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Henry Ford used to dress incognito and walk throughout his factories, randomly giving $100 bills to those working hard and staying on task, even though their managers were far out of sight. As word spread about this “mystery money man,” production sales skyrocketed. By 1914, Ford held roughly 48% of the automobile industry.
A while ago, my best friend, Heather, and I participated in an urban scavenger hunt-style race. The goal was to solve 12 challenges faster than any other team. Each challenge consisted of solving a riddle and getting yourself to the solution (by foot or public transportation only) and taking a photo. For example, we had to take a photo of ourselves in front of the second oldest building on the campus of a local college.
Timeout was called. There were only five seconds on the clock before halftime — enough time to run a good out-of-bounds play to score. Everyone paid attention in the huddle and knew the play. The ball was ready to go in. The play began, but Matt had a different plan. He received the ball and went to the basket, just missing the shot. He was so excited when he got into the locker room until a teammate informed him that he had shot at the wrong basket. Matt did what every good player would do in this situation: he hid as long as he could from the coach, which happened to be me!
A couple nights ago, I was sitting with my two oldest kids watching "Remember the Titans." This is a great movie — one I love to watch — but my children made me think about one particular part in the movie. The team was at training camp and Coach Boone was trying to get them to work harder. He spoke very rough to his team and did not let them have water during practice. Many of us in the coaching profession would call this "Old School," but to my kids it was a different story. My daughter asked me a tough question, "Daddy, would you ever talk or treat your team like that?" Pow! Smack! Bam! Like Batman of old, upside the head, it hit me. I was just like that at times. I was a destructive mess with my team.
My oldest son Brooks was a lot like the typical student-athlete in many ways. When he was in high school he went to church, got decent grades, competed in volleyball and basketball and insisted to me that he was not a leader. As a result, he kind of hung back and let others do the leading. But let me tell you some other things about him. He was chosen team captain multiple times. He made all-league, received numerous team awards and was voted Homecoming King his senior year. Does this still sound like a regular guy? Maybe not, but Brooks thought he was.
For Kristin Armstrong, the 33-year-old mother of three, taking up running has helped her to heal from the pain of divorce after she and six-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, ended their marriage. Preparing for her first New York City Marathon, Kristin said, "I have great faith in God. I'll be asking Him for strength to finish and the courage to turn to Him when I can't do it by myself." She received the strength she was seeking and finished the race.
Do you ever feel burnt out in your coaching or your training as an athlete? The daily routines of training and competing can easily crush our motivation if we’re not careful. During my college years, I enjoyed watching and coaching younger athletes as they competed in our annual kids camps. There’s something special that children exude during competition that we usually lack: a simple joy and love for life.
As we seek to follow Jesus Christ in and out of our coaching or competing, we need daily reminders of who we are and the motivation to keep fighting the fight. The phrase “in Christ” occurs over 160 times in Paul’s letters in the New Testament. He consistently reminded his readers of their identity in Christ before a certain behavior or command was addressed.
My son, C.J., had an interesting experience. Last year, his fifth grade tackle football team verbalized their preseason goals to be undefeated and un-scored upon. They achieved their goals—a perfect season. This year, they set the same goals and almost achieved them. (One team finally scored one touchdown.) The Bobcats had to “settle” for a second undefeated championship season. In their minds it was not perfect because someone scored on them.
This Major League Baseball season has been tough on me. I've had to watch my favorite team battle through the first half of the season being devastated by injuries. This team, which was predicted by some to win the World Series, is now near the bottom of its division. They desperately need their All-Star players to return so that they can compete to win their division. These players aren't helping the team win by sitting on the bench.
Coaches face pressure on a daily basis. Whether it’s your won-lost record, player’s academics, boosters, parents—the expectations placed on coaches are never-ending.
What a comforting truth Matthew brings us! Jesus was declaring His willingness to stand in the gap for us. He liberates us to focus on Him, producing a pressure-free response to His Spirit and truth.
Basketball coaches love it when their players have court awareness. Unlike dribbling, passing or shooting where athletes rely strictly on athletic talent during the course of a game, court awareness is a talent that involves competing with mental alertness, seeing all the obstacles in advance and reacting while moving at full speed. The great players have that special ability.
Many times over the years our team has competed against opponents with more physical talent. The games all start the same way. The opponents strut onto the court with a sense of confidence and a swagger in their own abilities. Their body language indicates they’re confident of dominating the contest.
You see it on every sideline. Every team has it and in nearly as many flavors as Baskin Robbins. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about — Gatorade. It is as common to sports as the equipment we use to play. There are many imitations out there, but there is only one true Gatorade. Athletes at all levels consume this product daily to help them feel their best before, during and after a performance. And commercials today ask, "Is it in you?"
The neighborhood gang gathered to play ball at the park and a new guy showed up. Everyone brought their usual stuff: Tom brought the favorite bat, Jimmy his bases, Alex had a cooler of water and cups, Derek had extra gloves. Joe, the new guy, had nothing. Tom asked him, “You wanna play?”
Joe replied, “Sure.”
Tom then asked, “What do you got to play with?” Joe walked away dejected.
In Romans 12, Paul pleaded with the people to offer themselves to the Lord. Too many times we think we need to give God something. Paul urged the Roman people, in view of all God had done for them, to simply present their bodies back to the Lord for His glory and honor.
