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There is nothing that compares to the feeling of walking on to the field or court with the stands full of people cheering for one’s team. There is energy in the air and a sense of adrenaline pumping through everyone’s veins. The atmosphere is full of excitement and enthusiasm. As coaches, we rarey think about the people who are watching us from the sidelines. Our attention is focused on the players. We want them to be ready, prepared, and in place.
The 1996–97 season was both victorious and sorrowful for the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. In this triumphant year, the team had won hockey’s greatest prize—the Stanley Cup. But joy quickly turned into tragedy as a car accident claimed the career of a leading player on their team.
We fret about everything. We worry about the future, our careers, and our team’s performance. We are afraid of failure. We live in a harried society where many illnesses are stress-related. Medication is prescribed at record rates. However, as Christians, we know there is a healthier way to live our lives.
God is so good. He offers us freedom from worry and stress if we will seek Him first. There are so many things that distract me from truly seeking God: money, job, success, comfort, security, and worldly pleasures. God wants to be first in our lives, not just in our words, but also in our deeds and daily agendas.
As a player, some of my worst games came on the heels of a good game, a game where I performed either up to or beyond expectations. I guess that’s why, as a coach, I was always wary of the game following a big win. Would the team still keep their edge, or would they approach the next game with a little less urgency? Confidence is good, but overconfidence can make a team vulnerable.
God warns us of becoming overconfident spiritually. Through Christ we have everything we need to live the Christian life, but often we’re the most vulnerable to temptation when we appear at our strongest. That’s when we often let down our guard, relying on our own strength instead of on Christ.
One thing I love about FCA is how it ties our athletic lives into our faith. A lot of similarities can be drawn between Christianity and sports.
I own a funeral home, and I therefore attend a lot of funerals. One sermon I’ve heard a few times that I really like is about the dash. The dash that is talked about is the dash put on a headstone between the date of birth and the date of death. The point the pastor makes is that what is important is what is lived out in that dash between your date of birth and your date of death.
March Madness has arrived. State and College basketball tournaments have begun and many are finished. In our state (Illinois), the girls' AA tournament just ended. Once again, Naperville Central won the state crown, led by Coach Andy Nussbaum and athlete Candace Parker. Candace tore her ACL last summer and missed many games before Christmas, but since her return, they have gone undefeated all the way to back-to-back state championships. She was the difference-maker for her team. She will be heading to Tennessee to play for Coach Pat Summit next year.
Over the past fourteen years, I have been a defensive coach in our high school football program. Specifically, I coach linebackers. In order to play linebacker successfully at our level, a player must make a total commitment to the expectations placed upon him. It requires an unwavering self-discipline.
I was a high school sophomore awaiting surgery to repair torn cartilage in my knee. In walked a young orderly with a razor to shave my leg. Before long, the blood began to flow. He was unskilled, and his razor was dull. Fortunately, the next day was different. The surgeon was skilled, and his scalpel was sharp.
Surgery is always painful, but its purpose is to heal. To be successful, the surgeon must be skilled. I once saw a documentary on a surgical technique to reduce an enlarged heart. The surgeon literally sliced off a quarter of the heart and sewed it back together, where upon it began beating again! Would you want a medical intern doing such a procedure? I think not.
A man comes to the doctor’s office and the receptionist asks him to have a seat. He has a cold. As the other sick people come in and see the doctor, the first man keeps acquiring all of their symptoms. He’s itching, sneezing, twitching, etc. Finally a pregnant woman comes in and the man screams , “NO!”, and runs out.
Characters: receptionist, pregnant woman, man who gets illnesses, and the people who are sick
Susie and Sally were twins. Both were great athletes, both went to church, and both had a choice to make. After a game, the girls went to a party where “everyone” was there. The party got pretty crazy, and throughout the night Susie and Sally were offered many things.
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