All
-
February 11, 2014
Set:
When I was in eighth grade, my world got turned upside down. My dad was a pastor, and when he got a new job, we moved from a small town where I was comfortable, had friends, and felt like I made a difference, to a little bigger town where I had to “prove myself” all over again. I greatly feared being insignificant and wanted to do anything I could to set myself apart. So, I did what I knew best: I played sports thinking that would give me the value I wanted. As it turned out, I did achieve success, but it didn’t have the lasting value I thought it would. I wound up being labeled as a show-off and dealing with an entirely different problem—all because I thought I needed to prove myself and achieve worldly significance.
-
February 10, 2014
Set:
One of my favorite aspects of the game of basketball is the pivot. Although it is a simple concept, it allows for a big impact on the offensive end. One foot must stay grounded, and the other can be extended a bit out in front or to the side and move around to create good passes, space, effective jabs and fakes, and give you an ability to slow down and see what’s open. Without pivoting, it’s difficult to make much happen.
-
February 09, 2014
Set:
As a certified athletic trainer, I have spent many hours watching football practices and games. I pay especially close attention to all of my linemen (the big boys on the front line). It’s amazing how you watch these young men get down and block, all for the sole purpose of creating holes for the running backs or protecting the all-important quarterback. These linemen perform blocks and pulls throughout every practice and game, yet we rarely ever hear their names being called out on the loudspeakers telling of the great job they are doing.
-
February 08, 2014
Set:
In sports, how many times have we heard someone tell us to get our game face on? It’s a saying that’s used to bring up the idea or feeling of focus. When a person has their game face on they are ready for competition. They’re ready for the trial ahead of them and prepared to give their all. They are totally 100-percent focused.
As athletes or coaches, most of us would at one time or another in our careers have put on a game face of our own in sports, but what about as Christians? Have we ever thought about a spiritual game face?
-
February 07, 2014
Set:
At the beginning of a new year many people set goals, and for the first several weeks they stay on track to achieving them. Sadly, many people get derailed even though we intellectually know what coaches, personal trainers, teachers and mentors tell us: that there is payoff when we persevere.
-
February 06, 2014
Set:
I once talked with a gold medalist. She was a champion of champions, a record holder, a true finisher. As she described all the races she had won, I was most fascinated by the one she had lost. She had started this race much like all the rest, set in her lane waiting for the gun. She had asked the official where the finish line was, and he assured her that she would finish where she started. So the race began and she quickly moved into a position that would easily qualify her for the next round. However, as she approached the end, she eased up and coasted to the finish line, only to be suddenly overtaken by a lurking opponent.
-
February 05, 2014
Set:
When I was 13 years old, I entered a city-wide track meet. My younger sister was a talented sprinter, so my parents and I wanted to see if I had the gift too. We lived in a city east of Chicago, and, as I entered the track and went to check-in for my race, I noticed I was probably one of two white kids in my heat. I also noticed that everyone else around me was a lot taller and bigger. At just over 5 feet and 115 lbs., I was what most parents and coaches call a "late bloomer."
-
February 04, 2014
Set:
Splashing furiously, I tried desperately to outswim my younger sister. As I reached through the water with every ounce of strength in my 16-year-old body, my lungs and muscles burned. I looked up at the clock. She’d beaten me…again. I was crushed. The pain my body experienced couldn’t compare to the pain I felt inside—the jealousy and anger and failure. Nothing mattered except the reality that I had lost to my fiercest competitor.
-
February 03, 2014
Set:
Lately, it seems like there has been a proliferation of sports scandals at the amateur and professional levels. In most, if not all of the situations, there was a key moment of decision when the allegations surfaced. The choice was between character and reputation.
-
February 02, 2014
Set:
Athletes must know their purpose on the team. For example, the purpose of an offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback and create space for the running back. The purpose of a pitcher is to prevent a batter from getting a hit. On the soccer field a goalkeeper’s purpose is to keep the ball from landing in the net.
Just as athletes have a purpose, each coach has a specific purpose as well. An assistant coach may be in charge of one aspect of the team, such as serving as an offensive coordinator. Perhaps his job is to lead the team in prepractice stretches. Head coaches have a responsibility beyond atheletic training; they are called upon to mold and shape the lives of young people.
