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A while ago, I spent a long time recovering from a torn calf muscle. As a cross country and track coach, and as a runner myself, I had been very frustrated and annoyed by this injury. Not being able to run was a huge challenge. I couldn’t show my athletes the steps I wanted them to take. I couldn’t even jog a step without pain shooting through my leg. On top of that I found myself in a bad place mentally.
Before the session begins, provide a piece of paper and a pen for each person. Everyone gets to write down one question they have always wanted to ask. Then each person crumples up the paper into a snowball and they all proceed to have an all-out snowball fight for 30 seconds. At the end each person should have one snowball. They are to open it up and answer it according to what they believe. Then try and bring it back to the Bible.
Athletes are like snowflakes. They come in all shapes and sizes. Many are similar in their traits and looks, but no two athletes are the same, just like snowflakes. That is what makes them so unique. Each have their qualities that, when combined with a group, can make a difference in the outcome of an event.
Do you know that God made you like a snowflake? I know what you're thinking. "Did he just call me a flake??" Well, if the shoe fits. . . Just kidding. But seriously, God made you like no other. Even twins who look identical on the outside have something that makes them different. In the Old Testament, the Psalmist writes, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made. . ." That makes us uniquely different!
The historic career of University of Connecticut All-American Maya Moore came to an end when the Huskies fell short to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2011 NCAA women’s basketball Final Four.
Even though women’s basketball sometimes flies under the radar, it was impossible to ignore the thing that Moore has achieved during her time at UConn. She helped the Huskies to the longest winning streak (ever) in college basketball, become the first player to win three consecutive Wade Trophy awards, was named an All-American four times, and helped the Huskies to four Final Fours. And, get this. Wanna know how many games she lost during her entire career? Four. She had as many Final Four appearances and All-America titles as she did losses. Now, that’s a sports legacy.
When Steve Fitzhugh picks his friends, he does so very methodically, carefully and selectively. There are certain qualities he looks for in people, and he takes an almost formulaic approach to all potential relationships. And he teaches others to do the same.
For instance, Fitzhugh says the primary quality of a close friend is that he or she is like-minded in his or her faith. The individual must have accepted Jesus as his or her Savior and must have made a long-term commitment to following Him. But that’s just the beginning of Fitzhugh’s laundry list, which also includes trust, confidence and character.
On this day, you left nothing behind. Your sweat-soaked uniform provides the proof. As you stand alongside your teammates you can hear the sound of the exuberant crowd cheering. In time, your body will ache, but not now. Not just yet. It will be tomorrow before the cuts and bruises remind you of the painful, hard-fought game. For right now, posters wave and arms remain outstretched in celebration. These are the sights and sounds of victory. Unfortunately, they are not for you. Your supporters are silent and still; they are rocks among the waves of fans who have crashed the field to celebrate with the victors.
To this day, Leah O’Brien-Amico remembers the phone call. It came a decade ago, but it seems like yesterday. It was in the morning. O’Brien-Amico, who was at the time still in the process of building her softball-legend status as part of the U.S. National Team, was standing in the lobby of a hotel chatting with some teammates.
She was in a good mood; it was a joyful time. An Olympic gold medal-winning athlete, O’Brien-Amico had just wrapped up her final season at the University of Arizona, where her team had won the College World Series about a month earlier. It was the third national title Arizona had won while she was there.
Wisdom for a Young Head Coach
Week 9
Read the text aloud.
Discussion Questions:
My brother, Stu, was a wrestler in high school. His junior year he won 14 and lost 10, which is not bad, but he wasn’t happy with the results. So, he decided to spend one summer at various camps to get better.
Stu knew one of his weaknesses was wrestling in the standing position. He was terrible at takedowns. When he went on the offensive, he usually ended up on the bottom. His defensive strategy usually yielded the same results. At the camps he worked hard to overcome these weaknesses. He sought good coaching, made tremendous efforts, and then implemented the new strategy. The next year Stu ended up with 24 wins and only six losses!
What do we do to quiet our minds and keep perspective about life? Where do we go to relax, reflect, and meditate? How do we stay true to who we are when everybody is praising our teams and us? The Scripture above explains how Jesus accomplished this.
Jesus had a unique quality in His life that most of us miss. He valued solitude over popularity. In quiet reflection, free from the flattering crowds, He maintained clarity of thought about who He was, His values, and His life goals. He knew that it is easy to pander to a crowd of flattering people. He was more concerned with pleasing His Father in heaven.
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