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  • Correct, Don't Criticize

    November 08, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    When I first started working towards becoming a head coach, people wondered if I could do it. I wasn’t the type to yell at people. I wasn’t the type to get in people’s faces. They didn’t know if I could control the players. How would they respond to my coaching style? How would I handle being in charge of an entire team?

    My style has always been one that relies on motivation, encouragement and teaching. I always want to help people get better. That’s the idea behind correction. It’s not about tearing people down. It’s about helping them improve. You have to let them know when they’ve done something wrong, but the goal is helping them became a better player and a better person.

  • Fight the Good Fight

    November 07, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    When I’m recruiting players, one of the most important qualities I look for is fight. Fight is that one thing that serves as the axis for our team. If we do that, then we never have anything to be ashamed of. It’s the one thing we can control. There will be things that will come and go; shooting percentages, adhering to a defensive scout, whatever it may be. But you can control how much effort you give and how hard you fight. It gives you the chance to be the best ever if you are talented, and it gives you a chance to compete even when you aren’t as talented as your opponent.

  • The Father’s Compassion

    November 07, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    When our daughter Hannah was an infant, I had to take her to the hospital for tests. What should have been a routine procedure quickly turned into a traumatic event. The nurse was having trouble drawing enough blood from Hannah’s small feet, and had to poke her three times. Worse yet, the nurse asked me to restrain Hannah during the procedure. This was a painful experience as a dad, holding her down while she cried in pain. All I could do was whisper my love to her. When it was over, I took her in my arms and rested her head on my shoulder. Hannah instantly grabbed me with all her strength and held on tight. Within a few moments, her crying died down and the calm of being in her father’s arms came over her.

  • Fundamentals for Victory

    November 06, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    Cal Ripken Jr., who broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-game record (Gehrig’s 2,130 to Ripken’s 2,632 straight games in the lineup), credits his father, Cal Ripken Sr. for the mentoring, coaching, and example to break the record. Junior remembers that his father had many mottoes and pronouncements. One of his favorite sayings was: “Do two million little things right, and the big things take care of themselves.” His point was to take pride in the fundamentals.

    All of us face the game of life each day with its tests and temptations. Being a Christian doesn’t guarantee that we will never have problems. But as Christians, we have biblical guidelines and fundamentals to help us have victory over our trials.

  • Trust in the Lord

    November 05, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    My first fall playing collegiate Division I volleyball went exactly as I imagined. We ended up conference champions and competed in the NCAA tournament. It was smooth sailing. Though classes were difficult and I was homesick, I felt at home, because the volleyball court was the same 900 square feet it had always been. My second year started like the first. However, six starters had graduated. After our first win, the season disintegrated. As a sophomore, I could no longer hide behind the older players. Suddenly that 900 square-foot court didn’t look as familiar. We began that season as conference champions and ended with a 5-25 record. At the season’s end, all I could think about was my failure as a player and anger at the game.

  • The Right Path

    November 04, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    It was the biggest race of the season. All the runners were ready to go. The rugged course was full of hills and rough terrain, but it was THE race of the year. Every runner was excited to go. With a single shot the runners raced toward the opening in the woods. Early in the race seven runners broke from the pack and came to a fork in the path. The lead runner made the choice and each runner followed in stride.

  • Bitterness

    November 03, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    The psalmist tells us that his heart’s bitterness caused him to act more like an animal than a man. Sometimes when competitors are displaced by injury or illness, they experience great frustration, isolation, loneliness, and a myriad of other emotions. Those emotions can lead one to thinking and acting senselessly. The pain associated with losing may even drive some to foolishly medicate their pain and grief. Wise coaching can short-circuit that process and keep the team from painful consequences.

  • Punting into the Wind

    November 02, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    As a coach, my faith was wavering. I watched my unpredictable punter jog onto the field, doubt washed over me with every step. I never knew what to expect. It might go 40 yards in a tight spiral, or it could be a 10-yard shank off the side of his foot. Every kick was an unpredictable adventure.

    It was late in the game and field position was critical as my team lined up in punt formation. As the punter waited for the snap from center, the unexpected happened. The gentle breeze that had been blowing all night suddenly transformed into a stiff wind. My punter handled the snap cleanly, took two steps and kicked the ball high into the air.

  • Home Away From Home

    November 01, 2013

    Home Away From Home

    Jamaica native Shereesha Richards has come a long way—in miles traveled and in the growth of her faith and athletic career.

  • God Doesn’t Fumble

    November 01, 2013

    devotional
    Set: 

    Coaches work hard in preparing their players to do their best and avoid mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes in football is dropping the ball. Typically the team that fumbles the most in a game will lose.

    Recently I experienced a back problem that caused me to be in bed for days. A little voice crept in and said, “Why, God? Where are You?” My brother has been diagnosed with cancer. A friend of mine recently lost his sister to cancer. That little voice crept in and said, “Why, God? Where are You?”

    I find myself sinning again and that little voice of doubt creeps in, “God doesn’t like sin-you are separated from Him.”

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