NAIA Champions of Character Foundation

The vision of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Champions of Character program is to change the culture of sport. Its mission is to provide training to instill the values that build character so students, coaches and parents know, do and value the right thing on and off the field. Research shows that the longer a student spends in sports, their social reasoning - sacrificing for the good of the team - rises, while their moral reasoning skills- doing what is fair, just, honest, and noble - decline. The Champions of Character program helps participants find the balance by keeping five core values - integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership - at the heart of the athletics experience. Students learn to understand how the values play out in both practice and competition. Coaches are taught how to intentionally define, model, shape and reinforce the values through their coaching and mentoring. Parents learn how their behavior is key to supporting their athletes. For more than a decade, Champions of Character has been making a difference in developing athletes, coaches and parents of character.The NAIA is committed to advancing character-driven athletics.