Character Coach Characteristics

Win trust through service

Focus on the coaches and players, not the fans, the media or others. Coaches are key. Invest in their lives and build trust with them. Respond to the athletes who show interest. Follow up with those who ask questions or indicate a desire for spiritual things.
Know their names, positions, uniform numbers and all you can about their backgrounds. Show a personal interest in them and they'll be more open to you.
Ask good questions about the sport, their roles, their expectations and their goals.
Be available to them, even when it's terribly inconvenient. The point of crisis or the inconvenient phone call is often the situation that either wins or loses you their trust and confidence.

Respect and value the culture of sport. Study it; learn its history and language. Ask good questions of the coaches and players.
Look for opportunities to serve the team and don't seek privileges. If they want to outfit you with team gear, they'll ask for your size. Don't seek such privileges. An arrogant, presumptuous attitude will quickly invalidate your ministry.
Encourage always and don't become critical. If they want your opinion, they'll ask for it. Maintain a supportive attitude and you'll be a highly valued person. If you are constantly critical or finding fault, you'll soon be marginalized or ignored.
Don't talk about religion. Talk about faith in the context of the sport. Help them see what genuine faith is through their sport experience.

Be at practice sessions. Lots of people attend the games, very few attend practices. The coaches and athletes know that only those most highly committed to the team are at practice. If you're there, their respect for you will grow quickly.
Be there when they lose. Everyone seems to hang around to congratulate the team when they've won a big game. You must be the one to stay late, to console, to encourage and to commiserate with them when they've lost the big game. This builds trust and lets you see their grieving hearts.
Be available in times of crisis. The trips to the training room or the emergency room with an injured player build trust and deepen relationships like nothing else. The private meeting with a coach in his office concerning a troubled player is a powerful ministry opportunity. The lunch meeting with an athlete or coach who's looking for counsel as he or she is making a big decision is a life-changing moment. If you're available, you have a ministry. If you're not, you don't.

If you will focus on the relationship building tips listed above, the appropriate strategies and methods will be much more easily seen and implemented.
Always ask permission before beginning a ministry initiative. Make a proposal to the head coach for the Bible study, discussion, chapel, event, etc. Doing so honors his position and may keep you from violating a team or athletic association rule. It also further builds his or her trust of you and your ministry.
Be sure to adapt ministry methods and tools to the sport's culture. Don't simply drag the people of sport into church culture and expect it to be a good fit. Strive to help those whom you serve to fully integrate their lives in sport with their lives in Christ Jesus.
To effectively serve the people of sport as their Character Coach; focus on the people and win their trust through serving them; watch your attitude; be in the right place at the right time; and keep strategies and methods secondary to the relational emphasis.