Does the Intramural Sports Program at the United States Air Force Academy Build Character?

The use of sports to develop young men and women both physically and mentally has been a tradition in the United States for over one hundred years. It is seen as an excellent tool for developing self-confidence, building social skills, and developing character in its participants.1 But to a large extent, verifying these expectations, specifically the assumption that sports build character has been overlooked. If asked, a majority of people would most likely say that it is a fact-"sports build character."2 But is participation in sports really an effective mechanism for character development? Lately many researchers, to include Jennifer Beller, Sharon Stoll, Patricia Giebink, and Thomas McKenzie among others, have conducted a number of studies to determine if participation in sports, and specifically team sports, actually does develop character-and they see it differently.