Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

Building World Class Athletic Programs through a World Class Character

The Purpose Development program provides valuable blueprints for young people to follow as they transition from athletic participation into responsible adult roles. It is one thing to discuss options but, 21st century students need to see, feel and believe that there are viable pathways within their reach. The art of reconnecting and redefining young people is a noble cause that deserves further exploration. Dr. H.E. Doc Holliday,

Professor Kennesaw State University.

By Donald E. Jenkins Master Purpose Development Coach

Dear Athletic Director, My name is Donald Jenkins and Im the President and Co-Founder of the Purpose Development Institute in Atlanta, GA. I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to assess how my Purpose Development resources can be an asset to your athletic program. Im sure you will agree that over the years, athletic programs have evolved from simply being able to provide an outlet for athletic expression among student athletes, to student athletes becoming ambassadors who represent the entire school and community that support collegiate athletics. With the high visibility of student athletes, the issue of character becomes a growing concern for many athletic programs across the country. Many athletic programs have a vision for providing a comprehensive athletic program that helps develop the whole person through education and competition. On paper, they promise to foster lasting attitudes of discipline, sportsmanship, integrity, leadership, and social responsibility, but the rising concern about character proves that student athletes still struggle to cause the vision of the program to leap into reality. As a result, the entire program suffers as many student athletes miss out on a powerful opportunity to learn from one of the greatest teachers in the game of life athletics. This White Paper was written specifically for Athletic Directors and Coaches who desire to help student athletes translate the vision of their program into a personal mission to achieve excellence in every aspect of life. Please examine it thoroughly and I look forward to being able to serve your student athletes with Purpose Development resources. Thanks again, Donald

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

Introduction: Purpose Development is the result of 23 years of research in regards to the

subject of purpose and how it affects the way that humans exist and perform. Our extensive research is what put the Purpose Development Institute on the leading-edge of restoring a sense of purpose for everyday living. We believe that athletic programs are the interface between the schools they represent and the communities that support them. They have a much bigger purpose than providing an outlet for athletic skills to be tested in competition. Athletic programs should be incubators which teach students how to maximize their experience as an athlete to develop skills to not only excel as an athlete, but win at the game of life. Our definition of the game of life is the driving force behind our programs. We define it as an opportunity to combine character with a sense of purpose to maximize skills for success as a person and as a professional. Many programs define this process as Life Skills, but Life Skills without skills in purpose do not provide enough insight to empower individuals beyond character meltdowns that could hinder them as a person and as a professional. When we fail to accomplish this goal, the community at large suffers which is why we take great measures to build a culture within athletic programs to increase Purpose Skills. This approach to building a world class character gives individuals a greater appreciation for the existence and performance of humanity. It connects student athletes to a purpose that is bigger than athletics so that they can represent their school with a world class character while excelling in academics and fine tuning their career interests. Purpose Development for Athletic Programs (PDAP) considers the fact that success in life is a dual track process which is measured by what an individual becomes as a person and as a professional. It is the catalyst to encourage student athletes to open the gift of athletics to make a positive contribution to the schools they represent and the communities that support the program.

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

A Winning Attitude: At the Purpose Development Institute, we consider athletics to be one of

the greatest teachers a student athlete can have and the success of a great teacher is measured in how well he shapes the attitude or character of his student. As a result, the success of any athletic program is not measured in winning seasons that lead to championships. We measure the success of an athletic program by the attitude or character that the student athlete develops in his or her athletic experience. Our philosophy is that a winning attitude or character is more important than a winning season because when the season is over, winning must continue. If student athletes fail in developing a winning attitude or character, that means that the entire program fails to recognize what the great John Wooden said to his players, What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player. As a result, student athletes fail to harness the purpose of competition to prepare them to compete in a competitive world.

At the Purpose Development Institute, we celebrate every star athlete thats crowned as Most Valuable Players (M.V.P.) in their particular sport, but we make sure that the rest of the team is not forgotten. Our program empowers every student athlete to realize that they have a Most Valuable Purpose (M.V.P.) to become star players in whatever path they choose in the game of life. This approach to athletics ensures that every student athlete maximize their experience in athletics with the crown of a winning attitude or character. We must be mindful that the biggest dilemma in athletics is not about winning, but choosing to use athletics as an instrument to forge a winning attitude or character. As a result, every athletic director and coach must choose between whats important for the program vs. whats important for the student athlete. They must choose to not fall into the athletic abyss where athletic skills and winning becomes the driving force behind their program.

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

A Losing Program: Societys definition of a winning program has become diluted with
number of wins vs. losses or how many players make it to the professional ranks in their sports. This mentality has weakened the three pillars of an athletic program which include the parents, student athletes and the coaches. While all the focus is on winning and developing skills to compete on the next level, millions of kids are playing athletics but never experiencing what it means to open the gift of athletics. They struggle to become a leader outside their particular sport, focus to excel in academics and career interest and many do not even know what it means to keep their head in the game of life. Student athletes under the old regime of athletics find it difficult to overcome negative influences, have a high selfesteem outside sports, have goals to be motivated for success, have a vision beyond athletics and have purpose accountability. A losing athletic program requires the school, parents, student athletes, coaches and the community to support the purpose of the program, but fail to stimulate purpose from its supporters. As a result, student athletes lose out on the lessons that athletics can teach them and never recognize the purpose of the competitive spirit beyond athletics.

