Some authorities have suggested that there is no athletic personality, but they may be mistaken. In terms of the 16 human needs, we find a definite personality pattern characteristic of athletes.
On average athletes score more than a full standard deviation above the norm in terms of intrinsic valuation of physical activity. This is not surprising; what is surprising is that every athlete doesn't have a "high" need for physical activity. A few athletes who voluntarily participate in sports have below average intrinsic valuation of physical activity.
Athletes also are family oriented. Nearly every team we have evaluated on both sides of the pond had an above-average valuation of family life.
Athletes tend to be expedient. On average, they are significantly less likely to value character than is the average individual.
