Appendix- Athlete Self-Evaluation
The self-evaluation tool on the following page is designed to be something that you can distribute to your athletes at the beginning of your season (the first day of practice is a great time), as you introduce them to the study and pursuit of the discipline of gratitude.
Before you distribute the information to your athletes, you’ll need to understand the categories of “Disciple Athlete”, “Apprentice Athlete”, and “Servant-Leader Athlete”. The following information is not necessarily intended to be read directly to you athletes, but to give you an understanding of the categories as they relate to athletes at different levels of maturity and development. You can then decide how you want to present the information to your athletes; usually it’s easiest and most effective to divide athletes by grade levels (freshmen, sophomore/juniors, seniors).
The first level is the Disciple Athlete; he needs to be taught the fundamentals, and his development requires a lot of oversight. Repetition of basic habits is critical at this stage; this athlete’s focus is on training. The second level is the Apprentice Athlete; he is committed to and actively working on improving. His faithfulness to the task can be trusted, so he needs less oversight; this athlete’s focus is on practice. The third level is the Servant-Leader Athlete; his habits and example have elevated him to a leadership position, and he understands that leadership is defined by a responsibility to serve others. He does things with care, and he gives oversight to others. His sees the “big picture” of team and is motivated by helping others to learn and grow; this athlete’s focus is on maintaining the health and success of the team.
These different levels are often closely associated with age. You might identify freshmen as Disciples, sophomores and juniors as Apprentices, and seniors as Servant-Leaders — and that’s an alright starting point. However, keep in mind that you will have older athletes who are less mature (and not ready to lead), and you will have younger athletes who are more mature (and capable of more demanding challenges). Treat each athlete as an individual; don’t assume that an athlete of a certain age should be “lumped in” with others his age, when using these challenges to encourage and guide him in his submission to discipline throughout the season.
Encourage your athletes to read over the appropriate category (based on their grade level); then ask each athlete to evaluate whether each characteristic or behavior is a strength or a weakness of his, and to identify one particular way in which he would like to grow or improve this year. (This can be done privately, or you can allow time for athletes to voluntarily share with one another, if you’d like.)
At the end of the season, ask your athletes to use the “grateful athlete” list (which you will compile throughout the season) to evaluate their submission to and growth in the discipline of gratitude. You can also have all athletes (except seniors) look forward to the set of “sport applications” of gratitude for the next level, and to identify goals for growth for the year ahead.
“Sport Applications” of Gratitude
Athlete Self-Evaluation
How does a Disciple Athlete train in gratitude?
· Says “thank you” when a coach or teammate helps him
· Doesn’t take credit for success; gives credit to God and teammates
· Accepts discipline (even punishments) with a positive attitude
· Maintains a good effort during difficult drills and physical conditioning
· Treats opponents (players and coaches) and officials with kindness; displays good sportsmanship after a competition
How does an Apprentice Athlete practice gratitude?
· Lends a hand in practice; helps coaches and teammates whenever possible
· Takes time to meaningfully express thanks for his coaches’ efforts
· Recognizes when his own efforts are lacking; takes on or asks for more work or greater responsibility, in order to improve himself and the team
· Encourages (is not silent) during difficult drills and physical conditioning
· Enjoys the experience of competition, even when it results in a loss
· Thanks opponents and officials for their efforts after every competition
How does a Servant-Leader Athlete maintain gratitude?
· Gets to know his coaches well; develops an awareness of his coaches’ feelings, and encourages whenever possible
· Keeps winning and losing in perspective; reminds his teammates of the value of discipline, improvement, and relationships
· Helps his team to stay focused on learning and improving; regularly talks with teammates and coaches about what he is learning
· Gets to know opponents as friends, and is concerned for their growth and improvement
· Respects officials, and improves his game by learning from them
· Communicates with coaches to be aware of what tough challenges are planned for each day’s practice; “plans ahead” and invests his energies in creating a positive atmosphere each day
· Volunteers to lead his team in prayer; is faithful in thanking God for who He is, not just for what gifts He has given
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