Each presentation and program will be specifically tailored to the group or team to whom we are presenting. The main method of execution of the program will be through presentations and speeches at practice sessions and tournaments. An important factor surrounding this program is to expose the student-athletes to the issues surrounding character development and speak with them about its importance relative to performance, leadership, and the college recruiting process. More importantly, however, is its relationship to individual growth and development. We must talk about character development with the student-athletes so that they are cognizant of the issues. If we never talk about character development, we are leaving up to others to teach them, rather than taking the initiative ourselves. If you don’t address it directly then you are left at the mercy of this society where student-athletes will get their perceptions from the movies, the media, television, and pro athletes.

The goal of the CARES Program will be to speak with the each group of student-athletes with whom we are working once per week to relay the lessons. It is important that these lessons occur regularly to keep the message fresh in their minds and hopefully become the framework for their daily behavior and attitudes. The program will consist of 10 total presentations annually. The CARES program will use athletics, not only as the way to reach the students, but it will also use athletic incentives to help the student-athletes alter their behavior for the better. For example, we will discuss what a player can do to become a more attractive prospect in the college recruiting process due to high character or work ethic. Improving one’s pattern of behavior in an effort to get recruited will ultimately lead to a more upstanding individual and a person of greater moral fiber.

CARES Program Pledge

Each participant in the program will sign a pledge agreement to promise to be attentive to all the lessons and to try to incorporate what they learn into their daily lives on and off the field or court. This is not a binding contract of behavior, but it will serve as a reminder of the stated goals of the program. Each student-athlete will receive two copies of the pledge. He or she will sign one copy and return it and keep the other copy for his or her records. The pledge provides the student-athlete with a written description of the guidelines for the program.

Goal Cards

Like most athletic endeavors, it is essential that each student-athlete sets short-term and long-term goals. In the CARES program, we will have each student-athlete fill out a goal card. This 3 x 5 card will consist of two short-term and two long-term athletic goals on the front of the card. The back of the card will have two short-term and two long term character goals. It is essential that the student-athlete take ample time to fill out the goal cards thoroughly and put significant thought into the process before completing the goal card. The student-athlete should place the goal card in a visible location to be reminded of both sets of goals on a daily basis. The Goal Cards should be updated weekly, especially with regard to the short-terms goals.

Certificate of Completion

After ten total sessions, each participant will receive a CARES Program Certificate of Completion (COC). The COC will act as a tangible reminder for the student-athlete about the basic concepts discussed in the sessions. The student-athlete can refer to the COC well after the program is complete to remind him or her about how he or she wants to act and interact. The COC can also be utilized in the recruiting process as a mailer for the student-athlete to distinguish himself or herself from other prospects. Lastly, the student-athlete can reference the CARES Program and the COC during the college application process as an extracurricular activity in an effort to differentiate him or her from other applicants. Further into the future, the CARES Program can be a valuable activity on a resume during interviews for internships or future employment opportunities.