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 honor.
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 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 “honorable athlete” list (which you will compile throughout the season) to evaluate their submission to and growth in the discipline of honor. You can also have all athletes (except seniors) look forward to the set of “sport applications” of honor for the next level, and to identify goals for growth for the year ahead.
“Sport Applications” of Honor
Athlete Self-Evaluation
How does a Disciple Athlete train in honor?
· Accepts the truth that his thoughts and behaviors in athletics should be glorifying to God, and responds positively to correction when shown that his actions and attitudes contradict God’s desires
· Maintains a teachable attitude in his reaction to coaches; listens carefully in practice, and respects coaches’ decisions, even when he has a different attitude on the matter
· Is quick and genuine in seeking forgiveness when he “loses his cool” or mistreats others; doesn’t repeat that behavior in the future
· Treats opponents with respect; plays according to the rules; does not retaliate when he is wronged
· Responds humbly to officials; respects their role and authority in the sport, no matter whether their calls help or hurt his team
How does an Apprentice Athlete practice honor?
· Commits to times of fellowship with God (prayer, reading Scripture, etc); continually examines his own attitudes and behaviors in light of God’s truth; and applies those lessons
· Asks questions of coaches and seeks to understand their perspective; his coaches can rely on him to be a part of the solution, not a problem-causer
· Keeps composure in the midst of competition; doesn’t over-react emotionally or blame others in reaction to losses or personal discouragement
· Is enthusiastic about practice; has identified skills that he needs to improve, and stays focused on improvement even when practice is difficult
· Views opponents in the light of Proverbs 17:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”; approaches competition as an opportunity to improve himself, his teammates, and his opponents
· Seeks to learn from officials; sees their calls as a method of instruction and a challenge to his game; maintains poise in the face of “bad calls”
How does a Servant-Leader Athlete maintain honor?
· Models an example of devotion to glorifying God, based on Scripture
· Remembers his own struggles with attitudes and behaviors; encourages teammates who are struggling in these same areas; and is not hesitant to humbly talk with them about God’s desires for their lives in these areas
· Is a “coach on the court”; has learned his coaches’ desires well enough to not need constant reminders and instruction; helps others to carry out those instructions successfully
· Sees victories and defeats as opportunities for growth
· Models an example of how to treat his teammates; refrains from gossip, and communicates a desire for his teammates to love one another
· Models and verbalizes an attitude of appreciation for officials; is quick to speak up when teammates complain about “bad calls”; seems it as his role to “calm down” the team when issues with the officials cause the team to lose its composure
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