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July 06, 2004
Set:
It's FCA Camp time again! Everything is set. The Huddle training done, the coaches are in place, the band is ready to rock the campers, and all is ready to begin. As a Huddle coordinator for our camp this week, I have the privilege of working beside someone who has embodied the mission of FCA for more than 20 years. She has served at more than 50 camps in various roles, and through it all her mission has remained the same.
Every day, Carol "Coke" Long works hard to uphold the mission of showing each and every camper and athlete the right path to follow. She shares with the Huddle Leaders during training that her love for God grows deeper everyday and that sharing Him with others is her primary mission in life.
September 23, 2010
Set:
It broke my heart a little that it wasn’t a bigger deal in the media. It was almost unnoticed as the third bullet point listed on the side of ESPN’s homepage on Monday. Barely a blip on the radar screen when compared to the Manning Bowl. But there it was in bright blue hyperlink text: “Denver Broncos WR Kenny McKinley found dead at his home.”
Reports stated that McKinley, who was on the team’s injured reserve after having knee surgery in August, made comments after his surgery about killing himself. The investigation details later stated that, “McKinley didn’t know what to do other than football” (ESPN.com).
March 21, 2012
Set:
How many times has a coach handed us a playbook or drawn a play diagram for us on the board? How many of us ever take our playbook home and look at it before bed just so we have an idea of what is going on? If we don’t understand the plays from the playbook, how many of us ever take the time to ask the coach about the plays and how to execute them properly? I used to be one of the guys who thought he’d learned something just by looking over his playbook.
As Christians many of us do the same thing with our Bibles. We pick them up here and there and look for the right “play” for our situation, or we skim them over hoping that we will gain wisdom by reading without going into depth.
October 10, 2012
Set:
In 1964, Nepalese fighters known as Gurkhas were asked if they would jump from airplanes into combat against the Indonesians. Although the Gurkhas did not completely understand what they were being asked, they agreed to jump from the airplanes into battle. They asked that the planes fly slowly over a swampy area, no higher than 100 feet. When told their parachutes would not have time to open at that height, the Gurkhas replied, “You didn’t mention we would have parachutes.” Incredibly, they were willing to jump without parachutes! They were willing to pay the price and do it with passion.
July 20, 2010
Set:
“In the beginning, God created…” These are familiar words to most people. We know the conclusion of this verse refers to the creation of the world.
Sometime in a humorous vein, those of us who love baseball will try to identify the Creator with our game by quoting the above as “In the big inning…” I believe there is an important lesson to be learned from the first five words in the Bible, one that relates more to those of us who live on the earth than to the earth itself.
October 25, 2012
Set:
One of the perks of being a college student is a three month summer break from school, but as a collegiate volleyball player, summer isn’t a time to take it easy. The spring offseason is an opportunity to build muscle, run faster and increase verticals, but all that hard work is for nothing if I chose to be lazy all summer. When August rolls around I have to report for two-a-days, and my work over the summer will be evaluated by a stopwatch, measuring stick and bench press bar. I have to set goals to accomplish and improve over the summer, otherwise I will lose motivation and not perform at my highest level.
March 11, 2005
Set:
Coaches are always looking for the winning edge. We continually explore new techniques or systems to improve our programs. We go to clinics, conferences and seminars to learn how it should be done. Of course, no one coach is successful 100 percent of the time. But I know one coach who always did it right.
The Master Coach personally selected His own team. He poured His life into a team of 12, worked with them for 3 years, and then sent them out to teach and prepare others for future good work. In fact, He instilled lasting leadership skills among His team in the following five ways:
January 03, 2012
Set:
As the new year begins, many of us will make common resolutions to lose weight, get better grades or spend more time in the Word. As athletes and coaches, it’s a safe bet that many of us will also resolve to train harder, practice more or establish better nutrition habits. I'll be honest, some of those are mine, too, but there is one I have added to my life this year, and it’s one that I hope many others are adding, as well.
As I read my Bible and listen to worship songs, one central message keeps coming up: BECOME MORE LIKE CHRIST. God’s Word tells us over and over again to be like our Lord and to show His love to others.
January 10, 2012
Set:
Each December, I look forward to joining my fellow track and cross country coaches from all over the state at our annual coaches’ clinic. It’s sort of a kick-start to the upcoming track season. One of the highlights is the Hall of Fame luncheon, which honors several people who have achieved great success in Missouri Track and XC over the years.
