Making the Champions of Character initiative more than just a talking point, the Iowa Wesleyan College soccer programs are attempting to take an active role in showing what it means to be an NAIA member school, and are doing it through a simple post-game gesture.

This season after each of their matches the Tiger soccer teams are awarding one opposing player their own "Player of the Game" award. The award winner is selected by IWC players and is symbolized by the T-shirt given to the award winner after the match.

"Since we are a part of the NAIA and working towards being Champions of Character, we felt this would be a great way to work towards that goal," said IWC women's soccer Head Coach Ed Heberling.

The award goes to the "player who impacted the game the most," Heberling said, but that doesn't necessarily mean the player with all the goals, saves or other notable stats. Instead, it is a player who worked hard, did the little things, showed sportsmanship and was a team leader.

The award is always chosen by Tiger players. After each of their respective matches, IWC men's and women's soccer players come together and discuss which player from the opposing team deserves the Player of the Game shirt.

"We choose the player with the same qualities as for our own team, but leave the decision in the hands of the players," Heberling said.The way the IWC women's team then does it is for the entire team to approach the other team. The Tiger captains then talk a little about the history and why the award is given out after each game and then present the shirt to the player.

The award was just started this year but has actually been several years in the making. Heberling and Wesleyan men's soccer Head Coach Michael Sheerin started the idea for the women's team last year after the men's team had been doing it for its own players for the previous three years. The idea of giving a shirt to the opposing team came about on a bus trip last year in further discussion between Heberling and Sheerin.

The other teams have been quite receptive and have enjoyed the sign of sportsmanship, Heberling said. He also said players seem to be excited upon receiving the shirt and that he has overheard teammates saying they wish their team could do the same thing.

"At first they're always kind of shocked, like they think we're coming over to start a fight," said IWC midfielder Jessica Ryan. "(But) they always like it…they're very gracious."

The Tiger players, for their part, have enjoyed being a part of the gesture.

"We like it," said IWC defender Karly York, adding "it not only shows their team that we notice how hard they've worked, but it also makes us realize they made us work during the game."

"I think it shows that players can go out and compete and knock each other around," Heberling said, "but at the end of the day have enough respect for the opposition to realize that the players on the other team have been through just as much as us and deserve a little recognition."