How many of us have ever started a practice, game or even a season without a plan? To me, that idea doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. As coaches, we have plans coming out our ears! As a coach, I started working on next season just as soon as the current one was over. After all, I had to recruit in-coming freshman and encourage the returning athletes to come back. The last thing I wanted was for them to lose interest in being part of the team.

I’m such a pack rat. Over the years I’ve saved so many coaching plans, even ones for sports I’ve never coached. You never know when you’ll be the head coach of a new sport someday, right? You just have to be ready at a moment’s notice.

I don’t know if you’ve ever read the FCA Coach’s Mandate, or not, but I love it. In line 12 of the Mandate, it offers a phrase that counters my mindset. It says, “Trust God to produce in my athletes His chosen purposes, regardless of whether the wins are readily visible.” This goes along with what God says in Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT): “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” In this verse, we find a direct promise of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness, yet we often struggle to apply it to our coaching.

For years I thought I was sold-out to coaching for Jesus, but the attitude I had was different. I trusted God to provide for me and my family. I trusted His plan for my life and that He would put me at the school He knew I needed to be at. But that was about where it ended. How arrogant does this sound? “God, I know You are God. I know You love me and have a plan for me. I know all of this, but I’ve got this football thing. Don’t worry about it. I know what I’m doing.” Really? Did I not think God could come up with a better game plan than I could? Did I actually think I could break down game film better than God could?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should stop watching film, stop having practice schedules or just wing it on Friday nights. I’m saying that, since I thought I knew how to break down film better than God, I missed out on the first four years of my oldest daughter’s life. I was too busy being my own little football god instead of growing closer to Him in all aspects of my life.

That line from the Coach’s Mandate says it is HIS chosen purpose in our athletes’ lives; not ours. We cannot and are not supposed to be god in our players’ lives. I beg you, don’t try to be! Grow your relationship with God and enjoy ALL the blessings He has given you—not just the ones that come from the team. Athletes, this goes for you too. Don’t try to do it all on your own. Trust God and His plan for you and your teammates and coaches. Do what you can do, and trust Him with the results!