The traditionally-held notion that athletes build character
through their participation in sports is something that
certainly seems debatable based on our current sports and youth
sports culture. If we base our opinion solely on what we see in
the media regarding athletes and behavior (both on and off the
field), you would likely come away thinking that character
building in competitive sports is non-existent. However, the
customary thought process still holds merit with many. So then,
why the difference of opinion? In order to answer that question,
and unravel some complexities of character building, we must
first take a look at what character is, or what it might mean to
have good character. Once we clarify this aspect, we can then
determine if character is something that can be built through
participation in youth sports and, if so, give suggestions for
how to make that possible. Character is defined (the kind we are
discussing here) by Merriam-Webster Online dictionary as: “moral
excellence and firmness”