Alphabetical
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February 07, 2012
Set:
As I read commentary on last week’s NFL Draft, I was reminded of that special feeling we get when we are chosen for a team. Whether it is being picked for the sandlot team, making the cut for the varsity, being recruited to a college, or being drafted to a professional organization, there is always a wonderful sense of acceptance and gratitude when we “make the team.”
I remember my own experience of walking up to the coach’s door after tryouts to see if my name was on his list. I remember grinning happily when I saw my name and high-fiving friends who also had made the team. I remember feeling called, chosen, set apart for a unique purpose. I was part of the team.
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December 18, 2012
Set:
I remember those games when I was a child where captains were appointed and then all waited to see who was picked by whom and when. Nobody wanted the distinction of being picked last. It was a horrible feeling, and I experienced it on a number of occasions.
How wonderful it feels to be wanted. Many times, people fall into bad relationships or immorality just because they desperately want to be wanted by someone, anyone.
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January 30, 2013
Set:
As a girls’ basketball coach, I remember one game last season in which my best player was having difficulty making lay-ups and playing defense. When I pulled her out of the game and asked her what was wrong, she said she hadn’t eaten anything and was hungry. I quickly sent an assistant coach to purchase a candy bar and a sports drink for her. Once she ate the snack, she was able to come back in the second half and perform well for a few minutes. Before long, however, the hunger pains returned. The snack hadn’t been enough.
When my player was hungry, I thought that giving her a convenient snack would satisfy her enough to make it through the game. What I didn’t consider, however, was that the quick fix was not enough to sustain her energy.
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December 16, 2013
Set:
During the Christmas season there seems to be a more evident and fresh feeling of hope in the air. There is extended time with family, presents to give and receive, more gifts and money given to those in need, cheerful music and so on. Most of us look forward to these things all year.
As a coach, I also notice this hope-filled feeling in our team right before each game. Leading up to the game we have practiced hard and prepared, and now the score’s 0-0. We have the hope of playing well and getting a victory.
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February 27, 2007
Set:
Basketball great, Bob Cousy once said, "Sports give your life structure, discipline and a genuine fulfillment that few areas of endeavor provide." I couldn't agree with him more. Sports can make a lasting impact and difference on every athlete's life. It's about facing adversity, handling the challenges of competition and dealing with the pressures of the game. Those combined through athletics forges our character and reveals our class.
What is class? I believe it's an easily recognizable quality that is hard to define. Class is demonstrated by athletes and coaches through their actions under pressure, in both victory and defeat.
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February 07, 2010
Set:
After I completed seven marathons, I decided to focus on running shorter distances and lowering my times. I trained hard using a diverse plan and felt ready to get out and test my improved half-marathon run time. However, I became so focused on the run time that I ignored my overall strategy and failed to run in such a way as to prevent injury. I knew the how and what of the race, but my focus became blurred because I was fixing my eyes on the wrong goal. I did not improve my time much and aggravated an old injury in the process. God taught me a valuable lesson.
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June 30, 2010
Set:
Now is the time for commitment. Today is the day of salvation. God wants you to know that 99 and a half percent won't do. If you've been a curious onlooker of Jesus and His cross for some time, then it's time to stop looking at the cross and time to get on it. Die to self, die to your own play book, die to your own game plan. Give it all to Jesus and take up Jesus life, His play book, and His game plan. Let Jesus take His rightful place as Coach of your life, not assistant coach as if you're still in charge, but as Head Coach where He is truly in charge.
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February 08, 2010
Set:
These words from the book of Ecclesiastes ran through my mind during my senior year in high school. We had just won the state championship the year before, but it seemed nearly everyone had already forgotten. The things of the world failed to satisfy my cravings for what was truly real, lasting, and meaningful in life. I was invited to an FCA Huddle meeting where Coach Patterson, one of the school’s football coaches, was scheduled to speak. At a time when I refused the wise counsel of most adults, the idea of hearing a coach’s speech attracted me. The advice of a coach has tremendous influence and power because most athletes are conditioned at a young age to listen to and respect their coach.
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March 09, 2013
Set:
How do we respond to our coach’s correction? How do we react when a teammate tells us our technique needs improvement? The answers could reveal a lot about our character.
How deeply impressed would we be by 100 blows to our back? Pretty deeply I suppose. For athletes this may be 100 laps around the gym floor. I hope it wouldn’t take 100 to make an impression. For fools it seems that it takes 100 blows to make a good impression. For people of understanding, it takes something else.
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February 13, 2010
Set:
As coaches we want to mold our players to produce a championship team. We know that if each player accepts his role, believes in our plan, and executes it, then we will be positioned to win. But if the reliever wants to start and the lead-off hitter swings for the fences with two strikes, your chances for having a great season are slim. The greatest challenges a coach faces are to properly identify roles and to consistently encourage players to believe in the coaching staff, their teammates, themselves, and their assigned roles.
