As a coach, it’s hard to make athletes understand that improvement takes place in the off-season. I would always get the same excuse about needing time off after a hard season. Work ethic is a big deal to a coach. Athletes who put in the work are always better off in the end.

In Proverbs 10, Solomon tells about a wise young man who worked hard all summer, not wasting time being lazy or playing too many video games. (OK, that’s my version.) The young people in Solomon’s day made the most of their time and efforts. There are so many distractions today that getting a young athlete to understand the importance of year-round effort is a tough task. It’s good to drive home and see young people shooting baskets, playing catch, jogging, or riding bikes. They are doing something other than sitting inside and doing nothing. Solomon did not say hard work was a 24/7 thing, but it does take effort. Whatever your work may be—a summer job or your sport—work at it. Spend time working on the things you struggle with as an athlete so that when your season rolls around, your coaches will see your summer was not wasted. This concept also applies to our walk with Christ. We must constantly strive to grow closer to Him. I heard a promising high school quarterback say recently, “If kids our age would spend as much time reading the Bible as they do on video games, what kind of world would we have today?” Interesting thought.