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May 29, 2009
Set:
It was the 4X400 meter relay, and the team was ready to take on its opponents. The official gave instructions, and the relay teams got ready to race. When the they were ready, the official began to call out the commands: "Runners to your mark. . . Set. . . " BANG! Off went the gun, and so did the runners, running steadily and increasing their speed.
As it came to the first handoff, everybody in the crowd was eagerly watching as the crucial part of the race went off successfully. But one handoff didn't; a baton was dropped. The runner had not been properly prepared to receive the baton from his teammate.
February 01, 2007
Set:
In sports a significant part of individual or team success depends on timing. The running of a screen play in football requires timing--the quarterback must draw the rushers toward himself, the pass must be timed so that the receiver catches it and waits for the pulling linemen to lead with blocks. In basketball the setting of a screen and the use of a screen requires teamwork, timing and discipline. Waiting for the screen to be set and for the ball to be in position before cutting can be the difference between an open shot and the defense's recovering.
January 28, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Brain Buckets. The 79-80 season was when the NHL made new comers wear the head gear. Prior to that it wasn’t thought of to be a need. But ask anyone whose taken a wack without it how much it is needed. It’s one of those things that we don’t really use in the game (head-butting a puck into the goal is not very effective). But when a stick comes up to high, or our skate slips out from under us, those hockey helmets are what saves us from a potentially deadly injury.
October 08, 2010
Set:
A pastor once told me about his job on a Navy ship in Europe—to stand night duty at port side. Sounds easy, right? But his job was to stand in the darkness from
midnight until 5:00 a.m. staring into the vast nothingness. His job was to watch for anything out of the ordinary. He would stand guard for hours in the black silence, watching for change.
Habakkuk stood guard. He was in turmoil over his land, so he decided to stand guard and wait for a voice from the Lord. He was looking for change. I wonder how long or how often Habakkuk stood guard, staring into the vast darkness, waiting on the Lord. I wonder what kind of determination it took to stand still in the midst of turmoil, waiting for a message from the Lord.
September 03, 2010
Set:
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.
November 05, 2007
Set:
Through adjustments and adversity, know there is a loving Lord whose arms are wide open:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
-John 3:16 (NIV)
Through trials and pain, know there is a Lord ready to comfort:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles. . ."
-2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
Through struggles and despair, know there is a Lord in whom you can confide:
February 03, 2010
Set:
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.
September 10, 2010
Set:
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.
July 30, 2010
Set:
As coaches, we have the opportunity to exert a powerful influence on the young people we coach. This influence is partly related to our coaching style and personalities. It is also related to the role we play in the lives of student athletes. We determine whether or not a young person will make the team and be a significant contributor.
We have all witnessed “in your face” coaches whose intensity rises to the level of demeaning individual athletes. The “in your face” style works on occasion if it’s used to challenge young athletes to improve their skills. However, when it is carried to extremes, it causes much more harm than good. No one wants to be humiliated by someone they respect and who determines their success on the team.
February 04, 2012
Set:
Anyone who has been either a player or a coach knows the value of encouragement, yet all too often we are quick to point out the mistakes and failures of others rather than their successes and the things they do well. Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement,” was a person who grasped the enormous value of blessing others with words. He came alongside believers in the midst of trials and troubles of all kinds, and he encouraged them to press on and to be all that God had called them to be.
November 01, 2008
Set:
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.
September 26, 2010
Set:
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.
January 17, 2007
Set:
"I'm coming there to make a difference. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't believe in this project. This could create something that we've all never seen before," said England soccer superstar David Beckham after signing a five-year, $250 million contract with Major League Soccer's L.A. Galaxy. With Beckham's soccer career in what is likely its final few years, time will tell if this move will prove to be fruitful for the Galaxy and for MLS.
January 21, 2010
Set:
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.
October 13, 2009
Set:
You walk through the gate, eyes cast down onto the field, bag slung over your shoulder. You mentally walk through each of your fears, again and again. A nearby ball is cascading excitedly across the wet grass, throwing beads of water onto your bare shins. You make it to the bleachers, nervous as ever, and equip your shins and feet with cleats, socks and shin-guards... What's going to happen next? A grueling tryout. Everything you do will be watched; every mistake and every success. You just hope your mistakes aren't too many.
June 07, 2010
Set:
As Christians, we are told over and over again that our bodies are the temples of the Lord, meaning that our physical bodies are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” It’s a truth that we should take seriously, and we should let it motivate us to care for our physical bodies, keeping them in good health. As athletes and coaches, we usually don’t have a problem with this since it’s part of our nature and our daily routine.
December 30, 2009
Set:
Hockey Chat: On the business side of hockey, it’s all personal. Although the good players create a fun game to watch, many teams (all that I know of) spend time with the community as well. In turn the community spends money on tickets and merchandise which in turn goes back into the players salaries. Both the players and fans appreciate each other and enjoy the relationship. If the players were rude and disowned the fans then the fans would fall away and not support the team.
February 01, 2012
Set:
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.
January 28, 2008
Set:
In reviewing results from New Year’s road races this year, I noticed a few that were prediction runs. Unlike typical road races, the awards in a prediction run do not go to the person with the fastest overall time or for an age group. The winner in a prediction run is the one who finishes with the time closest to what they listed before the race started.
October 19, 2010
Set:
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.
December 16, 2010
Set:
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.
January 18, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: A regulation size hockey goal opening is 24 square feet. A fully armored goalie covers approximately 18 square feet of that space leaving only 6 square feet of open net and that’s with the goalie standing still. It takes practice and determination to get the puck into the mere 25% of the goal that is uncovered while that padded guy is hopping around in front to stop it.
July 18, 2009
Set:
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.
November 20, 2008
Set:
I have been on an amazing journey this year just watching God perform powerful miracles in my life. For those of you who have not read any of my previous Impact Plays, I am on a quest to be the first person with Multiple Sclerosis to compete in a NPC bodybuilding contest. And I am approaching my 50th birthday!
May 17, 2010
Set:
Years ago when I first started coaching high school players, I made the mistake of throwing far too much at them in a short period of time. After just getting out of college, I tried to install things my players were not even close to being able to implement, but concepts that seem familiar and easy to me.