Early in my career, I felt a sense of awe as I listened to the introductions of these inductees and wonder if I’d ever be able to achieve the things they had. The funny thing was, though, that I’d never heard of most of the recipients until I attended those luncheons. As a result, their accomplishments (however impressive) didn’t mean much to me, either.
August 04, 2013
Set:
Paul gave great instruction on how to live with the peace of God. It’s easy to get caught up in everything going on around us and lose sight of our true purpose on earth, which is to serve God. He has blessed me with the opportunity to play football. It’s my responsibility to give everything I’ve got and use my ability to the fullest while praying for His direction. Anything beyond that is out of my control. If I’ve truly given my best, then I can have peace no matter what happens in a game, during the season, or throughout my career. This is true in every area of our lives. An eternal perspective is important. We are only here for a short time compared to the scope of eternity.
January 01, 2009
Set:
Cat Whitehill knows a little something about dynasties. She played for the University of North Carolina soccer program, which through 2007 has accumulated 18 of 26 NCAA titles—including championships in 2000 and 2003 (Whitehill’s freshman and senior seasons at Chapel Hill).
Since 2000, Whitehill has been a mainstay on the historically dominant U.S. National Team, which over the last 17 years has claimed two World Cup titles, 3 Olympic gold medals (Whitehill played on the 2004 team, but an injury kept her from contributing to the 2008 team), 3 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Championship titles and 3 CONCACAF Gold Cup championships.
December 15, 2004
Set:
Carly was a good basketball player. She was a tenacious defender, but she couldn't shoot the ball very well. But one thing I loved about Carly was that if the ball was available, she was going to get it. Carly understood the game quite well. Most of her shots weren't going in, so she learned what most players today do not — stop pouting about your miss and go get the ball! We had one drill in which Carly was the queen of the court. It was our 11 man break drill. In it, whoever got the rebound got to continue playing in the drill. Carly stayed in this drill one day for 11 trips up and down the floor. That's right. She got 11 straight rebounds to stay in the drill. She took great pride in knowing that when most of her shots were not going in she did what she did best: got the ball.
July 02, 2013
Set:
All teams have one thing in common: They pursue goals. Some might pursue a state or national championship; others strive to win a single game. Athletes compete and complete their set goals through hard work and relentless pursuit.
The Apostle Paul understood this concept. He wrote the Letter to the Philippians while stuck in a dark, smelly, dingy prison handcuffed to a guard. Many in his situation would have given up. While under arrest, Paul kept thenfaith and pursued his heavenly goals. The longing for Christ and the desire to spend eternity with Him gave Paul hope each day to strive ahead. Paul’s pursuit was not an easy task. He suffered many setbacks, but it never stopped him from pressing on toward the prize awaiting him.
March 02, 2013
Set:
It can be easy to go through the motions. Lifting weights, practices, even games—the monotony of daily routines makes it hard not to get lost in the familiar. We start operating on autopilot, much like in driving when we become so familiar with the route that we mentally tune out. It can be that way at the end of the day. What if, instead, we gave everything? What if we didn’t arrive at our destination or the end of the day wondering how we got there, but really gave our all to experience life? Then we could live a life of no regrets, not wondering if there could have been more.
April 11, 2006
Set:
The Indianapolis Colts battled back from a 21-point deficit against the New England Patriots in their November 30, 2003, game. The Colts found themselves down by four points with less than three minutes to play and moved the ball deep inside Patriots’ territory. They had a first down and goal at the twoyard line. However, without their goal-line offense, the Colts were stopped short on four straight plays, preserving the eighth straight win for New England. It was an impressive goal-line stand by the Patriots’ defense.
November 11, 2011
Set:
Today is the birthday of Fernando Tatis. Fernando is the only player in Major league history to have hit two grand slams in one inning. On April 23, 1999, Tatis hit two grand slams while playing for the Cardinals in the second inning of a game against the LA Dodgers. Tatis, who had not hit a major league grand slam before, connected off Dodger pitcher Chan Ho Park. When asked what the key was for his success Tatis said, “Besides God, the key for me has been learning consistency. You have to be consistent and disciplined as a hitter and consistent and disciplined in your preparation to be successful in this game.”
