person’s life to learn…” Most coaches will
answer with positive attributes, qualities, values because we’ve had good experiences and
are still involved.

Athletics offer the opportunity to learn both positive and negative values and ethical standards:
∙obeying rules or cheating
∙positive discipline or disrespect for authority
∙good work habits or how to take short cuts
∙confidence based on preparation or confidence based on arrogance and sense of entitlement
∙poise required for an athlete or revenge, temper, anger are a part of sports
∙teamwork or selfishness
∙accountability (responsibility for own actions) or how to make excuses
∙how to persevere or how to quit
Which set of standards are your athletes learning?

Challenge: If you believe athletics should teach character, then you have to teach it.
∙If kids improve their character, it’s because of the coach, not because of the experience.
∙“To believe in something and not live it is dishonest.” –Ghandi

Tend to coach the way you were coached. If we make this change, doing a great thing for the
next generation of coaches

How to add “values” to your coaching:

∙having and teaching values
∙articulating your values – make them clear; put them on paper
∙compare your values with your actions
∙watch your team, or have outsider watch, at a time when going to be the most tested – see if the
team’s behavior and the values are aligned
∙teach values to everyone (including parents) clearly, consistently, creatively, continually
∙practice / rehearse the values
∙hold member accountable to the same standards
∙be willing to confront and change attitudes that are not acceptable
∙institutionalize values – weave them into fabric of your team
∙publicly praise values – find a way to honor in your reward system

Action Statements:
If you’re going to teach character, not leave it to chance…

1. Don’t be afraid to lead – Leading is your 1st responsibility in every circumstance

∙change does not require consensus; leadership is what it takes

2. Analyze your sport & identify character traits, values, life lessons that can be taught thru it
naturally

B. Brown video, p. 2
 ∙What can I teach thru football besides just football?
– write it in the practice plan; add character to list of essentials to be taught
– theme of the week in football
∙Teach character as themes
– prioritize them
– schedule them

3. Teach a value thru same 4-step process as teaching a physical skill:

1) Define 2) Model 3) Shape 4) Reinforce

1) Define: a) an athletic definition

b) age appropriate
c) relate to your sport
d) how it translates to life outside of athletics – school, home, society

tip: have athletes define the value in writing first; gives insight into what they think; we
will probably have to re-define for them
Our job is to change definitions and behaviors

Example: Sportsmanship – doing the right things at the right time, for yourself, your
team, and your sport

If an athlete enters your program with the wrong behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions, that is
someone else’s responsibility. If that athlete exits your program with wrong behaviors, attitudes,
and perceptions, that’s on your shoulders.

2) Model: a description, a demonstration, an exact blueprint of how you want players to act
and react

think of every situation that your sport will provide/present; determine how you want
players to behave/react; then cover and rehearse it

“In competition, it is the chief duty of leadership to minimize surprises.”

Example: Sportsmanship – potential problem areas: non-calls; winning & losing;

substitutions; fan reactions; hard fouls; rough play; language; taunting
Require blueprints for how to deal with and teach early in season

3) Shape: this is the key; difficult and takes time

This is where coaches are lost and drop out of the profession; may see over time where
there is a gradual reduction in a coach’s willingness to shape

Positive side of shaping: identify and support any behavior that comes closer to the
desired behavior
Difficult/challenging side of shaping: direct, immediate correction of any behavior that is
not acceptable

B. Brown video, p. 3
 ∙direct: you and the individual; not demeaning or public
∙immediate: the closer to the action, the more chance for change; the correction needs
to be clearly spelled out so there is no gray area
∙means you have to think ahead of time about what’s not acceptable to you and what
you want instead
things to consider: tardiness, inattention, disrespect, less than all out effort,
profanity/close to profanity

As a coach, I can never escape shaping; regardless of how I react, I send a message
Whatever I don’t confront, I’m sending a message of acceptance.
What I accept perpetuates itself.

Example: Sportsmanship – “walk-away” drill: teach it and practice it

4) Reinforce – positive reinforcement is best way to bring change; what you reward gets done
To be successful at this as a coach, when change occurs in an athlete, I can’t say, “Look
what I’ve created.” Have to say, “Look who you’ve become.”

A kid can live a month on one compliment. Give them a compliment a day and stay a
month ahead.

Positive reinforcement: verbal, physical, love

Use presenters to present the themes – bring them in

∙coach should always be involved, at least to introduce
∙can use the athletes
∙can even use an athlete who may not have that quality initially; work with them and
prepare them to present [ex.: running back with no poise; presented poise; late hit
on punt]
∙teachers and administrators – provides a chance to build stronger relations with them;
gives them a chance to see what you’re teaching beyond your sport
∙community members
∙former athletes in the program – gives your program some history, a legacy

Send inspirational quotes or messages to players corresponding to that week’s theme; try
to give them something every day; talk about it at end of practice

Spotlighting – double praise in public; a person praised for a character trait or behavior in
front of everybody; have to start in small groups to get them comfortable with it
when get spotlighted, have to spotlight someone else for it as well; puts players on the
watch for each other’s behaviors

As a coach, do you have these character traits? Who are your models? Can you teach them? Who
can benefit from you teaching this?

B. Brown video, p. 4
Summary:
∙Decide what you believe and then live it
∙Don’t be afraid to lead
∙Don’t hide or apologize for your passion
∙Don’t leave it to chance – teach the values and character traits your sport naturally provides
opportunity to teach
∙Be the coach that gives this profession eternal value, the one who gives the next generation
something to pass on to the next one after

“We will be defined by the impact we had on other people’s lives.”

“Our legacy will be the teams that we built, the passions that we shared, and the lives that we
changed. Coaching provides an opportunity to change a life every single day, in a positive,
enthusiastic manner.”

One athlete of character, one person making positive behavioral changes, can make a team
better. One team of character can change a school. One school of character can change a
community.

B. Brown video, p. 5