Being a sports fan my entire life, I have always watched athletes and paid close attention to the way they conduct themselves on and off the field. In particular I have always watched for humility in these athletes.

To me, I’d always thought humility was most clearly displayed through those who gave their teammates the credit, handed the ball to the official after a touchdown, or celebrated a goal in a respectable way. Lately, however, I’ve realized that this is only the beginning of what true humility means. It’s easy for athletes to appear humble on the surface by doing the aforementioned things when everything is going well, but true humility really occurs in the heart.

I wake up to the sound of a jingle coming from my chocolate lab’s collar at the foot of my bed. Abbie is rustling around getting ready for a new day and soon makes her way over to my side of the bed. She sits looking up at me waiting to see if I’m going to join her. After all, it’s a beautiful new day created by the beautiful One.

With Abbie in tow I head out of the driveway for my morning run along a dirt road. The road seems to play out my life with each step I take. It is uneven and filled with deep holes, and I know that at any moment I could trip and fall. But I have faith in God’s path and direction, and I press onward responding to His call.

I have been a defensive coordinator for much of my football coaching career and have spent numerous hours studying film. Over time I have changed my approach to studying film. In preparing for the upcoming opponent I used to try to learn everything about them. What plays do they run from each formation? Are they strong oriented? Are they field oriented? What is their ratio of run to pass? First down? Second down? Third and long? Third and short?

I’m a Longhorn, a proud University of Texas graduate. I worked hard to earn a degree and even met my husband there. So, yes, we’re both Longhorns!

I used to say we weren’t those “fanatical Longhorn fans,” but then I noticed the amount of burnt orange clothing hanging in our closets, the UT flag on the front of the house, the room in our house that is painted burnt orange, and I realized I needed to admit we were a little more “fanatical” than I thought.

Have you ever had to play a game being down a player? Maybe not enough people showed up. Maybe someone got a red card or a player was serving penalty time. Regardless of the situation, it can be intimidating. All of a sudden, what was once a level playing field becomes a lopsided match. We look at our opponents and think, “Wow. This doesn’t seem fair. They have such a big advantage, now.”

Ever hear, “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying”? As an offensive lineman, I would justify holding by saying, “It’s only cheating once you get caught.” In football, holding by an offensive lineman is considered the same as driving a little over the speed limit. Yes, it is breaking a rule, but it is expected and everyone does it.

As a player, I held almost every play; and as a coach, I taught how to not get caught. Then a colleague informed me that allowing my players to hold is allowing them to be lazy. Holding can compensate for slow feet, lack of strength, and poor technique. Premeditated holding is ethically wrong, a form of cheating, and creates a slacker attitude. God wants, expects, and deserves our best.

Matt, an FCA student-athlete, was drafted out of high school in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. He shared an interesting concept with me. He said that during warm-ups, the pro players did something called fake hustle. When running, they would move their arms faster than normal and over-exaggerate their legs up and down, but they were not running faster. From a distance the coaches thought they were hustling and giving 100%, but actually they were faking it.

As students, we are often asked questions about our future plans. Whether we are asked about our plans for school, the weekend, or even just the afternoon, they generally aren't that hard to answer. "Oh, I'm going to [this university] and participating in [this sport]." Or, "I'm going to chill with some friends tonight." Recently, though, I found myself answering a question that was a little more serious: “What are your plans for your life?”

Man, this question hit me hard! And the reason it struck me so much was because I thought I had my life all figured out. Now, you may be thinking, "Hey, that's great that she has such plans." I thought so too at first, but then I realized that having my life all planned out wasn't that great.

Coaches are famous for using sayings and quotes to get players pumped up for whatever sport they’re playing. I have a friend who hangs signs with different sayings all over his team’s locker room. One sign in particular really resonates with me. It’s the one posted just above the door that leads out of the locker room. It says, “Discipline is not what I do TO you; it is what I do FOR you.”

The game is on the line; the next play can make or break the outcome. The quarterback drops back in the pocket and throws deep into the end zone. Many players jump for the ball, but the receiver comes down with it right by the line. Did he have his foot down in bounds? The line judge signals touchdown, but before the extra point is kicked, the referee waves his arms and says, "The previous play is under further review." Off he goes to find out what the decision will be.

The context of the verse above indicates a rather materialistic place. Jesus had just addressed being concerned about food, clothing and drink. The issue, though, is greater than “all these things” being added to those who seek and find the Kingdom.

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.”