We are hoping that 2021 is a return to normal for you athletes and coaches. Not the “new normal,” but normal – where kids return to the classroom full time and athletes return to the athletic fields. Further, we hope athletes don’t have to wear masks while playing sports and their seasons don’t get interrupted or canceled because a couple of kids get covid. We hope athletics can return to the pursuit of being the best you can be and also learning life lessons that will last you a lifetime.
This is the first week of the Student Athlete Program. This program is designed to improve the character, sportsmanship and leadership of high school athletes. This program should be fun and engaging. It is not supposed to be “one more thing” or “something you have to do.” Each week we will focus on a different trait.
| Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment | Positive Attitude | Coachable |
| Desire | Enthusiasm | Passion |
| Determination | Initiative | Preparation |
| Perseverance | Effort | Grit |
| Appreciation | Teamwork | Sportsmanship |
| Discipline | Unselfishness | Competitiveness |
| Accountability | Trust | Caring |
| Humility | Good Judgment | Composure |
| Honesty | Integrity | Courage |
| Faith | Tolerance | Service |
| Leadership | Leadership | Leadership |
| Character | Character | Character |
To teach each trait, you will receive 6 daily lessons via our online app. Each day of the week is different and the format looks like this.
- Monday Life Lesson – Powerful pre-recorded life lessons delivered by coaches and athletes.
- Tuesday Sports Blog – Dr. Hoedel will author a sports-based blog about current events related to character and leadership.
- Wednesday Role Model – Students will read about a group of diversified sports-oriented role models that exemplify the traits covered in the program.
- Thursday Dilemma – Students will respond to sports-oriented ethical dilemmas to teach decision-making skills and ethics.
- Friday Movie Clip – Segments from character-based popular sports movies will be viewed and discussed.
- Weekend Tasks – Student-athletes will complete short assignments to improve their individual and team performance.
Purpose of Blog: Every week I will sit at my computer and write about a sports-related current event about character and leadership. In the blog, I usually provide my perspective, a video link and discussion questions. The purpose of this blog is to make a simple point – character and leadership matter today! Some of these stories will be inspirational and some will teach tough lessons. Sometimes it will be about someone who ruined his/her life with one bad decision and sometimes it will be about a selfless act that positively changed someone’s life. The joy of writing this blog is that I never know what will transpire that will become a blog post.
My Hope #1 – Read It: Every Tuesday you will receive a notification via the app about the new blog post. To be honest, I spend 2-5 hours every week researching and writing these blogs and I would hate it if no one ever read these posts.
My Hope #2 – Comment: For each post, I will provide discussion questions. Respond to them and let me know what you think about the story. Be articulate. Don’t just say you disagree – say what you disagree with and back it up with a solid rationale. Keep it clean. Don’t swear or put down other students’ views. It is a character and leadership site, so I will filter comments that are non-productive.
My Hope #3 – Be Inspired: I hope that these blogs will inspire you and that one or many of them will change the way you approach life. I believe that students can be inspired and want to be inspired. People and stories can be the source of that inspiration.
Your Turn:
- Tell me what state you are from and the name of your school?
- How do you think improving your character and leadership will help you in athletics and in life?
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Michigan
Brighton High School
It will help me to become a better leader towards everyone and a better example for other players who are younger.
It will help me to become a more outgoing and open minded person and help me to respect others and learn to step up and be a leader when needed.
I am from Missouri and I go to Blue springs south.
I think improving my character and leadership will help me to set examples for my teammates and grow as an athlete on and off the court.
I am from Michigan and I go to corunna high school I think by improving your leadership and and character will help in every aspect of life. For example it could help get a job and with good leadership qualities you have a good chance at getting promoted.
I am from Michigan and I go to Brighton High School. I think that improving my character and leadership will help me by making me relate to my teammates better
I’m from Michigan. I go to Brighton High School.
Improving character and leadership will lead to a stronger team. People with great character and leadership skills are well respected.
