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COACH'S CORNER

February 2008 

"Character" 

Earlier in January, I was fortunate enough to attend the American Football Coaches Association National Convention.  Each year, the convention is built around a theme.  This year the theme was “CHARACTER.” 

Nearly every speaker alluded to ways to develop and teach character.  Many of the topics dealt with the concept of moral and ethical development in teenagers and young adults.  These topics struck a cord with me; I have felt that we as a program have been more reactive than proactive in dealing with the actions in regards to character and character decisions. It is my mission to be proactive in sharing and teaching our players the basis of moral and ethical decisions and ultimately character development. 

One of the speakers, Dr. Sharon Stoll of the Center for Ethical Development at the University of Idaho, shared some interesting facts about the developing brain and its ability to

understand moral and ethical decisions.  The research has shown that the area in the brain that conducts reasoning for moral and ethical decisions is often underdeveloped.  Her claim is that the brain has a “hole” in it in this area and needs to constantly be developed so that moral and ethical decisions can be made.  If there are gaps in the development even as adults, we can make instant decisions that can impact the rest of our lives, I am sure that the names Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton ring a bell.  This is not to say that these acts should be excused or tolerated, but as life long learners and educators of others that we come into contact with, we need to constantly infuse the teaching of what is ethically and morally correct so that character can be developed.

Dr. Stoll also made some interesting points about the generation gap between the adult leader or teacher and those who are their pupils.  The majority of the adult leaders are two to three generations removed from those whom they teach.  We have very different experiences to draw from when making instant decisions. The ability to reason morally and ethically is under construction and needs to be taken into account when dealing with each case.  Dr. Stoll gave the example that a normal teenager cannot understand why it is wrong to steal something that is left out in a locker room; they are detached from who it belongs to.   However, if the item that is stolen from someone in their immediate circle or family they can make the emotional connection that the act of stealing was wrong, simply because it impacted them directly.  This is a gap that we as adult leaders need to bridge.

Another interesting study that was conducted, which shows the ongoing moral and ethical development, was an ATM experiment.  Five hundred unsuspecting subjects where given more money from the ATM machine than they had asked for, of the five hundred subjects only 1 returned the overage to the bank!  I heard this and was sick to my stomach, 1 in 500 people did the right thing.  This helps illustrate that moral and ethical development is ongoing issue.

When I left the convention, I was convinced that our coaching staff could and should do more in the area of moral, ethical and character development.  I have spent the past month collecting information and researching the area of character development and have found some great information to share with our players and parents in regards to developing our young men in these areas.  Each month during the off season I will share with you some of the information that I have found. 

The area of character development has been studied by many groups and I need to credit the Center for Character Development out of Texas for the information that I will be sharing with you.  The Center for Character Development has broken into six categories the main strands of character development and they are as follows:

TRUSTWORTHINESS, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, FAIRNESS, CARING and CITIZENSHIP

Each month I will share with you what they believe are some the key words and phrases that can help us stay focused on our personal character development track. 

- Coach Pyne

TRUSTWORTHINESS

Honesty – (free from fraud and deception….fairness and straightforwardness of conduct)

1. Be willing to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

2. Truth has only to change hands a few times to become fiction: be very careful with it.

3. The most important person to be honest with is yourself.

4. Truth is not only stranger than fiction – it is often nowhere near as plentiful.

5. There is no acceptable substitute for honesty; there is no valid excuse for dishonesty.

6. Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

7. So live your life that your autograph will be wanted and not your fingerprints.

8. When you stretch the truth, people usually see through it.

9. Character is what you know you are, not what others think you are.

10. There is no limit to the height a man can attain by remaining on the level.
11. There are no degrees of honesty.

 Reliability – (dependable – suitable or fit to be relied upon)

1. Reliability is when others CAN depend on us to show up on time, prepared and ready to do our work until the job is done.

2. Do others have faith in you? After all, faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.

3. Reliability is keeping our word and honoring our commitments.

4. The promises most likely to be broken are those we make to ourselves.

5. It is better to die with a good name than to live with a bad one.

6. The train of failure usually runs on the track of laziness.

7. If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

8. We are judged by what we finish, not what we start.

9. The greatest ability is dependability.

10. Plow deep while sluggards sleep – Benjamin Franklin

Integrity – (to live by a firm code of ethics…incorruptible)

1. A person of integrity consistently behaves according to firm convictions about right and wrong.

2. Joy is not in what we own…it is in what we are.

3. Always speak the truth and you’ll never be concerned about your memory.

4. Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people read.

5. What is right is right even when no one else is doing it. What is wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.

6. People of integrity are honorable and upright in all actions.

7. A friendship that can be bought isn’t worth the price.

8. If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you would like people to say about you after you die…then live your life backwards.

9. There is no right way to do a wrong thing.

10. Integrity gives a person strength, but not always popularity.

 Loyalty – (faithful - unswerving in allegiance)

1. One who is loyal is faithful to others

2. The best antique is an old and loyal friend

3. One who is loyal will never betray a trust

4. Keep the secrets of those who trust you

5. A loyal friend will not let their friends hurt themselves

6. Loyalty means not doing anything wrong, even for a friend.

7. Doing something wrong, just so others will like you is not being loyal.

8. Loyalty does not ask others to do wrong

9. One who is loyal does not spread gossip or rumors.

10. A friend is a present you give yourself.

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