Sports Develop Qualities of Leadership

No matter the age of the athletes, sports are about more than gameday achievements. While everybody wants to win and set personal records, sports also have a way of teaching morals that can last for a lifetime. Whether it’s through teamwork, sharing, selflessness or determination, athletics can help young people learn important lessons that they might not have learned elsewhere.

Leadership is another one of the more significant teaching points that young athletes can take from youth sports. Leaders don’t have to be the most talented athletes or even the loudest one on the team. Instead, they influence teammates in a positive way through their actions. They look out for others. They understand the bigger picture. They know their role and fully embrace it.

Coaches can take advantage of sports team websites to clearly outline the traits of a leader. Because this key role is not always so easily defined, a guideline could be quite useful for those interested in the mental and social development of leadership.

Texas launches leadership center

The University of Texas at Austin recognizes the importance of morals and their connection to sports. As a result, the school announced the establishment of The Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation. While many college and pro athletes seem to be making headlines for all the wrong reasons, the university will leverage its academic and athletic prowess to encourage leadership in sports.

Representatives from the center will work with high school coaches to develop best practices for character development. They will also work on a literacy program.

“As a society, we should be doing everything we can to leverage the enormous popularity of athletics to develop leaders and cultivate integrity,” said university President Bill Powers. “We’ve long known that sports can teach critical values like teamwork and discipline.”

Alabama quarterback leads by example

Blake Sims, quarterback for the University of Alabama, wasn’t even supposed to be the starter this season. Most pundits thought the job was for Jacob Coker, a transfer from Florida State. However, Sims has quietly kept his job and become a key leader for the team, according to CBS Sports.

“It’s kind of refreshing,” Ken Mastrole, Sims’ personal quarterback coach, told the news source. “The way people look at Blake and their own situations, people want to root for the underdog. He’s the working-class type guy. People who are putting in those long hours maybe get a glimpse of hope they may move up. He embodies that.”