You Are Here > Popular content / Popular content
After playing in and coaching thousands of games, I have found that I struggle with one main issue: Whose team is God on—my team or the other team? How can God pick sides? If He does pick sides, how does He decide which side to be on? If there are Christians on both teams, then how can God be on both teams? These questions challenge us as athletes and coaches.
Developed for and used originally for the 2010 REV3 Triathlon at Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury, CT, June 4 - 6, 2010.
For source files (MS Word), contact doug@caseyworks.com. God Bless!
Download high-rez JPG files below.
As athletes and coaches we know a lot about disciplining our bodies, but there is one muscle we often neglect to discipline: our tongues. Our gifts and skills may allow us to achieve athletic success, but our ability to maintain that success and honor God with it has much to do with how we use our words.
Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created..." How did He create? By speaking. Throughout the next few verses of the chapter, it is revealed that God did not simply act, He used words to establish creation. “And God said…” This gives us the earliest demonstration of the power of words. Later, when "the Word became flesh" and Jesus came to live among us (John 1:14), we read that He used words to fight the temptations of Satan by declaring the Word of God (Matthew 4).
It’s common for college athletes to build long-lasting relationships with their teammates and coaches—connections that last years after graduation. But for three members of the Purdue University women’s basketball program, a shared passion for FCA and international missions has drawn them even closer, helping them form spiritual bonds that will last into eternity.
Two former athletes are watching a game. They get into an argument about which of them was a better athlete. Jesus walks in and asks to sit down. The two question Him about where He went to school (University of Nazareth), and which sport He played (Cross Training). In the questions He describes salvation and the cross experience. One walks out and rejects Him. The other listens and stops harassing Him, eventually coming to know Him in a personal way.
A man comes to the doctor’s office and the receptionist asks him to have a seat. He has a cold. As the other sick people come in and see the doctor, the first man keeps acquiring all of their symptoms. He’s itching, sneezing, twitching, etc. Finally a pregnant woman comes in and the man screams , “NO!”, and runs out.
Characters: receptionist, pregnant woman, man who gets illnesses, and the people who are sick
Athletes must know their purpose on the team. For example, the purpose of an offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback and create space for the running back. The purpose of a pitcher is to prevent a batter from getting a hit. On the soccer field a goalkeeper’s purpose is to keep the ball from landing in the net.
Just as athletes have a purpose, each coach has a specific purpose as well. An assistant coach may be in charge of one aspect of the team, such as serving as an offensive coordinator. Perhaps his job is to lead the team in prepractice stretches. Head coaches have a responsibility beyond atheletic training; they are called upon to mold and shape the lives of young people.
David experienced some very low times in his life. During one of these times, Absalom, his son, had taken over the capitol city, and David had to run to the hills for his life. During his hasty retreat, David encountered a man named Shimei, who was walking on a hillside. From where he stood, Shimei began to curse David and throw stones and dirt at him. David was flanked on the right and left by loyal members of his administration, and they were getting hit with stones as well.
1 – Why is selflessness so important to successful teams?
2 – Here’s another angle on this question from John 12:24-25 (read the text aloud).
Terraceena Green limped to the stage. It was "open mic" time during the final night of the 2008 FCA Black Mountain Girls Camp, and she had a story to tell.
The room — filled with hundreds of other campers, Huddle Leaders and adults — fell silent. Some had gotten to know 17-year-old Terraceena, or "TT," earlier that week. Many had not. But almost all of them had noticed something different about her.
Have several male volunteers come up and have them each select a beautician from the audience. Give the beautician beauty supplies: shaving cream, and other items if you wish (sprinkles, chocolate syrup, etc.). Have the beautician put the shaving cream in their partner’s hair and try to beautify him as much as possible. Have the crowd applaud to determine the best job and the winner.
During a recent Monday Night Football game, I watched as two future Hall of Fame coaches took the field. The TV announcers shared how they had talked with a player who had played for both coaches in the past. They asked him what was the different in coaching styles. He said that one coached by fear, the other by love. When asked what the player preferred, he shared that both can be effective, but that love lasts forever.
One of my favorite sayings as a coach was “Don’t tell me. Show me.” Today, however, some athletes have a hard time backing up what they say. They talk a good game, but they can’t always live it out.
