The Six Virtue Categories Pyramid
No one in the industry is building junior athlete frameworks like we are. No one.
Not even close.
The Six Virtue Categories Pyramid — is a sequenced, age-appropriate, evidence-informed framework for developing character in young athletes without shortcuts.
Character is a progression
Character is not a list. It’s a progression.
From the ground up:
• Temperance (self-regulation before everything)
• Courage (action, perseverance, honesty)
• Justice (team behaviour and fairness)
• Humanity (connection and social intelligence)
• Wisdom (judgment, learning, perspective)
• Transcendence (hope, meaning, peak performance)
Here’s the hard truth most systems ignore:
👉 If you skip Level 1, everything above it becomes unstable.
Building a foundation
You don’t get resilient leaders without self-regulation.
You don’t get consistent performers without courage.
You don’t get culture carriers without humanity and right behaviour.
Yet this is exactly where many junior pathways fail — pushing leadership, mindset, and “mental toughness” before athletes are developmentally ready.
The Six Virtue Sequence
The Six Virtue framework doesn’t guess. They sequence.
They are:
• Built for real coaches, not marketing decks
• Anchored in observable behaviours
• Scalable across schools, clubs, academies, and governing bodies
• Designed to prevent arrogance, burnout, and emotional volatility before they appear
If your organisation talks about character but can’t clearly explain it, that’s the gap we solve.
Brenton works with governing bodies, schools, and HP programs to design junior frameworks that stand the test of time. Reach out for immediate implementation.
Brenton Barker is Head Sports Advisor, Japanese Government – Dunlop/Adidas Advisory Board – AI Tech Consultant – Author of Three Books – Head of Development World No.7 – Coached athletes to 15 Pro Wins
Linkedin Brenton Barker
Brenton Barker and Emmanuel Drake’s book The Complete Athletic Strengths System for Young Athletes: Ignite All 24 Character Superpowers to Achieve Peak Performance and Lifelong Mental Toughness