July 08, 2004
Set:
To many campers, truth is a relative thing. "Being close counts, doesn't it?" they ask. Not exactly. During one of the ice-breaker games for the week, people were asked to share three things with their group, two truths and one not so true. But all three seem rather believable at times.
Finding truth can be very difficult. Students are being bombarded with many different truths today. They are told that sex is safe, drugs are fun and won't hurt you, drinking too much won't do anything to you, and so on and so on. Everybody's doing it, so it must be okay. WRONG. During today's Huddle time the campers learned what real truth is, and who He is.
October 25, 2012
Set:
During the 2012 Summer Olympics, the world watched as US athlete Gabby Douglas claimed gold in the all-around portion of the gymnastics competition after anchoring the team’s run to a gold medal two nights before. When interviewed immediately after the competition, Douglas flashed her trademark smile, then displayed a depth of maturity rarely seen: "I give all the glory to God. It's kind of a win-win situation. The glory goes up to Him, and the blessings fall down on me."
October 24, 2010
Set:
Have you ever found yourself “between a rock and a hard place,” “at the end of your rope,” “out on a limb,” with “your back against the wall,” or in “hot water?” These are just a few ways people describe life’s challenges. In football terminology, life can cause a “sudden change.” Changing our circumstances cannot always be avoided.Still, we can control how we respond to them. Life is 5 percent what happens to us and 95 percent how we respond.
April 30, 2010
Set:
Former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had arguably the greatest college football career of any player. He was awarded the Heisman Trophy, set a record for most touchdowns scored in a career, and he led the Gators to two BCS National Championships. Tebow’s trademark look during his college days was the eye-black strips (used by athletes to fight the sun's glare in their eyes) he wore with Bible Scripture references written on them. He was never ashamed to talk about his faith in God, which oddly caused many to question his mental toughness.
October 02, 2013
Set:
Los Angeles Angels All-Star Josh Hamilton’s career was initially derailed by the abuse of and addiction to drugs and alcohol. After several stints in rehab, he was still unable to escape those vices under his own power.
Josh admits that at the time, he didn’t realize how he was hurting those closest to him as his life revolved around satisfying his cravings for more. Once he hit bottom at his grandmother’s home in 2005, his heart was opened to God’s love and how much he needed Christ’s help to overcome his addictions and heal the brokenness in his life.
October 06, 2004
Set:
John was the man. He was the star of every team he played on at his school. Had the best car, the best girl, the best of everything. On the outside, he lacked nothing. Everybody wanted to be like John. His lifestyle was fast and furious. He played hard and partied hard as well. Most people thought it was good to be John. But John was not content. He knew he was missing something in his life. After practice one Wednesday, Bill, a teammate of John's, invited him to come to FCA that night. Bill thought John would never come, but he showed up. John heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, and it made him think. He asked Bill if he could come to church with him that Sunday as well. Something was happening in John's life.
May 13, 2011
Set:
Competing is about performance. We prepare hard and we quickly learn there are two outcomes: perform or perish! As competitors, we step onto the field or court, set everything aside and perform our best! Regardless of what is going on inside, we are expected to play well. We train ourselves to not let the inside struggles affect the outside performance. We are still expected to compete at a high level.
February 08, 2005
Set:
One of my favorite childhood memories came on my eleventh birthday, March 15, 1972. I received a gift that would set me head and shoulders above everyone else in the neighborhood. It was something that would make me the envy of all my friends. I received the coolest bicycle in the world—a real “big boy” bike. I’m telling you, it was so shiny and bright. It had a white frame with a blue glitter banana seat, blue glitter handles and tassels. It did indeed make me the envy of all my friends. That bike made me the coolest kid in the neighborhood.
April 10, 2009
Set:
It has been said that life is not a playground, but a battleground. Most battles happen in the unseen world and play out in the physical world. Knowing this, God gives us spiritual armor to be prepared for battle. Every piece of armor—the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit—protects from the front. None provide protection for our backs. In fact, we are instructed in Philippians 3 to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. God has our back. He gives us no armor for our backside because He has it covered. When we are right with God and confess our sins, we have nothing to fear. Proverbs 3 tells us that when we use good judgment, our sleep will be sweet.
