You Are Here > Resources / All Archive / All Archive - April 2014
Like most high school coaches, I had a goal to help an athlete win a state championship some day. As a former 800-meter runner myself, I wanted to help an athlete win that exact event. In my first season as a high school distance coach, I stood at the state meet as God taught me a valuable lesson. One of my runners was in the finals of the 800-meter race.
NFL coach-turned-analyst Herman Edwards calls it like it is. You may or may not agree with him, but you will certainly not be bored. He isn't afraid to be open and honest based on his years of experience as a player and coach, and he doesn’t beat around the bush.
As an amateur cyclist (very amateur), I just love the Tour de France. For 21 Stages in just 23 days, 180 of the most highly conditioned athletes ride 2,200 miles through some of the most beautiful countryside and grueling mountains in the world. It’s considered the “Super Bowl” of cycling, and it’s arguably one of the most physically, mentally and spiritually demanding events in all of sports. The riders average over 100 miles each day and burn over 130,000 calories! And while most of us would find it hard to drive a car thru the Alps, just imagine trying to do it on a bike.
Once while battling through some of the more stressful moments in coaching, I picked up a devotional seeking comfort. It was early in the morning, and I was hoping that the writing for that day would speak directly to my situation.
“No way. Are you kidding me? What??” Those were my responses when someone told me news I never thought I would hear.
It had been right after I’d finished up speaking at a college FCA Huddle several years ago. One athlete, who I thought would never enter an FCA meeting, showed up to the Huddle. This player had been antagonistic to the things of Christ and was as mean-spirited as anyone I’d ever met. If there was a fight in practice, he was in the middle of it. If there was foul language being shouted out on the football field, it usually came from him. In my estimation, this kid was as far from becoming a Christian as LeBron James was from winning Wimbledon. In my mind, it was just not going to happen.
Many times as athletes we get caught up in the competition and forget the reason as to why we are actually competing. Many of the role models today are looked up too because they are full of pride and want to exalt themselves. However, God calls us to a higher standard and demands that we exalt Him and humble ourselves. Just as talked about in John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Several years ago, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University smacked her first home run in her college career with two runners on base in a playoff game against Central Washington University. While rounding the bases, she missed first base. As she started back to tag it, she collapsed with a knee injury. All she could do was crawl back to first, and if her teammates helped her, she would be called out.
Central Washington first baseman Mallory Holtman reportedly asked the umpire if she and her teammates could help Tucholsky. The umpire said yes, so Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace put their arms under Tucholsky’s legs, and Tucholsky put her arms over their shoulders. The three rounded the bases, stopping only to let Tucholsky touch each bag with her uninjured leg.
One of the most overlooked participants on a competitive cheer squad, especially when a routine is going well, is the athlete called the “base.” As a matter of fact, when a cheer squad is nailing their routine, the base will hardly be noticed at all. However, when a “flier” misses a landing or a base misses a catch, I guarantee the base will be noticed. You see, the base is the foundation; everything must be built upon and supported by a firm base.
Ministry
Sport
Book of the Bible
FCA Bible Topic