Youth Sports Group Awards Scholarships for Character

While most high school sports awards go to the fastest runners and highest scorers, one organization is celebrating something different: the athlete who helps a teammate up after a tough loss.

Positive Athlete, founded by sports marketing professional Scott Pederson, awards college scholarships to student athletes who demonstrate character, community service, and leadership. The inspiration came from watching his own sons get overlooked at awards banquets despite being exemplary young people.

"I sat there at those banquets and thought 'why is there not something like that for high school athletes'?" Pederson recalled. "Really good kids doing the right things, giving back to their schools and their communities."

The problem runs deeper than awards ceremonies. Many youth coaches have abandoned teaching what experts call "soft skills," the personal competencies that legendary coaches like John Wooden and Paul Brown once made central to their programs. These include communication, teamwork, leadership, and grace under pressure.

Instead, modern youth sports often focuses exclusively on technical abilities. That leaves young athletes unprepared for life beyond the field, especially considering fewer than 10% of high school athletes will play college sports according to NCAA data.

Pederson modeled Positive Athlete after the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors professional players for community impact rather than stats alone. The nonprofit seeks nominations from coaches for students who exemplify virtue and service.

"I don't want the kid who threw for 15 touchdowns and 3,000 yards, unless that kid did 100 hours of community service," Pederson explained.

Former NFL star Champ Bailey now serves as the organization's lead athlete and spokesperson, helping spread the message that character matters as much as talent.

Why This Inspires

The shift matters because soft skills translate far beyond sports. The ability to communicate effectively, work as part of a team, and lead with integrity creates success in careers, relationships, and communities. By recognizing these traits in young athletes, Positive Athlete sends a powerful message about what society truly values.

The organization is also combating what has become a toxic youth sports culture marked by trash talking, poor sportsmanship, and win-at-all-costs mentalities. When coaches and parents celebrate kindness alongside competitiveness, young people learn that how you play matters as much as whether you win.

These soft skills once formed the cornerstone of athletic coaching, and organizations like Positive Athlete are bringing that wisdom back. They're proving that the best athletes aren't just the ones with the most points on the scoreboard, but the ones who lift others up along the way.