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-age athletes could already do this, but Wooden took nothing for granted. He paid attention to the little things which made the big things come easier 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, winning ten national championships and setting an example for us of the fact that little things make the biggest difference.

Are you willing to pay the price and ask others tough questions? Being on staff with FCA, I have the opportunity to spend time with amazing ministry, sports and business leaders from around the world. My goal is to be a sponge around them and ask as many questions as possible. Asking the tough questions produces powerful insights, but most people try to impress others by talking the entire time. Very few athletes and coaches maximize the opportunity to do what life-learners always do: Ask Questions. Shut Up. Listen. Take Notes.

“A prudent question is one half of wisdom.”
- Francis Bacon

Every athlete is after greatness. But the pursuit is short-lived for many. One petite athlete has been in pursuit for many, many years now. Michelle Kwan won her eighth U.S. title on January 11. She has been in pursuit of greatness for more than 13 years and doesn't appear to be stopping any time soon. Her goal is the next Olympics games in 2006. She is going for more!

After leading the nation in total offense and passing yards per game last season, University of Houston quarterback Case Keenum was all set to lead the Cougars to another great run in 2010. That all changed, however, when in just their third game Keenum suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him to the sideline for his senior season. As a man of faith, the injury forced Keenum to rely on the Lord in new ways and to fully trust in the Lord’s ultimate plan.

What do we do to quiet our minds and keep perspective about life? Where do we go to relax, reflect, and meditate? How do we stay true to who we are when everybody is praising our teams and us? The Scripture above explains how Jesus accomplished this.

Jesus had a unique quality in His life that most of us miss. He valued solitude over popularity. In quiet reflection, free from the flattering crowds, He maintained clarity of thought about who He was, His values, and His life goals. He knew that it is easy to pander to a crowd of flattering people. He was more concerned with pleasing His Father in heaven.

When God transforms a person’s life, it always leads people to realize His glory. In cases of true transformation at the work of His Holy Spirit, the power of God will be what is most noticed, not the power or personal glory of the individual whose life was changed.

There is a natural tendency in all of us to replace the word “God” with the word “me” when we read the verse above from Galatians 1:24. But there is incredible power in a life that shuns the pursuit of self and surrenders everything for the pursuit of God.

In this account from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is awakened by His disciples when a storm seems to be threatening their lives. In the middle of what they considered a frightening situation, Jesus asks them, “Where is your faith?”

Once at a summer camp, I observed three kids struggling to maneuver a canoe in a small pond. As the camp counselor sat on the shoreline and yelled directions to them, the children became confused and scared. From what I could tell, their feelings were probably brought on by the fact that they were not listening to the counselor or that they were just making wrong decisions. Nonetheless, they didn’t understand how to properly paddle and they lacked the faith that they would be safe.

After leading the nation in total offense and passing yards per game last season, University of Houston quarterback Case Keenum was all set to lead the Cougars to another great run in 2010. That all changed, however, when in just their third game Keenum suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him to the sideline for his senior season. As a man of faith, the injury forced Keenum to rely on the Lord in new ways and to fully trust in the Lord’s ultimate plan.

Weight lifters often use spotters to help them stay safe during workouts and get maximum results. In your own experience, have you ever done a bench press workout without a spotter? I have. And when I tried it, my workout was lack luster. I couldn’t work out as intensely as I could have if I’d known I had someone there.

When I bench press, I’m so much more effective when I have a spotter to encourage me and offer help if I need it. When I get tired, my spotter speaks encouraging words or helps me lift, and he provides just enough help so that I can finish that last rep or two. He really helps me have a great workout instead of just a good workout.

The Final Four was and always will be one of the most exciting sporting events. Even if you are not a basketball person, it is awesome to watch March Madness as it narrows down 68 teams into four core teams. This makes me think about FCA's Four Core. Not four core teams but four core values. FCA's desire is that all our relationships will demonstrate a steadfast commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word through our values of integrity, serving, teamwork and excellence.

Everyone has one at least one favorite game-changing sports moment. It’s that one play during a game that changes everything. In a single moment, momentum shifts, and it alters the outcome of the game. Sometimes, the play not only changes the game, but also an athlete’s entire career.