Do you eat until you’re stuffed or just until you’re full?

Philippians 3:12-14 – It all starts with right desires, but to press ahead we need discipline and trust in God.

Great athletes start with desire, but they don’t just wake up one day as champions. It takes a passionate and disciplined routine of mental and physical training. You can perform at your best only as you get focused on your goal and then give it everything you’ve got.

Ready

Yogi Berra once said, “Baseball is 90 percent mental, and the other half is physical.” While Yogi’s math might be a little off, he is right on target with the importance of training the mind.

Unfortunately, American culture has created weak-minded, undisciplined, unfocused people. We think multi-tasking makes us more productive, but it destroys concentration.

Failure threatened to expose Coach Scott Glabb. He slumped against the door frame of the Santa Ana High School wrestling room and watched the last of his wrestlers exit the school after practice. But could he even call it a practice? He’d wasted the first 15 minutes searching for the keys to his office after his athletes had locked him out … again. And when he’d finally gotten to the wrestling room, he’d found that half of his team was missing. Of the few who had shown up, two were set to exchange blows over allegedly stolen wrestling shoes, and one appeared to be intoxicated.

When I was first approached by FCA to submit an article for Sharing the Victory magazine, I was (#1) humbled, but also (#2) excited to be able to publicly appreciate my wife. Little did I know that this would be one of the most difficult things that I ever venture to do. God has more than taught me through this process, and I feel as if I would be dishonoring what I’ve been led to do if I didn’t write from the heart. Besides, there is no real victory without real authenticity. So, that being said, I’d like to share the following with you.

There is a plot: Mike Sanford, in his second season as head football coach at UNLV, is working long hours in an attempt to stop a streak  four straight losing seasons and transform the program into a Mountain West Conference power.

And there is a subplot: He will do it his way. He will do it the only way that will mesh with his beliefs. He will do it by offering his players a pipeline to God.

Cal Ripken, Jr. has always said, “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” When you look at his career, it’s hard to argue against that wisdom. If practice made perfect then Shaquille O’Neal wouldn’t have a career free throw percentage of just over 50 percent.

If you practice the wrong technique over and over again — even if you think you are doing it right — all you will become is very good at doing something the wrong way.

Mike Minter and Mike Rucker, two longstanding pillars in the Carolina Panthers’ defense, are the best of friends. But there’s one thing Minter, a safety, just can’t understand about his chum, a hulking defensive end.

On August 30, 2006, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to experience a day with FCA’s rapidly expanding inner-city ministry there. The ministry, spearheaded by FCA Area Representative David Kiehn, seeks to bring restoration and prosperity to the city by touching the lives of athletes and coaches in some of D.C.’s roughest areas. During my visit I met with football coaches at Dunbar High School and Anacostia High School. What I found was that change within D.C.’s inner-city doesn’t occur overnight by passing a bill or amending a law, but by reaching the hearts of its youth with the gospel.

Far away from the adoring fans and the harassing media, the smooth-talking agents and the lure of the NBA, Alabama point guard Ronald Steele withdraws to quiet places to pray.

A preseason All-American, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Steele has high expectations for his junior year with the Tide. He dreams of an SEC title for his team and All-America honors for himself. He dreams of next season, too.

I love the story of the underdog. I love to read articles or watch movies that tell inspiring stories of people who have faced challenging odds or amazing obstacles and have triumphed in the end. It is a testament to what is possible for those who believe — for those who sacrifice, strive, strain and never give up.

If we are honest, a lot of us feel like we are underdogs when it comes to our health.

Washington Union High School (WUHS) Cheer Coach Salina Diaz sighed deeply as she headed toward the gym to talk with her squad. She knew it wouldn’t be a happy meeting — not with the news she had to share.