One guarantee every coach can make each season is that at some point the season will come to an end. Coaches see dozens of athletes go through their programs. The truth is that we only have these kids for a short while. What mark will we make on them? What little excellences will they take with them as a result of our influence? Will they have developed skills and talents? Will they have learned the value of teamwork? Will they be more disciplined because of what we taught them? These are great questions that any good coach will ask when evaluating his or her effectiveness as a coach. As Christian coaches, however, we need to be asking ourselves an additional set of questions. Have our athletes been affected for eternity? Have we spent time praying for them? Have they seen Jesus in our lives?

Our administrators, schools, and communities will evaluate us based on wins and losses and the way our athletes perform on the court. God’s standards are different. He has placed us with these athletes to make an eternal impact. We need to pray for the souls of the athletes under our care. In the midst of all the practice planning and game preparations, let us remember that what is unseen should be the highest priority of all.