A Winning Program: Our definition of a winning program is one in which stimulates a sense
of purpose beyond athletics. Its a comprehensive system that synergistically transfers responsibility to the three pillars of an athletic program (parents, student athletes and coaches), to work toward maximizing the athletic experience for the student athlete. As a result, athletics is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the school curriculum as a teacher to help student athletes excel in athletics, academics and their career pursuits. A winning program gains supporters who support the purpose of the program because the program itself becomes a major support for the purpose of its supporters. The parents win because their child is empowered to become a star in whatever path he or she chooses, coaches are under less stress, motivation for academic excellence increases, and the community embraces for world class leaders to emerge with a quality character.
See diagrams on next page

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

A Losing Program

School

Athletic Program

Community

Parents Student Athletes Coaches

3 Pillars of an athletic program

Low percentage of students who understand the purpose of the competitive spirit beyond athletics.

A Winning Program

School

Athletic Program

Community

Parents Student Athletes Coaches

3 Pillars of an athletic program

High percentage of students who understand the purpose of the competitive spirit in athletics, academics and career interest.

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

The 3 Pillars of an Athletic Program: Our system is designed to create a new breed of
parents, student athletes and coaches who are the pillars of an athletic program. Based on the premise that when one pillar is weak, the entire program is weak, they work in a synergistic, purposeful relationship to discover the secrets to help the student athletes not only win games, but win the game of life by maximizing their athletic experience.

Student Athlete: Our unique Character K.I.N.G. program introduces the Eight Point
Character Development System which gives the student athlete a daily point system to achieve athletic, academic and career excellence, while mastering the insight to be more responsible for maintaining a good character.

Parent: The parent plays an intricate part in the development of a child and our A-Parent Winner vs. Apparent Loser training is parental involvement on a new level. This training
addresses the growing concern for parental involvement in athletics with wisdom and insight to understand that athletics has a bigger purpose than fueling the passion of misguided egos. The parent understands what it means to be a part of the team without interfering with the purpose of the team.

Coaches: We believe that the success of pruning natural ability lies in a persons philosophy
of purpose, which translates natural ability into winning attitudes on and off the field/court. Coaches are given an above average wisdom and insight to speak to the inner athlete to ignite a sense of purpose that will translate into winning attitudes in sports and the game of life.

Athletic Program

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

Benefits of a Winning Program:

A program that is more relevant and competitive in the changing landscape of collegiate athleticsreputable visibility in the community. Student athletes who are able to turn the vision of the program into a personal mission and compete without losing their sense of purpose. Student athletes who not only recognize the importance of having a good character but are more responsible to prevent character meltdowns. Student athletes who recognize the purpose of the competitive spirit beyond athletics to compete in the classroom and their career interests. Student athletes who understand the importance of opening the gift of purpose to become a leader outside of their sport. Student athletes who are more mature for the rigors of college life. Parents who understand how to be a part of the team and not interfere with the purpose of the team. Parents who are more equipped to work in a purposeful relationship with student athletes and coaches. Parents who understand how to compete without losing their sense of purpose. Coaches with insight to speak to the inner athlete to drive athletic skills to a new level and teach skills to win the game of life. Less stress among coaches because of the strength of the other pillars. Coaches who understand that winning begins with a winning attitude. Coaches who understand how to restore a sense of purpose to the program. Coaches who are able to create excitement beyond athletic skills.

Your program deserves a greater sense of purpose!!!

Purpose Development for Athletic Programs

Let the experts help: As a pioneer in the Purpose Development industry, we have witnessed
the affects of Purpose Development in the lives of people from various markets. We also understand that discovering a greater sense of purpose can be a difficult and a dirty job which is why we encourage our clients to let the experts do the dirty work for them. There are several ways we make our resources available to you that I have listed below:

Keynote speeches to your entire athletic programs to motivate them to discover the importance of purpose in their athletic experience. Face-to-face and online training for coaches to master the process of speaking to the inner athlete. Character K.I.N.G. training video to reveal to the student athlete the importance of becoming a ruler of a different court. Home Court Advantage Character Guide which introduces the first daily point system to help student athletes develop a world class character. A-Parent Winner vs. Apparent Loser character guide for parents to help them create a purposeful athletic experience for the student athlete.

What others are saying:

"Students expressed that they received exercises and skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. Valued community members like you help make Morehouse College the special institution where "Renaissance Men" are made."- Kevin Booker, Dean of Student Services: Morehouse College "Donald Jenkins. Mighty Man of valor. I believe God created and ordained him to teach on God's PURPOSE for our lives. Being a sports Chaplain, I see so many athletes that think their identity is in their sport. The sport is only what they do and not who they are. I firmly believe God is going to use Donald Jenkins to teach athletes the "WINNING FORMULA" on purpose and not only will they be winners in their sport, but more importantly winners in the game of life." Roger Woods, University of Tennessee Chaplain

Contact us today at 423-304-3386 or email us at pdcoach@purposedevelopmentinstitute.org Visit us online at www.purposedevelopmentinstitute.org or www.characterking.info