All Archive - September 2013
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September 30, 2013
Set:
We coach human beings, not robots. Each player has needs and hurts that must be met and healed. When players know we care about them as people rather than simply players who perform for us, they will respond positively.
Head coaches, though, sometimes find it difficult to get close to players. We must be “the heavy” in many situations, and not every player will like our decisions, even when we are confident our choice is the best thing. One way to smooth over this type of pressure is to encourage assistants to be involved as well; athletes need to know there is someone they can go to when the head coach is not their first choice. It’s our job as coaches to care for our players, regardless of how they’ve performed.
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September 29, 2013
Set:
When I think of a person who is determined, I think of someone who is strong and resolved; has deep inner convictions that drive their actions; ready to sacrifice; focused on their goal; and not easily distracted. I think of a person who refuses to give in and fights to the end. Teams that are determined will always give it their all. Determination is a great quality if it is for the right reasons.
The Book of Daniel begins with Nebuchadnezzar besieging Jerusalem. Defeat happened quickly, and God handed the king of Judah to Nebuchadnezzar who declared defeat of Israel’s God and proclaimed his god, “Marduk,” more powerful. But the game was not over. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, knew that God always wins and chose to trust Him.
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September 28, 2013
Set:
In 2008, I made my first U.S. Olympic Soccer Team. I was still in college, and I was one of the youngest players on the roster. I was also replacing star player Abby Wambach who couldn’t compete due to an injury.
Then in 2012, I was chosen for the Olympic squad again, but this time I was considered a veteran with several major matches under my belt, including the 2008 Olympic gold medal game and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. While both situations were very different, they were also very much the same. There was a great deal of pressure that came with the job.
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September 27, 2013
Set:
We have all had bad days—days when we wondered what we were doing with our lives. For me, a bad day is when I feel I don’t want to be principal any more…a day when I say to God, “Remember me? I’m one of your boys—the coach. I’m the guy who wrote the books—the devotionals. Lord, is this supposed to be happening?” We’ve all wondered why Christians have to go through the storms of life. If we’re honest, we have a tendency to think that maybe some other folks in the world deserve tough times more than we do.
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September 26, 2013
Set:
I will never forget playing basketball my freshman year of college. I had just graduated from a Christian high school and was ready to impact all of my fellow teammates. While on road trips, I would have to stay in a room with two other teammates. During every trip, I would deliberately take out my Bible at night and do a quiet time, thinking that if my teammates saw me reading the Bible, they would ask questions. I thought by doing this, I was being a leader.
At the same time I was doing quiet times, I was struggling with sinful language. During practices, games, or just walking around campus with my teammates, profanity was always coming out of my mouth. I felt I had to be that way to get respect from my teammates and to be taken seriously.
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September 25, 2013
Set:
“You have no wall.” The cardboard sign tacked to the telephone pole couldn’t have appeared at a better time. As I pushed my legs up the hill of mile 10 in the local half marathon, I knew this would be the toughest part of the race. During training, mile 10 had always been the hardest both mentally and physically—and now it was uphill.
“You have no wall.” It was like God’s voice resonating in my mind as I pushed my legs a little harder, trying to crest the incline as fast as I could. And just then it hit me—I had no wall. I had trained hard enough to make it through mile 10 and finish the race well.
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September 24, 2013
Set:
Hearing athletes and coaches pray before competition is always interesting. Many times pre-game prayers can be a “rah-rah” talk or desperate plea for a big win. As a true competitor, what is the correct way to pray before entering the heat of battle? The following prayer is fitting for a game, competition, workout, or even practice:
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September 23, 2013
Set:
When I was in high school, I ran the 110-meter hurdles. I remember it like it was yesterday—being in the starting blocks, looking down the track through the tunnel of hurdles toward the finish line. Hurdlers and sprinters have a major advantage over longer distance runners in that they can see the finish line from the starting blocks. I see that same dynamic in today’s Scripture.
In the letter to the Hebrews we read, “Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.”
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September 22, 2013
Set:
After 22 years of playing and coaching football, I won a championship ring while serving as team chaplain for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College football team. Under the leadership of Steve Campbell, that team finished number one in the national JUCO poll. They possessed a rare quality—honor. After every victory we gave God the glory. All year we honored our coaches, one another, our teachers, and parents. We made mistakes, but always came back to honor.
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September 21, 2013
Set:
It was my freshman year of high school, and I decided to try cross-country running. The only problems were my seven-minute miles and the thirty extra pounds that chased me everywhere I ran. If I were going to be competitive in this sport, it was going to take everything I had. Riding my bike to practice and then riding home after practice only to pass out in my parents’ kitchen became my morning routine for the entire summer vacation.
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September 20, 2013
Set:
There are many things in this life that can poison your heart. In college, it might be alcohol, drugs or toxic relationships. As a professional athlete, those temptations are often in the form of material possessions and money. But when I committed my life to Christ during my playing days at the University of Nebraska, I allowed Him to fill the void in my heart that worldly things could never satisfy. I was finally at peace.
No matter how long you have been serving the Lord, the enemy of your soul is going to tempt you to walk away from the straight and narrow path. Thankfully, when I began playing for the Buffalo Bills, I had a group of like-minded individuals to help me stay the course. I also became actively involved in Bible studies and grew in my knowledge of His Word.
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September 19, 2013
Set:
“Thank you, sir.” Square feet and shoulders . . . dribble, dribble . . . spin . . . dribble . . . spin . . . bend knees . . . shoot. That is my routine for shooting a free throw. Early in my career my coaches instilled a need for routine whenever our team stood at the line. A routine mentally prepares us for the task ahead. Free throws can come at any point in a game with varying degrees of pressure. I can still feel the pressure after missing a shot—people either let out a sigh of relief or disappointment.
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September 18, 2013
Set:
Saying goodbye is a tough thing to do. I have been doing it a lot lately. My two best friends moved on the same day last week — one to New York, the other to Texas. This week, I have said goodbye to a close friend who is moving on to the next level in his sport … the NFL. As I think about my dear friends and the challenges they will face in their new places, I realize that they all will do well. Why? They are all grounded in the truth.
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September 17, 2013
Set:
As athletes and coaches we know a lot about disciplining our bodies, but there is one muscle we often neglect to discipline: our tongues. Our gifts and skills may allow us to achieve athletic success, but our ability to maintain that success and honor God with it has much to do with how we use our words.
Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created..." How did He create? By speaking. Throughout the next few verses of the chapter, it is revealed that God did not simply act, He used words to establish creation. “And God said…” This gives us the earliest demonstration of the power of words. Later, when "the Word became flesh" and Jesus came to live among us (John 1:14), we read that He used words to fight the temptations of Satan by declaring the Word of God (Matthew 4).
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September 16, 2013
Set:
Daniel is one of my favorite people in the Bible. He kept a great attitude in spite of his circumstances. He was moved to a strange land against his will, kept in captivity for most of his life, and had his life threatened. He was loyal to his boss and worked for some difficult people. If we think our coaches are tough sometimes, look at David’s life. Nebuchadnezzar laid siege on Jerusalem, tried to kill Daniel’s friends, and eventually lost his mind. Belshazzar was a heavy drinker, had several wives, and stole sacred items from the temple. Darius had Daniel thrown into the lion’s den for being obedient to God. Yet, Daniel never complained.
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September 15, 2013
Set:
I can still remember when my coaches handed out uniforms to those of us who had made the cut. We were all so proud to be wearing our school’s colors. The best part was being able to wear our jerseys to school on game days. Being identified as part of the team somehow made each one of us walk a little taller.
And now I have the blessing of seeing my young sons experience that same thrill of putting on their uniforms and being part of a team. When they put on their jerseys, they seem to grow in confidence, as if they are truly part of something special.
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September 14, 2013
Set:
When I was 8 years old, I did a lot of dreaming. My dad would take me to college lacrosse games, and I would stand by the field saying, “One day I want to play on that field!”
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September 13, 2013
Set:
After playing in and coaching thousands of games, I have found that I struggle with one main issue: Whose team is God on—my team or the other team? How can God pick sides? If He does pick sides, how does He decide which side to be on? If there are Christians on both teams, then how can God be on both teams? These questions challenge us as athletes and coaches.
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September 12, 2013
Set:
How do we approach our sport(s)? Are they just games, or more than that? How hard do we work in practice? Do we give our all when striving to improve our game, or just try to make it through practice and do what it takes to keep the coach off our backs? The Bible gives us some encouraging words about work and practice.
My favorite verse related to hard work is Colossians 3:23. In reference to athletes, this verse is related to one’s chosen field of competition. How should we approach all that is related to our sport? The Bible is clear: enthusiastically or with all our hearts.
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September 11, 2013
Set:
Which of our athletic gifts are most important to us as competitors? Perhaps it is strength or speed. Or maybe it is hand-eye coordination or a competitive nature. Regardless of the gift, do we know the One who gave it to us? Peter mentioned giftedness in 1 Peter 4:10. Here we read that Peter knew that we are all gifted. There is likely no group on the planet who understands this more than an athletic team. The issue for us is not whether or not we are gifted, but rather who it is that gives us the gifts, and how we shall respond to Him?
Our gifts are described as being part of the manifold grace of God. In other words, God’s grace has been distributed to each of us in unique ways. Our best response to a gracious Giver is to use our giftedness to serve those around us.
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September 10, 2013
Set:
Whenever I have an upcoming race, especially a marathon, I spend a lot of time training. People often ask me, "Where do you find the time?" But I think the real question on their minds is, "Why are you CHOOSING to spend your time doing that?"
When I began running marathons in 2009 my life and my pursuits were out of balance. I knew the training process would instill characteristics such as discipline, accountability and goal-setting. What I later realized was that running would also allow me plenty of time alone with my thoughts and time alone with God. Now I no longer have to justify my reason for doing marathons. People realize it has changed me for the better.
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September 09, 2013
Set:
As my foot touched the line for what seemed like the 1,000th time that practice my mind sank into a deep misery. “Why are we doing this?” I thought. “My legs feel like rocks! This is torture!” Whether you’re an athlete who knows this battle or a coach who knows how frustrating it can be to motivate your players, I think we’ve all forgotten the “why” at times when enduring the hardships of athletics.
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September 08, 2013
Set:
As competitors, we want to be the best in everything. Being good is good, but being best is better. We want to go from good to great in every aspect of life. We have to be #1—on and off the field. Nobody remembers the loser. Second place? Seriously? We engage in the relentless pursuit of excellence!
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September 07, 2013
Set:
I had many favorite sayings as a coach. Here a some of them:
-- Rule 1: The coach is right.
-- Rule 2: If you think Coach is wrong, see Rule 1.
-- Whether you can or can't, you are right.
-- Don't tell me. Show me.
The last one may have been my favorite. Athletes have a hard time backing up what they say. They talk a good game, but many times today's athlete can't back it up. All in all, talk is cheap.
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September 06, 2013
Set:
At the 70-mile mark I started to cramp up in my calves. I began to “super-hydrate,” attempting to prevent the inevitable. At about that point, there was a “bail out” where riders could take a short-cut to the finish line but not complete the full 105 miles. Determined to press on and complete the ride, I passed it.
