Hockey Chat: Not every thing always goes as planned.  An off the mark pass.  Missed shot.  Whatever it may be, getting ticked off and giving up isn’t going to make it any better.  Take it that the play is still good and don’t give up on it.  Whatever didn’t happen then will turn into another opportunity and that’s something to be thankful for even if it wasn’t the original play. 

Hockey Chat:  On April 10th 1982, the Edmonton Oilers were proud of their 5-0 lead in late in the third period.  Then the LA Kings remained humble and hard working and their efforts lifted the team to an OT victory.

Hockey Chat:  Some guys use graphite sticks. Some guys use aluminum sticks. Some guys use composite sticks.  Some guys use wood sticks.  When you have your stick, you trust in it and anything else just isn’t right.

Imagine this: You are on the field, the mat, the court or the track, and the stands are full of cheering spectators. The crowd is watching your every move. As athletes, we thrive under these circumstances.

But do we remember that every day, whether competing or not, we have heavenly and earthly witnesses watching our every move? We must realize that we don’t compete or perform to please the crowds; rather, we should strive to please God alone. We should compete to show God’s glory to those who are watching us.

De'Andre had it all: a great college basketball career behind him, a Master's Degree from a prestigious institution and an awesome job on Capitol Hill. He had the world by the tail. He thought he had it all on his own. Thinking he didn't need any help, he walked away from his faith and continued to thrive by the world's standards. But when the things of the world didn't fill him up, he decided that he needed more. He left his career to chase a dream. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as this is where his true adventure began. When his dream crumbled, he ran and hid. People offered help, love and care, but he was lost in the sin of the world. He had no desire to return home to Christ.

Jesus chose to serve His disciples and followers rather than to be served. He displayed an example for them to follow and called them to a purpose beyond themselves. Servant leadership can be defined as guiding and directing through submission and acknowledging the value of others. A coach holds a position to lead and has an opportunity to teach players, through example, what it means to serve like Christ.

This was the prayer of King Solomon as he was about to take office. Rather than ask for riches or power, he asked for wisdom and understanding. Solomon knew that the key characteristic for an effective leader was wisdom to make good decisions. His decisions often concerned life or death situations. Our decisions are more often about whether to pass or run, a fastball or curveball, inside or outside, man to man or zone.

Solomon also desired an understanding heart to judge the people. Solomon knew, and the best coaches know, that leadership is all about people, not systems. Coaches will be at their best when they are in tune with their players’ hearts.

We all know the story. It has been fantasized in the minds of aspiring athletes everywhere. It has been replayed continuously on driveways and vacant lots all over the world. Whether it’s one second left on the clock, the bottom of the ninth inning, or the last ten meters of a race, somehow the unlikely hero snatches victory from the jaws of defeat and basks in the adoration of the make-believe crowd.

As the father of a high school senior who is currently faced with some difficult but exciting decisions about his future as a college student-athlete, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about how he’ll make his final decision on such an important issue.

There are many things to consider when you’re looking to find the school that represents the right fit for you. In my son’s case, he’s listed academic quality as his most important priority, but after that, things like quality of campus life, his future coach, tuition costs, etc., all come into play.

Patience precedes all great things in life. It is only through patience that we achieve anything impressively large, bigger than ourselves, lasting, powerful, or useful. We all want to be a part of greatness, yet not all are willing to endure the patience it requires. Patience is by definition the capacity for waiting; the ability to endure waiting and delay without becoming annoyed or upset; or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties. We live in a world of immediacy. Waiting is not tolerated. If we get annoyed just sitting at a red light, imagine the struggle to wait on the bigger things in life. We can start learning to wait with the little opportunities we have each day like standing in the grocery line, waiting at practice to master a new skill, or sitting in traffic.