Paper Example on Christian Virtue and Civic Responsibility

Introduction

Coaches and athletic administrators are leaders and models for good sportsmanship and ethical behavior. They are responsible for upholding the codes of conduct, standards of behavior and integrity of all members of the program from the coaches and support staff to the student-athletes. For this reason, those who lead and set the example for others must clearly understand the virtues and civic responsibilities that they are to uphold. The Ten Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators as Leaders of Sport in the 21st Century serves as a guideline for the men and women who teach, coach and lead. (Appendix H) Three of the Christian virtues and civic responsibility that are particularly important in for coaches and leaders in sport are:

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Serving

The society needs leaders or individual who possess the virtue of serving. Serving refers the art of being ready to do things for the subjects. It is a channel of making sure that all the desires of the subjects are met, and this is attached to the goals that have been set by the organization or group at hand. In that case, a leader is supposed to be ready to accomplish them so that the subjects can develop some form of satisfaction after a given period has come to an end. Leaders are supposed to ready to serve and also protect the subjects unselfishly and also making sure that the needs of others have more weight than their own. This is true especially after they have taken an oath of office.

According Brown (2003) in the world of sports, "Each of and every person has been blessed wonderful gifts that are supposed to be used in the service of others. Therefore it is good to treat others well." This statement is clear on the fact that all leaders have been provided with the power and ability to serve others and they are supposed to make sure that they use it give well in all fields. This means that all the leaders are supposed to be selfless so that they can be able to fulfill the desires of the subjects. The other statement that backs up this virtue is "All leaders are appointed or elected so that they be able to show the art of serving the rest (Brown, 2003). This shows that all leaders are supposed to be selfless and ready to help their people regardless of the fact that their lives were given in exchange for money or even be betrayed.

An example of practice in this virtue is where a supervisor in a company not only takes part in making sure that all the activities are running smoothly but also takes part in the packing of goods just like the other employees do. This virtue is applicable in the coaching or athletic administration. In athletics, there are captains and coaches, and each of them act as leaders. They usually come up with rules regarding the possession of discipline and accomplishment of tasks such as ensuring that the athletes can clock the desired time. They are supposed to bear the virtue of service so that they can also take part in the journey of accomplishing the needs of the task by backing up the athletes as they are running and also carrying water and other sporting tools in the field area for them.

Loving

The virtue of love is common on most grounds, and it refers to being ready to accommodate everyone regardless of the situations that they are facing or the characteristics that they bear. The virtue of love needs one to make sure that everyone is embraced in an organization with all factors put aside. Leaders are supposed to believe and also bear the aspect of unconditional love so to be able to create a positive impact on the human behaviors that come in that line.

The virtue of love is backed up by Lumpkin et al., (2012) where they state that "There are many ways of showing concern to people and the aspect of love in the most common and the most important." This was a great emphasis on the fact that love is the great virtue that all leaders and individuals in a given environment should possess so that they can be in line with the desires of everyone. Also, "Love is harmless, and it does not hurt anyone. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law" (Lumpkin et al., 2012). This implies that love is in the law and practicing it is a way of making sure that it has been fulfilled.

For instance, when an organization deals with people who come from diverse backgrounds, it has to make sure that the leaders are ready to love them and providing them with the care and services that they need without any form of discrimination. The field of coaching or athletic administration is appropriate when it comes to the application of this virtue in that the coaches are supposed to make sure that they handle the team members in a manner that is equal to all of them. They are supposed to support and love the athletes, and this can be shown by always being there for them when they are in need and also being ready to give them a listening ear.

Ethical

Ethical leadership is appropriate when looked from the perspective of all fields that have been connected to the world of service. By being ethical, it means that a leader is supposed to know what is right and what is wrong. He or she is supposed to be able to take responsibility when it comes to those who are not abiding by the laws and morals of the society. Leaders who are in the fields of sports should be ready to possess ethical characters as this is what guides that moral compass.

According to Maxwell (2003) "Everyone is supposed to know what is good and behaving in a manner that is opposite of the same is not right, and it defiles the tenets of all morals." This means that all the right things should be maintained and the bad ones should be phased out as they are sins. This is still true from the case where he states, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all with a perception that it is according to the laws and that everyone in the society would appreciate being part of the same." This means that ethics is not only exhibited in the form of actions but also in what people utter at any given time.

Conclusion

For instance, when a leader realizes that there are workers who use the company resources for their gains, they should step in and make sure that it has come to an end. Taking a look at the world of coaching and athletics, the leaders, in this case, are supposed to treat the team members well, and this is applicable when the leaders are male, and the athletes are female. The coaches are supposed to protect them from incidences of sexual harassment and discrimination as this is a way of exhibiting the art of being ethical at all times. They are not supposed to stand back and look at the way the athletes are being treated without taking any action.

References

Brown, B. (2003). Teaching character through sport. Monterey, CA: Coaches Choice.

Lumpkin, A., Stoll, S. K., & Beller, J.M. (2012). Practical ethics in sport management. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

Marx, J. (2003). Season of life; A football star, a boy, a journey to manhood. New York, NY: Simon & Shuster.

Maxwell, J. C. (2003). Ethics 101. New York, NY: Center Street.