Every season, coaches and players alike try to figure out the “secret formula” for winning a championship. Throughout my years as a player and coach, I’ve learned that every championship team has one thing in common. That one thing is not talent, it’s not size and it’s not intelligence. Time and time again, the common denominator of a championship team is a servant heart. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to believers. Even Jesus, the King of Kings, spent His entire life serving others. Sometimes He served others by listening to them. Sometimes He encouraged them. Sometimes He washed their feet. Ultimately, He served us all by dying on the cross.

Every time you step on the practice or game field, you should have one questing going through your mind, “How can I make my team better today?” Sometimes you do that by performing well at your position. Sometimes it’s by working hard during a drill. Other times it’s by encouraging a teammate who is having a bad day or by staying late after practice to clean up. Most players have a "me first" mentality and are only concerned with how well they perform or whether the coaches noticed their great play. But successful teams, championship teams, abandon the "me first" mentality and adopt the "we-first" mentality. When each player is focused on making the team better, a championship can be within reach. So, go out today knowing that having a servant’s heart will greatly impact your teammates’ performance in their sport and life.