Character-Driven Athletics
Retaining student-athletes by investing in character-driven athletics
At the NAIA, character-driven athletics is at the core of what we do. Through our Champions of Character® program, we guide coaches and administrators to embody and teach integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership on and off the field.
Character-Driven Coaching
The NAIA's Character-Driven Coaching Course is the ONLY required coach's character training in collegiate sports. Each coach must complete this learning module and become certified in Character-Driven Coaching as a means to intentionally define, model, shape and reinforce the NAIA’s five core values through their coaching and mentoring. Learn more.
Champions of Character Five Core Values
Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership. These values go well beyond the playing field to the daily decisions of our youth. These character values help young people – and those associated with their development – make good choices in all aspects of their life and reflect the true spirit of competition. Learn more.
Teaming Up For Character™
All NAIA National Championships host Teaming Up For Character™ events to promote the five-core values at local schools and youth sports programs, annually impacting more than 30,000 kids through outreach activities in our host communities across the U.S. Learn more.
Champions of Character Core Report
Every year, each NAIA institution and conference demonstrates its progress in pursuing character-driven athletics. The Champions of Character® Core Report measures growth in training, promotion, conduct in competition and commitment to character. Last year, 68% of all NAIA institutions earned a distinction. Click here for highlights from 2022-23.
That's what draws us to the NAIA. We like our student-athletes to be under the mentorship of our coaches because we have coaches of character.
Kevin Steele
Athletics Director
Ottawa University-Arizona