In 1992, the Olympic Games were held in Barcelona, Spain. Athletes from around the world gathered as they did every four years to compete against the best from every country. One such athlete was Derek Redmond. Representing England in the 400 meters, Redmond was a sure medal contender until his semifinal heat. The packed stadium was filled with the anticipation of a great race from this champion runner. The gun went off, and the race was moving along well with Redmond in the lead … until it happened. Halfway down the back stretch, Redmond collapsed on the track with a pulled hamstring. Medical staff rushed toward him, but he fought to his feet. Derek Redmond had only one thing on his mind … finishing the race.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme didn't rush into the locker rooms after losing Super Bowl XXXVIII by three points to the New England Patriots. Quite the contrary. He stood on the sidelines and forced himself to watch the Patriots in jubilee. Delhomme commented afterwards, "I guess I just wanted it to hurt as much as possible. I wanted to watch the celebration so that it could hurt. So I could remember it for motivation."
As an athlete, I constantly struggle with my thoughts. I have thoughts of doubt, confusion, and pride—just to name a few. I wrestle with doubting my athletic ability and potential, my place on the team, and my acceptance from teammates. It is usually my mind that is the greatest challenge, not my physical ability. My mind runs wild with speculation.
My college lacrosse coach would post his daily practice plan before practice began. Based on where he would put my name on the practice plan, I would think better or worse of my ability. My thoughts would consume me as to why my coach had listed me in the order that he did—thinking that he had either moved me up or down in the rotation. I later found out that he had no real reason for moving the names around.
Most fans who go to a football game come, watch the game, eat tons of food, cheer for their team and leave either happy or dejected. But what goes on behind the scenes? Did you know that some people involved in the game spend almost half the day to ensure everything goes as planned? It's true! Student-managers and trainers spend countless hours in preparation and post-game clean up with no fanfare, no autographs to sign, and no one waiting to outside the locker room for a post-game interview. Why do they do what they do? It's their job!
What is the key to attaining a position of power and influence? How do leaders and other people of prestige and authority reach their positions? It is shown throughout the Bible that God puts people in places of prominence and power after they have taken a lower position to serve Him and others.
Peter calls us to maintain an attitude of humility, both before God and among our teammates. There seems to be no room for self-promotion or arrogance in God’s kingdom.
The promise that Peter offers in 1 Peter 5:6 is that as we maintain a spirit of humility, God Himself will lift us to prominence at just the right time. I’m sure God is smarter than I am, or any of us, for that matter. Let’s trust Him and His timing for our coming into positions of prominence.
David had been contemplating a very big decision and sought advice from Nathan the prophet. Nathan’s reply was basically, “Go for it!” We get that same feeling when we have prepared to compete and everyone involved has great confidence in the game plan. Each coach and player is infused with excitement and can’t wait to get to the field of competition.
How great would it be to approach every day of our lives this way? Why do we not? God is surely with us, so let’s strongly and confidently pursue the life He’s put in our hearts. As Nathan said to David, I’m now saying to you, “Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you” (1 Ch 17:2).
Coaches need support just as their teams do. As a result most schools have booster clubs made up of a wide range of people from parents to interested members of the community. Most of the time, club members work sacrificially to help make the school’s athletic programs more effective. Some, however, may become more of a thorn in a coach’s side through expressions of uninformed criticism.
As a sophomore in junior college, playing baseball was the primary way I found value in life. However, when it turned out that I wasn’t cutting it on the baseball field, my coach told me to consider trying football. He’d often said that “we reap what we sow” during his talks about how Jesus Christ could impact our lives and even our baseball careers. Personally, my motivation had always been self-centered and about me. But I was now facing the end of something I had depended on since childhood to get the affirmation I craved. The Holy Spirit had been calling me, though, and later that day, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
As I read commentary on last week’s NFL Draft, I was reminded of that special feeling we get when we are chosen for a team. Whether it is being picked for the sandlot team, making the cut for the varsity, being recruited to a college, or being drafted to a professional organization, there is always a wonderful sense of acceptance and gratitude when we “make the team.”
I remember my own experience of walking up to the coach’s door after tryouts to see if my name was on his list. I remember grinning happily when I saw my name and high-fiving friends who also had made the team. I remember feeling called, chosen, set apart for a unique purpose. I was part of the team.
We all know what it means to be at the right place at the right time. Everyone one of us has stories about when opportunity came knocking. When I was drafted to play pro lacrosse after graduating college, I heard the knock. Looking back on it, I was simply at the right place at the right time. The conditions were perfect: the team needed my abilities and the coach liked my style of play. I probably would not have made any other team in the league, but I was at the right place at the right time, so I seized the opportunity.
Athletes are like snowflakes. They come in all shapes and sizes. Many are similar in their traits and looks, but no two athletes are the same, just like snowflakes. That is what makes them so unique. Each have their qualities that, when combined with a group, can make a difference in the outcome of an event.
Do you know that God made you like a snowflake? I know what you're thinking. "Did he just call me a flake??" Well, if the shoe fits. . . Just kidding. But seriously, God made you like no other. Even twins who look identical on the outside have something that makes them different. In the Old Testament, the Psalmist writes, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made. . ." That makes us uniquely different!
The life of a coach goes something like this: gets up early, goes to office, teaches class or watches film, meets with other coaches, has a lunch meeting, goes over more film, reviews scouting reports, teaches more class, prepares for team meetings, has team meetings, has team practice, has follow-up meetings with coaches and players, and finally leaves for home. Once they get home, they review homework, chat with their spouse, spend time with kids, read a bedtime story, make a couple of calls, and finally eat dinner.
Obviously, the life of a coach is a busy one — sometimes too busy. But is something missing? How could anything more possibly fit into that busy day? What is missing is vitally important, eternally important. This is where the squeeze comes in.
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