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April 13, 2014
Set:
Find a sporting event and you’re guaranteed to find its most common companion—the second-guesser. Coach long enough, and you’re bound to make somebody unhappy. The coaching profession, though highly rewarding, can be extremely stressful. The quicker a coach learns that you can’t please everyone, the better. This is often easier said than done. So is there a secret?
Many would advise to “get thicker skin.” Thick skin is fine, but in order to avoid a smug and even arrogant attitude toward the “Monday morning quarterbacks,” let’s examine some spiritual principles to help us.
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April 12, 2014
Set:
The joy of the Lord is our strength. How many times have we heard that? I feel like I say it but don’t always put my full effort into believing it.
In this passage, Nehemiah is talking to the people about the law of God. The people are weeping because they know they have disappointed God, but I believe this response from Nehemiah shows God’s heart: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
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April 11, 2014
Set:
In any sport, when a team has the upper hand whether through having better players or a big lead in the score, their coach will often encourage them by saying, “We play to win.” So often, teams that have the upper hand will play down to the level of their competition. Instead of playing to win, they start playing to not lose. In those times, they will often let the competition come back and, many times, beat them.
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April 10, 2014
Set:
As a cross-country skier, I have to train all year. Since we have not had much snow in the last couple of years, we have had to do dry-land training so that when the snow comes we are ready. Skiing is both a team and an individual sport, and we train for endurance, technique and strength. And although we have a team behind us encouraging us along the way to keep us going and making us want to succeed, it is still up to us as individuals how much we put into the sport.
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April 09, 2014
Set:
Have you ever disagreed with your coach’s game strategy or played with a teammate with whom you didn’t see eye to eye? Have you ever competed against an opponent who made you really angry? As athletes, we come into contact with a lot of people: coaches, teammates, opponents, referees, and fans; and we’re not always going to agree with them.
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April 08, 2014
Set:
I used to love going to airports when I was in college. My teammates, coaches and I would proudly sport our team sweats as we went through security, grabbed coffee and waited for the plane. As a bunch of women all dressed the same we were definitely noticed and we were never alone; we experienced the trip together. I just loved being a part of a team.
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April 07, 2014
Set:
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.
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April 06, 2014
Set:
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.
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April 05, 2014
Set:
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.
