I picked that quote up from this Econtalk podcast with Angela Duckworth on Character.
Host, Russ Roberts recounted it from a time he and Mike were watching Russ’s kid play a stressful baseball game and Russ said ‘at least sports builds character,’ and that was Mike’s response.
Russ thinks it does both. Maybe. I think it may reveal it much more than build it.
Our Dinner Table 
Many years ago a USGA official responded to criticism that the US Open course for that tournament was set up too difficult. He is reported to have said, “We are not trying to embarrass the worlds best golfers. We are trying to identify them.”