A Blueprint for Competitive Character Development
ONE Softball believes that Competitive Character is a set of skills that can and must be taught, learned, and worked on. And the College Coach Think Tank agrees. Coaches, parents, and players all can create the conditions for growth of these character skills.
We have spent years listening to high performers and working to understand the things they do that made them into successful athletes and teammates. We then compiled what we learned into the ONE Softball Glossary, which list the skills that are necessary for success.
Competitive Character
It’s important to note that we call these competitive character skills, rather than simply character skills. Our research includes interviews with people and teams that have proven to be successful on the field or in their arena. These are people at the top of their game.
We believe that the goal of sports includes measurable results as well as growing as a person. These two things go hand in hand when we consider those who achieve the status of “high performer”. We have divided these into Performance and Moral Skills.
Performance Skills are things that help an athlete become a great player and teammate, the things that indicate personal growth and help get one to the top performer status. They have to do with the relationship to one’s self.
Moral Skills are those character skills that help one become a strong teammate as well as individual. We know that when you help those around you, the whole gets stronger. This helps the team and the bond between teammates. Moral Skills have to do with one’s relationship to others and are the skills that help keep you at the top.
Take Action
Download the ONE Softball Competitive Character Glossary and read the forty-six words and their short definitions. Each of these skills offer an opportunity to work on improving both character and relationships. Some will strike you as things you’re already good at and should celebrate, others will be on your list of things that need work if you are to improve your competitive character.
Use the My Character Blueprint worksheet to identify the character skills that you think are important to your home, school, and softball life. Use the worksheet with your team or do it yourself, and create a system for improving those skills .
ONE Softball knows that asking yourself good questions and gaining an understanding of what to work on, what a strong future looks like, and how to enlist the help of others are all important skills for improvement. We hope you’ll share how the Glossary and Competitive Character Blueprint help you and your team.
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About The Author
ONE Softball Staff
The ONE Softball editorial staff has decades of success in coaching and business. Coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences, the founders share one common goal: to help the softball community come together. We are excited to provide crucial resources for players, parents and coaches to succeed at every level.