All coaches want to make that perfect play call. That play that will be a guaranteed score. The play that there is just no stopping. And every athlete wants to be the one who runs the perfect play.

As athletes, your coach may tell you to visualize running every play perfectly. You might spend those pre-game moments alone in a quiet area just watching the game play out in your mind. And every one of us sees the same game play through our heads. . . The game is tied, and it is up to us to make the winning shot. We have the ball at the end of the game, and only the perfect play will win it all. Well, we all know that there is no perfect play. Things come up. Things usually don't go exactly how we planned.

One of my favorite things about John Wooden’s coaching was that he taught his players each year to put on their socks and tie their shoes properly. You’d think college-aged athletes could already do this, but Wooden took nothing for granted. He paid attention to the little things, which made the big things come more easily for his teams over the years.

Of course, Coach Wooden wanted to teach his players a lesson: If they were going to play in his program, they had to put aside what they wanted to do and follow his plans for the team. That discipline in the small things gave his teams great results, as they won 10 national championships and set an example for the rest of us how the little things make the biggest difference.

I was playing in a volleyball tournament, trying to apply what Scripture commands us Christians to do: seek the Lord, not just in our quiet times, but in every aspect of our lives. That principle goes along with the goal to not be conformed to this world, but to be conformed in the image of Christ Jesus. 

As the game began, I began to talk with the Lord right there on the court. I started by telling Him where I was at, what I was feeling, how I didn't want to lose the game. I was completely honest with Him and told Him that I was playing to impress the cute guy who had just walked through the door. I told Him how I didn't want to let down my teammates, and I shared how I wanted to impress the other girls on the opposing team.

Over the past two weeks, I have been listening to the guys on ESPN and the NFL shows give their two cents on the rules they’re going to enforce involving vicious hitting in pro football. The argument seems to be that violent collisions are occurring way too often and are being done with the intent to hurt a player, not just separate the man from the ball.

My father, Edward T. Britton, who was also my best friend, passed away at 7:52 a.m. on May 2, 2008. Eight days later, on May 10, more than 1,100 people attended his Celebration Service to honor a life well lived. It was an incredible evening of laughing and crying as we not only lifted up a man who impacted thousands during his lifetime, but also celebrated the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout his journey with leukemia, he always talked about God’s goodness, God’s greatness and God’s graciousness. One of my dad’s favorite verses he quoted often was Psalm 116:12: “How can I repay the Lord for His goodness to me?” He was so thankful for his life and God’s rich blessings.

Today’s athletes are being pressured to be the best. More athletes are turning to whatever they can to get to the top or to stay there. Alex Rodriguez is one case. If you’ve seen his recent interview, you know that he said the pressure to perform drove him to take banned substances.

Texas Ranger Josh Hamilton was also one of those athletes. He was an amazing talent as the No. 1 draft pick in 1999, and he quickly turned heads in the major leagues. But it did not last long. The pressure and stress of staying on top took its toll on Hamilton, and he turned to drugs and alcohol to help him deal with everything. Eventually, he was suspended from baseball in 2002. He was no longer No. 1 in his eyes, let alone the eyes of those who loved him.

Every year, in the early part of April, all across America the coming of spring is heralded by a festive celebration extending from Denver to Baltimore, Los Angeles to Boston, Tampa to Seattle, and especially in Cincinnati: MLB Opening Day. This day, which was just over a week ago, marks a fresh start for all Major League Baseball teams—a time when their record is 0-0 and their slate is wiped clean. It marks the beginning of a six-month season for the great American pastime, in which any team can begin a transformation from worst to first.