Coach of Character, award

Coach of Character Award

2011

This award supports the Character Counts program at RBHS by recognizing outstanding coaches who teach character development through athletic instruction.

Program Criteria & Process

RBHS

Coach of Character

Purpose: The Coach of Character award honors individuals who teach and model character traits/development as part of athletic instruction. It is awarded to those individuals who consistently demonstrate exemplary behavior to their athletes, colleagues and the community at large.

Desirable attributes:  Nominee models the leadership attributes of the Character Counts and Do What’s Right programs  Team members reflect similar behavior  Coach and team demonstrate compliance with school and athletic codes  Nominee receives favorable recommendations from parents and former athletes  Develops age/experience appropriate training regimens  Maintains the safety and well-being of athletes  Consistent legitimate/solid performance demonstrated with post season IHSA success- consider body of work and not just season’s win/loss record  Motivates/inspires athletes demonstrated by their personal records  Supports the whole student/athlete in approach to athletic instruction  Sets objective/realistic goals and helps athletes do the same  Develops each individual to their full potential  Engages with parents and community through commitment to feeder teams and stays engaged via appropriate alumni relations Process:  The nomination shall follow the form prescribed by the RB AD and will be found on the web  Coaches may be nominated by any stakeholder in the District including student/athletes, parents and/or other coaches by filing the packet  It shall include a narrative recommending the coach

Pursuing Victory With Honor http://josephsoninstitute.org/sports/training/index.html

RBHS

Coach of Character

 Letters of recommendation from parents/coaches and athletes may be included  These documents should be filed with a transmittal to the RB AD during the first calendar quarter for the prior year ended June 30th (Q-1)  The AD will administer the program in its start up year with a goal of establishing an Athletic Advisory Committee for community outreach  The award should be approved by the Principal and Superintendent and announced at a Board of Education meeting  The honor should be bestowed at an athletic event of significance such as homecoming Timing:  The process cycle should follow the Districts fiscal year end  Post season play for spring sports can run into June; the nominations will be due in July/August/September (Q-1)  Selection should be finalized before fall competition ends (Q-2)  Award(s) should be made early at an athletic event of significance such as homecoming (Q-2) Selection: The approval committee shall consist of the AD, Principal and Superintendent who shall use their best judgment. As systems allow they are encouraged to create quantitative/qualitative methods (such as tracking a class GPA and discipline statistics as compared to the general student population) to demonstrate both the benefits of sports and character building.

Award: This honor can start with the team and their award should be symbolic - not monetary - for example a team recently awarded a track coach a baton signed by

Pursuing Victory With Honor http://josephsoninstitute.org/sports/training/index.html

RBHS

Coach of Character

the members of the relay team. It should be meaningful, appropriate and personalized.

The District’s official recognition should also be symbolic such as a plaque (multiyear and recipient) with the coach’s name, sport and year. It should be located within the building and awarded or recognized at an athletic event of significance such as homecoming.

Other programs for reference: The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has a Coach of Character award as well as a course designed to share the philosophy of coaching character. The online course was reviewed and discussed. They invite others to use their web site resources and course. There may be additional resources at the NCAA. Their web site was searched and the NCAA has a character award for athletes. The IHSA has a sports person of the year award for athletes.

Throughout the country various groups honor coaches of character at all levels and by many similar descriptions. Some groups are aligned with Character Counts and the six pillars of character.

John Wooden video- Coach John Wooden: Pursuing Victory with Honor and the Teacher-Coach – in an interview by Michael Josephson of Character Counts.

Thank you to RB parents, former NCAA D-l and NAIA athletes and educators who volunteered their input for this concept and document.

Time table: Nomination/opportunity Create inclusive nomination process/announce Receive nominations Select coach(s) Announce with press release and

Q-1 X

Q-1

Q-1

Q-2

Q-2

Q-2

X X

success story (kids) Award with press release and success story (coach & RB program)

Pursuing Victory With Honor http://josephsoninstitute.org/sports/training/index.html

X X X