Champions of Character
Columbia College has achieved the Champions of Character Gold Member Status with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) since 2011. Columbia College has earned the top spot among 168 member institutions named Five-Star Award winners in the NAIA Champions of Character competition.
The Columbia College Koalas athletics program has earned a perfect score based on exceptional student-athlete grade point averages having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the 2013-2014 and 2015-2016 academic years. Columbia College Koalas were also the National Runner-Up for the National Champions of Character award in 2012-2013.
Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to the NAIA’s five core values—integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership—and earned points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion.
The student-athletes at Columbia College take the Champions of Character Pledge seriously. Student-athletes understand they have a responsibility to represent themselves, their team, the athletics department, Columbia College, the AAC, and the NAIA with good sportsmanship and integrity. Student-athletes are all very competitive and realize that there is honor in being respectful to opponents along with setting good examples on and off the field. Columbia College’s student-athletes spend a significant number of hours each year serving in the community and sharing the Five Core Values of the NAIA with peers, parents and the public.
Columbia College student-athletes compete in ten sports in the Appalachian Athletic Conference—basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball.
The Champions of Character program
The Champions of Character program is sponsored by the NAIA and asks all student-athletes to pledge to adopt the five core character values of the NAIA-- integrity, responsibility, respect, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. Columbia College athletics has made it a mission to be true Champions of Character on and off the field. The Champions of character program strives towards these main objectives:
• Provide opportunities for the Champions of Character process to be
incorporated into athletic programs.
• Offer leadership opportunities to student-athletes by allowing them to teach
the 5 Core Values to others.
• Increase the number of parents and adult role models who are trained on how
to give proper support and be positive influences on young men and women.
• Positively impact the character development of students through experiences and education.
Columbia College student-athletes as well as coaches are expected to excel in all 5 areas of Champions of Character. Our coaching staff has completed the Character Driven Coaching course sponsored by the NAIA. Character Driven Coaching has allowed our coaching staff to examine their coaching philosophy and use the course to create plans to build character within our teams, to better support student-athletes and build on their overall experience.
Information regarding NAIA - Champtions of Character program, provided by: http://www.championsofcharacter.org/