As a coach you've have the ability to create the climate to help build character in the lives of the athletes you work with. Here are 10 tips to help get the job done.

• Do some self-evaluation, ask some tough questions of yourself concerning philosophy, situational ethics, and how they teach character. Only hire assistant coaches that place benefits and values of educational athletics first, and winning second.

• Get involved with coaching education. Coaching education classes are available at the state level, national level, and through Olympic sport national governing bodies. Look to seek knowledge beyond the technical side into character, sportsmanship and the pursuit of academics.

• Demand scrupulous integrity and observe and enforce the spirit as well as the letter of the law from your assistant coaches and your student-athletes.

• Emphasize in all communication to student-athletes and parents, the importance of character, ethics and sportsmanship. Constantly advocate that "educational athletics" is about teaching students positive life skills.

• Model appropriate behavior at practice, in travel, and in competition. This would include behavior shown in dealing with officials.

• Communicate that athletic participation is a privilege, not a right. Earning that right student-athletes must abide by the rules and conduct themselves on and off the field, as role models who exemplify good character.

• Set high expectations and standards of conduct for all staff members. Clearly define the standards in writing and initiate staff meeting to review and hold all staff accountable to those standards.

• Ensure that the desire to win and the pressure to win is not placed above education, character development, academic, social, emotional, physical and ethical well-being of the student-athlete.

• Remind your staff that less that two percent of the athletes will go on to participate at the next level. High school sports are the last change for 98 percent of the participants to learn life long skills through sports.

• Always remember that the profession of coaching is a profession of teaching.