Character development through sports

Is a child’s participation in sports beneficial to the development of character?

A 2017 article in Psychology Today titled, ”How Sports Can Make You Healthier and Build Character,” by psychologist John Rich, addressed this notion. Rich noted that while studies have shown that the foundations of a persons character are established by age six, participating in sports, especially at a younger age, acts as a sort of feedback loop in which further character development and expression continues to be molded and refined.

Rich cited a learning environment called “scaffolding,” wherein children are both guided and challenged to reach beyond their current skill level to develop and refine new skills. The same idea applies to sports. Once a child participating in, say, soccer learns to kick the ball between cones, the coach or parent then reduces the space between those cones, challenging the child to develop better ball control. This also develops self-confidence and motivation as the child’s skills increase.

Studies have indeed shown that early sports participation can be pivotal in developing self-motivation in kids. They learn internal skills like self-competence, which in turn develops motivation, which leads to continued interest in participating. This self-competence feedback loop applies to anything a child might encounter as they grow, not just sports.

A great example of this in professional sports today is Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin. He was born with amniotic band syndrome, a congenital birth defect that impacts about one in 1,500 births, according the National Institute of Health, where fibrous material in the womb wraps around fetal appendages and restricts blood flow to a developing limb — stunting his left hand in Shaquem’s case — stilting its development. Shaquem had his underdeveloped left hand amputated at age four to eliminate once and for all the severe pain he’d experienced since birth.

But Shaquem’s father, Terry, a tow truck operator, who recognized the athletic potential in both Shaquem and his twin brother, Shaquill, early on wasn’t going to let something like a missing hand hold his son back.

In a 2013 ESPN article, Terry described how he didn’t want people to simply dismiss Shaquem due to any perceived inadequacy. So, beginning at age five, Terry began pushing both boys and developing innovative methods for Shaquem to train in sports like football, baseball and track. Any physical disadvantages were “crushed.”

“I was harder on them than their coaches because I knew what they could do,” Terry said.

Still, people being people, they did dismiss Shaquem, despite his high school senior statistics such as 67 tackles, two interceptions, and earning second team all-state in his home state of Florida, along with a 3.6 GPA. College football scouted the both boys, but had doubts about the one-handed Shaquem. And that’s where the character his father helped develop from an early age rose up.

“No one ever told me I couldn’t play,” Shaquem told ESPN.

The determination and self-confidence he learned growing up playing sports paid off. Despite offers from top-tier schools, the twins — who refused to be separated — ended up at the University of Central Florida, and eventually as starters with the Seahawks.

The self-confidence it took to overcome what others saw as a handicap speak volumes to the character developed early-on in Shaquem’s life, much of it built around the crucible of sports.

Character may be ingrained by age six, but like a raw piece of steel, it can be forged and refined through participation in sports. And as most would agree, we can use more people of character in today’s world.

Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected].