Spiritually speaking, there wasn’t much happening for most of my childhood until I was a freshman in high school. That’s when one of my dad's wrestling friends, the WWE’s Nikita Koloff, gave him a Christian book that began to stir his heart.

In sports, we hear about plays, calls or even individual athletes that, in a single moment, alter the outcome of a game. We call them game-changers...

When it comes to the game of life, however, there is only one true game-changer: Jesus Christ. And once He makes that ultimate play in the heart of an athlete, it not only changes his or her life off the field, but also how they conduct themselves in competition. This fall, some of the top players on the college gridiron are telling how the Lord has made an impact on their game and how He can do the same for you.

UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close isn’t intimidated. Even though it’s her first season at the helm of a major college program and the first head coaching job of her career, Close believes she’s equipped for the challenge. For the past 18 seasons, she’s gained confidence and skill by assisting some of the top coaches in the game, and thanks to their influence—and more importantly the power of the Holy Spirit—Close has learned more than just the X’s and O’s of basketball. She’s learned how to help young women pursue excellence in all areas of life—including matters of faith.

In the tight-knit community of Middleburg, Fla., residents have a history of showing support and commitment to their neighbors. So when Middleburg High School Volleyball Coach Carrie Prewitt got word that one of her players and her two younger sisters were headed for foster care, she knew what God was calling her to do.