Sports: The Building & Revealing of Character

Opening cermony

This has been a hectic week for the Ross family. Joseph has been participating in the regional USSSA Little League World Series at 3 and 2 Park in Lenexa, KS. So we've been traveling across town everyday at least once to see the Swingbuilder Saints play their final tournament of the season. Things didn't turn out the way we had hoped, but we always enjoy watching the games.

Athletics have played a big part in my life and many of the life disciplines I have learned have come through sports. So when Joseph starting playing competitive baseball this year, not only did we get into it, but looked forward to what he would learn through playing.

I had a coach one time say, "Sports doesn't build character, it reveals it." Actually I think its both. If you are teachable, you will notice that participating in sports puts you in many life-learning situations. How you respond and what decisions you make will help build your character. But, it also reveals it.

With the pressure of performing well and winning, emotions can get involved. Really involved. It's during these times that character is revealed. These are some of the best learning moments for kids (and parents!).

George Barna, in his book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, says that one of the best ways for a postmodern generation to learn is in these real life shared moments. Formal teaching is o.k., but pointing out life lessons while engaged in activity sometimes has the biggest impact. I know our children don't always appreciate it. And it takes a degree of discernment to know the right moment for sharing/teaching. But I have noticed that they also recall those lessons better than others.



Our teaching moments always come after practices and games in the car ride home. We discuss attitudes, actions & non-actions, strategy, successes, failures, wins, losses...they all get dissected. I love these moments. I pray that God will continue to give me wisdom as a father, and I look forward to more character building moments --both the enjoyable and the difficult.

base hit vs. Hi-Boy