This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller, from the Proactive Coaching Life Lessons #1 collection, makes the case that finishing what you start is one of the most valuable character lessons athletics can teach. It draws on insights from college admissions experts about the value of long-term commitment and positive contribution over stardom, and shares one athletic program's strict standard on quitting, followed by a collection of recent Proactive Coaching Facebook posts for parents, coaches, competitors and team leaders.
Introduction
I was listening to a program where three "experts" on college entrance were discussing things that help high school students be selected for schools where acceptance is very competitive. One comment really hit home. The question was; "does it help for the student candidate to play sports". The answer was, "any team activity is helpful whether it is music, drama, athletics etc. But the two key things we look for are, "1) Did the person make a positive difference on the team and 2) did they see it through and stay with it for the long term?"