I am from Fenton, Michigan. I go to Brighton high school. I think improving my character and leadership will help me because it will teach me to deal with wins and losses better, it will also teach me how to become better friends and help people out in real life just like on the mat.
Michigan, Brighton High School
I think it will help me be a better person in life and better leader in football
I’m from Michigan and I go to Brighton High School.
I think improving are character will help us with are mind set going into a match.
1.) I am from Brighton High School in Michigan.
2.) I think that improving my character and leadership will help me in athletics and later in life because it will help me to form stronger bonds and relationships with teammates and future coworkers. Also, by improving my character and leadership, I will be better suited to take on tougher roles in the future.
I live in Michigan and attend Brighton High School. I think improving my character and leadership will make it easier to form relationships with people in athletics and in life. I think it will also make me a better person overall.
I live in Brighton, Michigan. I attend Brighton High School. Improving character and leadership increases your flexibility and willingness, as well as making you easier to work with and giving you the ability to oraganize a group. These are important skills in academics and life.
Michigan, Brighton High School
I agree with everything you mentioned. However, I would also like to add that improving ones character will also effect their performance positively in sports and in life. Having a good attitude and the right mind set takes you a long way and allows you to grow as a person.
1. Brighton High School, Brighton, MI
2. I think having strong leadership skills and good character is instrumental in life because unexpected situations are often thrown your way, and it is important to handle those things with grace, which can be taught on the field 🙂
I live in Brighton, Michigan. I have classes at the highschool. I hope to improve both my and others leadership, willingness, determination and more. These will just me in school and sports.
Michigan
Brighton high school
I find that sports are unique in their relationship with leadership qualities. I think that leadership in sports by way of setting an example leads others to become more like leaders themselves as they follow ‘the leader’ creating a sort of feedback loop. Leaders in sports can create a positive environment that affects, and even creates new leaders. The leadership qualities gained from a sport in school are arguably more valuable than the athletic discipline itself, because the ability to make decisions and not simply fall in with the crowd sets an individual apart for their entire life.
I’m from Michigan and I go to Brighton High School.
I think it will help me be a better man and friend and to be a leader on the football field.
I’m from Michigan and I go to Brighton High School.
I think it will help me be a better man and friend and to be a leader on and off the football field.
I am from Michigan and I go to Brighton High school. I believe that improving my Character and leadership skills will help my life and athletics by being able to encourage others and teach others how to be kind to people.
Lucas Kuran Michigan
Corunna highschool
Building my character I hope to inspire and be a good example to younger athletes
I’m from Michigan and I go to East Jackson. Bettering these different skills can be good because they allow you to be able to just have a more I guess put together an dif you doont that foesnt mean that your life isnt but these skills can help you to manage life a little easier. With athletics it could also help you get better at what you are doing to to make sure that you and your team if you have one is also getting better. It creates a better environment to be in and also makes the sport better when you have some leadership and have improved your character.
I go to Brighton High School in Michigan.
I think improving my character and leadership will help me become a better role model on and off the court.
I’m from Michigan and I got to Swartz Creek High School.
I think improving my character and leadership will help me in athletics and in life because it will help me build better connections. It will also help me become more trust worthy and be able to handle difficult obstacles while still being a leader and treating everyone fairly.
I am from Corunna high school
I think that is character development and leadership program will make me an all-around better football player and leader to my teammates around me and make me a better person in general
I’m from Michigan, go to Brighton high school
I think it will help me become a better leader in life and on the court
I live in Brighton, Mi and go to Brighton High school. I think improving character and leadership will help me to become a better team player and will improve communication skills in sports and life.
I’m from Corunna High school located in Michigan. I think improving my leadership and character will make me thrive as an athlete and prepare me for the world and my future job.
I am from Swartz Creek High School in Michigan
I think improving character and leadership will improve my attitude and relationship with people
I am from Swartz Creek High School in Michigan
I think improving character and leadership will improve my attitude and relationship with people in and out of sports.
