The character of an individual determines not only their personal performance but also how the society views them. Adoption of a good character ensures efficiency since the person is equipped with virtues such as confidence, honesty, integrity, humbleness and competency among others which are the essential professional requirements. Hence, it is vital for people to adopt good traits and that only possible if the character is acquired at a young age. In this article, the role of sports in enhancing character development will be discussed. The instructors and trainers in the field spend quality time with the kids which can be used to develop their personal attributes for proper growth. Also, in this paper, the strategies the coaches can adopt to enrich the character of the kids will be analyzed. The kids in consideration in this article are in the range of 12-14 years.
In the young age, children participate in a variety of games and social interaction platforms. These forums can be provided either by the institutions the kids join for education purpose or social forums that the parents or the guardians indulge in such as community competitions. Such mediums are efficiently used they can impact the character of the child positively through making use of the practical environment available. The role mentorship plays in child development proves to be critical because the foundation of the child’s life is laid at that tender age. Experiences children go through at their earlier stages of life determine their future performance (Blaisdell). Parents and guardians should invest in ensuring that their children undergo appropriate exposure through the provision of a good learning platform. The environment newborns are exposed to at their early age shapes and modify those children in such a way that they best fit that particular surrounding.
The experts and instructors counseling and guiding the children in platforms such as sports and entertainment can use those areas to enhance the proper growth of the children for a better society in future. However, this objective can be achieved through strengthening the relationship between the child and the expert involved because only through that can the kid adopt positive virtues from the mentor. If the instructor or tutor fails to create a favorable learning and development atmosphere for the child, then the child tends to copy behavior and attitude from other sources which can be unsuitable for proper growth of the child.
Football is a game that is common worldwide with a significant portion of people having participated in it at a certain point in their life since the game has existed for centuries. The game is popular because the society participates in it either actively or passively. Professionally, the game has proved to be a revenue source for both the individuals and the government through taxes charged. Hence, it is a call to parents, guardians, and tutors among other experts to ensure that they support their kids in enrollment to such active sports. Through scientific research, it has been proved that the physical exercise involved in participation in such physical games improves the physical, emotional and mental strength of the kid (Novinec).
The coaches and instructors who guide the children in the playing field are mature and more experienced in life than the kids they are in charge of; hence, they are in a position to advise and check on the development of the child. The reason is that they are close with the kids as a result of the extensive periods of practice they engage the young people in while at their particular institutions. Through the close relationship they have, the coaches can identify the personal growth in the kids and the roadblocks they might be facing in their lives. Using their expertise, the instructors and the tutors involved can direct and guide the kids on those personal matters which enhance the growth of the child. Modern day society is ever changing, and aspects such as advanced technology expose the young people to a lot of stuff that the innocent children tend to copy blindly due to their lack of exposure. With the assistance and guidance from a more experienced individual such as their parents, teachers and the coaches, the kids can curb the social pressure and emerge out as productive adults.
The strategies that the coaches implement to enhance the growth and development of the young ones include having team treats and conducting follow-up activities on the children’s academic performance. Also, coaches should ensure that they are aware of the activities the kids indulge in while they are away. The other strategies are involving the children in community development activities and conducting group analysis in solving problems and conflicts that may be arising in the teams.
Through having team treats, the trainers can understand the personal traits of the kids and they can identify the way to help them accordingly. Also, such activities tend to enhance the relationship between the children and their trainers which prove to be beneficial in enabling the kid to share information freely; hence, facilitating the guidance and counseling process. When the instructors conduct a follow up on the academic progress of the children, they can identify where the kids have weaknesses and can come up with strategies even from the field level to facilitate the child’s academic performance. Through policies such as minimum grade required to participate in the first team, the kids who for sure love the game are forced to work hard in class to enable them to take part in the squad. As a result, their performance, both in class and in co-curricular activities improves which reflects proper growth and development in the kid.
The instructors, while solving problems and conflicts arising in the field, can adopt a policy which incorporates all the team players. By involving all the children in the decision-making process, a sense of responsibility in the kids is enhanced since it feels like the coach values their opinion and judgment. Also, the instructors can make the kids participate in community development activities such as maintaining cleanliness in their localities through mobilizing them on their free times. Through such undertakings, the children are equipped with essential life virtues such as the need for cleanliness and significance of helping the public which fits the kids with valuable public servant traits which are beneficial both at a person level and a professional level.
Coaches and instructors can reinforce the strategies that they set up to enhance the performance of the kids through involving both their parents and their tutors. By involving guardians and teachers, the instructors can identify the particular challenges that the children could be hiding from them. The reason is that children spend most of their time with their teachers and parents. However, the coaches, with the limited time-frame they relate with kids, they can have a significant impact because during the time of play a relaxed environment is created enabling the children to share their issues freely.
Work cited
Novinec, Simona. "Building Character Through Sport". Novak Djokovic Foundation. N.p., 2015. Web. 4 May 2016.
Blaisdell, Amy. "The Importance Of Building Character In Children". Promoteprevent.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 4 May 2016.
