We were having an intersquad scrimmage and I was standing among a group of athletes, waiting to find out which team I would be on. I was sure that I would be placed on the team with the best athletes in the school, who were also my best friends. But instead, I was chosen to join a team that was considered to be the underdogs. In my anger and disgust, I told the coach that I was going to quit and began walking off of the field.

To my surprise, the coach let me go. I had been so sure that he would try to stop me, but he didn’t. As I continued walking away slowly, I started thinking, What am I going to tell my parents? And what are my friends going to think of me?

It’s finally over. I just completed my first tax season as an accountant. It was a huge transition for me as last year at this time I was competing in a baseball season. This year, it was tax season.

In baseball we all look forward to opening day. We can’t wait for the day when we finally get to quit scrimmaging our own teammates and suit up against another team. As opening day draws nearer, we all get those pre-game jitters. We know are ready to play, but the fact that it’s something new causes us to be a little bit nervous and anxious.

Imagine an athlete lying outside a doctor’s office for 38 years, unable to walk because both legs are broken. For nearly 4 decades he waits for his name to be called. Then some guy comes up and says, “You’re next. Do you want to get well?” My first response would be, “Duh! Why do you think I’ve been sitting here for so long?” Then I would probably say something like, “I’ve been here so long I’ve read every sports magazine published since 1970, had 13,870 cups of coffee (one a day), and watched 38 World Series. I’m still waiting for the Cubs to win. Of course I want to be healed!”

It’s usually a good rule of thumb to stay away from stereotypes and cultural clichés in order to avoid potentially embarrassing confrontations with the obligatory “exception to the rule.” But in Curtis Brown’s case, even he admits that a predictable portion of life in Saskatchewan—his native Canadian province—can be described in two words: farming and hockey.

Born in the small rural town of Unity, Brown grew up on a farm where he instinctively fell in line with the majority of his young friends. “What Canadians do is hockey,” Brown says. “I was probably about four when I started skating. I was just like the other kids. If you didn’t play hockey, you were definitely an outsider.”

“Commitment” is a big buzz word in sports today. Coaches are asking for commitment, players want to be committed, and schools are looking for a four-year commitment. But commitment is a word that is used very loosely today. (I personally believe that we need more athletes who are committed to their academic success before their athletic careers, but I’m old school on that one.)

When it comes to commitment, Jesus Christ wants us to be committed as well. He desires our commitment. When is the last time you said, “Lord, I am committing this to You!”

It’s the time of the year when winter sports teams are taking shape and seasons are hitting full-swing. I can’t help but think back to my days as a hockey player looking forward to team tryouts. I was an eighth grader looking forward to playing hockey and basketball. I was so excited! But, as things unfolded, the first tryouts for hockey came and went, and I didn’t make the team. I was crushed, but I still had high hopes for basketball tryouts. Well, I was cut from that, too. It was tough for me to think that I wasn’t good enough to make either of the teams I wanted so desperately to play for.

Hockey Chat:  After being picked up in an NHL draft, many players spend time in the minor leagues.  It is there that they work hard to prove themselves worthy of moving up to the major league team. When they are called up, they are given a little bit of ice time.  Then a bit more as they continue to prove themselves.  It’s a matter of earning their ice time and spot in the NHL by proving themselves in the lesser leagues.