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Leach, Leavitt, Mangino…Arenas, McGwire, Woods...These are just a few of the last names that have been in the sports pages recently for unbecoming conduct. Coaches who have reportedly lost their control both verbally and physically, and players who have reportedly lost their judgment, integrity and character. All of these men have fallen short of the standards set by their schools and teams and short of the vows by which they agreed they would live and coach.
As athletes, we workout to better ourselves for competition. We hit the weights to gain strength, speed and size. But have you ever had one of those days in which your strength wasn't where you wanted it to be or you just didn't feel strong? If you compete long enough, you’re bound to have those days occasionally.
Have you ever had one of those days in life where you were feeling the same way spiritually? Like you just weren’t strong in your faith at all? In those times, we have to remember that it is not about us, it's about Jesus Christ. He is the One who gives us strength. It says in Psalm 33:16: "A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be delivered by great strength."
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
-Matthew 6:21
What is the treasure of your life? After March Madness, hopefully your treasure wasn’t in a perfect NCAA tournament bracket. But if, for example, our relationship with Jesus Christ is truly of utmost importance, then our time, energies, and day-to-day lifestyles should reflect that. Does it?
In Philippians 3, Paul communicates that what he once considered “gain” (when he was a Pharisee) he now considers “loss.” Just before those verses above, Paul stated in verses 5-6 that he had a great family heritage, social status, biblical knowledge, and even led a moral lifestyle. But when he came into a relationship with Christ, he realized that apart from the Lord, all of it was "loss."
Any athlete engaged in athletic competition—whether individual or team competition—is aware that his or her well-conditioned and dedicated athleticism is the most important weapon of defense. Regardless of his or her size or the opposition, an athlete without properly conditioned athleticism is the prime target for an adversary.
Dave Barnes is a coach at a large public school in Spokane, Washington. He is a legendary, state-honored coach, having led his teams to city championships in each of the last twenty years. However, what is more impressive than all his titles is the fact that he is a father to so many of his students and athletes. When Dave was two years old his father abandoned the family, remarried, and moved to another state. When his mother remarried three years later, this new dad became a true father to him. Sadly, when Dave was ten years old, his stepfather was struck by lightening and killed. His mother married a third time a few years later, but this new stepfather was an alcoholic. Dave never really had a dad who lasted.
We are all familiar with the story of Jonah being swallowed by the giant fish. But, what is intriguing to me is that in the four chapters in the book of Jonah, he goes through four different phases with God. In chapter 1, Jonah is running away from God. In chapter 2, he is running to God. In chapter 3, he is running with God. And, in chapter 4, he is running ahead of God. I believe that in our Christian lives we all go through these phases as coaches and athletes.
After I had my blood cholesterol levels checked last week, I met with the doctor to discuss my results. Because I exercise regularly and eat well, I anticipated good results. As I expected, the doctor said my results were great and that he was very pleased. In fact, he said he wished that all of his patients had such positive results and that 90 percent of them didn’t.
Hockey Chat: I’ve seen hockey players try to argue there way out of penalties saying that it was just a little hook or they just slashed at the puck not the opponent. They try to minimize the offense. Fact is, when they are called for penalty, it’s a penalty. If they say they just barely hit the guy with their stick, they still are called for slashing. If plead that they just nudged the guy head first into the boards, they still get called for boarding just as if they slammed him. When the ref sees a penalty, regardless of the degree, he calls it.
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