Character Development in Baseball - 365 Days to Better Baseball

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Character Development in Sport

Baseball coaches realize that some players are "Characters," but coaches have the opportunity to build "character" in all players. To be the best coach one can be, they should never pass on the opportunity to build that character in youth ballplayers.

The famous John Wooden quote, "Sports don't build character, they reveal it," is so true. Other ways of saying that might be, "Sports reveal the character that coaches build in them, Sports provide the avenues where character can be revealed, or Character development is possible on the sport's fields."

It is not sport that develops character, adults around the games develop the character in youth through the issues that sport present. Sports involve much frustration, losing, and futility that many character development lessons present themselves consistently.

Character development lessons that coaches can teach through baseball

* Belief in Self Through frustration and self-doubt, coaches teach players to believe in themselves through thick and thin

* Belief in the whole coaching teamwork by trusting in each other and having each other's back is crucial to learning to work with others.

* Perseverance often, there is more failure in baseball than success, so teaching a never give up attitude is important.

* Responsibility coaching players to own up to their mistakes goes a long way in the maturation process of kids.

* Importance of communication coaching kids to be themselves without fear of expressing themselves is another important coaching possibility.

*Keep the fun in activities helping kids realize that the game must include fun, win or lose, is necessary.

Of course, a key to all of this character development coaching involves teaching youth the perspective that it is sport, and only one aspect of their lives.