I live in Swartz Creek, Michigan and attend Swartz Creek High School. Improving my leadership and character will help me become an overall more well rounded person and will help me in all aspects of my lifetime. It will allow me to build strong relationships with people and a stronger relationship with myself.
1. I live in Michigan and I go to Corunna High School.
2. Improving my character and leadership helps me be a better example to my teammates and community as well as making my team stronger. It will also make me more flexible and trustworthy.
I live in Brighton, Michigan. I attend Brighton High School. Improving my character and leadership will help me grow closer to my teammates and lead us to victory.
I am from Michigan and I go to school in Corunna. I think improving your leadership and character will
1. I live in the state of Michigan and I go to Corunna High School.
2. I think improving my character and leadership ability, will help me be a better roll model to my fellow teammates and students. Also, it will help me be a better person to all I encounter.
I live in Corunna Michigan and I attend Corunna High School. I think improving my leadership’s skills will help our team grow together and become an even more positive environment then we already are
I am from Michigan and I go to Swartz Creek High School. Improving your leadership and character creates a positive outcome and attitude which will help you in school and sports in the long run.
I am from Michigan and I attend Swartz Creek High School.
I think improving my leadership and character would help with being able to work in a better team environment overall.
Im from Michigan and I go to swartz creek highschool.
Improving my character and leadership could be very beneficial in many ways on and off the field. It would be very helpful as a teammate to have a better character and lead people who might need extra help. It could also improve day to day life in situations where a leader is needed.
Brighton High School in Michigan
Improving my character will make me a better person overall and help me for the rest of my life.
I am from Michigan and I go to Corunna high school. I think improving my character and leadership will help
me become a better person on and off the field. My attitude would become better and I would be more confident.
I am from brighton michigan and I think that this program will be beneficial to student athletes. It will put them in situations where they should and are expected to make good choices and treat others well. It will help me become a better person and make better choices in my personal life.
I go to Brighton High School in Michigan. I think improving my character and leadership skills will help me strengthen my core values and become a better role model.
Michigan, Brighton High School
I think improving my character and leadership will help me in my sports career by making me a better teammate, as well as help me become a team player in other parts of my life.
Michigan, Swartz Creek High School
Improving my my character and leadership will help me by keeping me more organized and it will help me become a better person.
Michigan, Brighton high school
Will help me become a better leader. One I hope to become and set a prime example for others to do the same.
Michigan, Brighton high school
Will help me become a better leader. One I hope to become and set a prime example for others to do the same. And with that make Brighton sports better because of it.
Brighton High School,
MI,
Improving my character and leadership will help me gain confidence.
Leaders have to be confident, so improving my leadership would cause me to become more confident. Improving my character could help me more in my training in that I’d be giving 100% everyday.
Michigan
Lake Orion High school
It will help me be a better person by leading on and off the field and help me become more of a team player to use leadership towards my team
I am from Michigan and Lake Orion High School, and improving my character and leadership will help me become a better person to myself and others.
I am from Michigan and Lake Orion High School, and improving my character and leadership will help me become a better person and also will help my understand where others are coming from.
I am from Michigan and Lake Orion High School, and improving my character and leadership will help me understand where others are coming from and how I can help them.
I am from Michigan and Lake Orion High School, and improving my character and leadership will help me have more self confidence with sports and in real life.
I am from Michigan and Lake Orion High School, and improving my character and leadership will help me have more self confidence with sports and in real life.
I am from Michigan and Lake Orion High School, and improving my character and leadership will help me to more open to others and understand where they are coming from.
I am from Michigan and go to Lake Orion High School and improving my character and leadership will allow me to be a better person and understand what others are going through and how I can help them.
I am from Holly High school in Holly Michigan and I’m improving my leadership skills on and off the field and this will help me do that
I live in Michigan and I go to Brighton High School. Improving my character will allow me to be a better person on and off the field