Recently while I was fasting for a major FCA event we were hosting, I came to the realization that fasting was much like carbohydrate loading. As a marathon runner, I have used various forms of this tactic before my races. One way to “carbo load” is to deplete your body of energy-producing carbohydrates (sugars) for a few days, and then on the day before the activity, consume primarily carbohydrates. The idea is to use your maximized energy sources when you need them for your competition.
I don’t mean to get personal or be nosy, but how are your investments and where are they held? Most things we invest in are temporary and sometimes risky. That’s why God wants us to make wise, lasting investments in things of eternal significance. “God did not create us for time; He created us for eternity.”1 Therefore, let’s invest in relationships. At the end of our lives, our wins and losses, our bank accounts, stocks, retirement account, and social security income won’t mean much. Our relationships, however, will be the crown jewel of our lives. Relationships with our families, friends, and most importantly with Jesus Christ will be the true measure of our wealth.
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…” – James 4:8
Last season, TCU Head Baseball Coach Jim Schlossnagle was honored by the NCBWA as college baseball’s coach of the year after leading the Horned Frogs to their first College World Series. With plenty of postseason experience under his belt, Schlossnagle is hoping to lead his team to Omaha again this season, and, even more importantly, impact lives for Christ in the process.
It was the first FCA meeting of my freshman year. A couple of weeks had gone by since the beginning of school, and I had yet to find a group—not a good way to start off high school. I felt left out. I felt like an outcast. For years, people targeted me as the brunt of all the jokes, whether because of my size or my lack of athleticism. But that night... That night changed me for the better.
I’ve been blessed to accomplish some amazing feats that only a handful of female basketball players have achieved. During my career, I’ve been honored to play on an NCAA National Championship team, a WNBA Championship team and an Olympic gold medal team. At Notre Dame, I hit the game-winning shot and was voted the 2001 Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. With the Detroit Shock, I was named the 2003 WNBA Finals MVP.
“Thank you, sir.” Square feet and shoulders . . . dribble, dribble . . . spin . . . dribble . . . spin . . . bend knees . . . shoot. That is my routine for shooting a free throw. Early in my career my coaches instilled a need for routine whenever our team stood at the line. A routine mentally prepares us for the task ahead. Free throws can come at any point in a game with varying degrees of pressure. I can still feel the pressure after missing a shot—people either let out a sigh of relief or disappointment.
Dallas Steward’s path to the Sioux Falls Stampede bench began as a player chasing his NHL dreams. After a successful career in college and in the minors, the Chippewa Falls, Wis., native decided to hang up the skates and pick up a whistle. Transitioning from player to coach has been a learning experience, but the same passion with which he played is now being translated to his players through his Christ-like modeling of dedication and determination.
I grew up in a Christian family in Peterborough, Ontario. As a young athlete, I did my best to balance my hockey career with the faith I had embraced as a six-year-old boy. My parents were great examples of what it looks like to trust Jesus. I can remember coming downstairs before school every day and seeing my mom reading her Bible and praying.
Why is it that we must test and prove everything we hear? It’s hard to live by faith because we want to feel in control of life. When we speculate on how many stars there are, we establish space programs to go prove it. If someone tells us that the paint is still wet, we must touch it to see for ourselves.
In today’s world men and women are bombarded with choices, and the decisions they make will deeply impact the rest of their lives. In order to make wise and life-producing decisions, people need truth. Instead, what they see all around then is cynicism and hypocrisy. What’s missing in our society is honesty, fairness, faithfulness, and humility.
Prior to the 1999 Major League Draft, Josh Hamilton was considered a prospect with all the tools. A 6’4” southpaw who could both stun hitters from the mound with his 96-mph fastball and shame pitchers from the plate with his bat speed of 110 mph, Hamilton had incalculable potential in the game. He held the world of baseball at his fingertips.
The materials for this activity include two blindfolds and two water guns. Break into two groups and take one member from each group out of the room and blindfold them. While they are being blindfolded, put two water guns in the room somewhere. When the blindfolded players come back in, each group has to verbally guide their player to find their water pistol. Once they each find their pistol, the groups instruct them so they can have a water fight. The team members will be giving directions for a direct hit.
Hint:
Ministry
Sport
Book of the Bible
FCA Bible Topic