Hockey Chat:  Having 5 guys on the ice makes a team.  Having 5 guys on the ice that are working together and covering each other makes a winning team.  When we say that our position is just on Offense or someone else is a Defenseman, we are cutting away that we are all a team.  Whichever color jerseys have the puck determines whether we are all on offense or defense. It’s when we complain or argue that “it’s not my position so it’s not my fault” we all fall down.

Olympic speed-skater Chad Hedrick was part of a two-medal finish in the 1,000-meter finals Wednesday night, winning a bronze medal. After winning gold in the 2006 Olympics, Hedrick is one of the most prominent figures in Olympic speed-skating today. Yesterday, Hedrick was featured on the radio broadcast of Haven Today with the key line of the intro, “Chad Hedrick is not the same Chad Hedrick of four years ago.”

During this interview, Hedrick discussed his recent conversion experience. He admitted that most people knew him as a guy who worked hard and played hard. In describing his commitment to Christ, he said, “Now I find myself…really living a godly life now. I feel like I’m going in the right direction.”

When Laura Wilkinson says she used to be a very quiet and shy person, it’s a little hard to believe. That’s because these days, the outgoing, personable world-class diver is one of sport’s most outspoken Christian athletes.

Wilkinson is also very articulate when it comes to matters of faith. She strives to live with integrity in an effort to maintain solid footing on the broad platform that worldwide notoriety as an Olympic gold medalist has afforded her.

“I’ve had to learn to speak up for God in my life,” Wilkinson says. “I’ve realized that if He has a presence in my heart, He needs to have a presence in everything. If He’s really the center of my life, He’s really going to be involved in everything.”

Recruiting at the collegiate level is not an exact science. As coaches travel around the country looking for athletes to fill their rosters, they look for players who are not only talented, but who are willing to dedicate and commit themselves to being the best they can possibly be. Likewise, as coaches, we are committing to players to help them become the best they can be. We are promising to equip them for success.

Hockey Chat:  You’ve seen hockey players try to argue there way out of penalties saying that it was just a little hook or they just slashed at the puck not the opponent.  They try to minimize the offense.  Fact is, when they are called for penalty, it’s a penalty.  If they say they just barely hit the guy with their stick, they still are called for slashing.  If plead that they just nudged the guy head first into the boards, they still get called for boarding just as if they slammed him.  When the ref sees a penalty, regardless of the degree, he calls it.

There are many “reality” shows on television today, and nearly all of them delve into areas that are indeed outlandish. One show in particular that caught my attention involved an experienced foreign nanny who came to rescue a family who had lost control of their children. The parents were depicted as a hapless pair who were desperate and frustrated with their lives.

Do you ever find it hard to sleep at night because your mind is racing and dwelling on things that you have absolutely no control over? I think that we are all prone to struggle and deal with worry. It's probably why Jesus told us not to worry in Matthew 6:25-34. My daughter Amber and I recently led a small group seminar at an FCA summer camp in Kentucky. What really impacted me was how practical this was to the students who attended. We began by asking those who attended our seminar to "Write down one to three things that you worry about on an ongoing basis."

After injuries to ligaments in both knees cut his 2001 and 2002 seasons short, Oklahoma quarterback Jason White wanted desperately to get back on the field with his teammates. “For a while, it didn’t seem like it would happen,” White said.

White not only got back on the field in 2003, but he also led the Sooners to a 12-1 record and won the Heisman Trophy, the highest honor in college football. When reflecting on the grueling rehab that he had gone through to get to this point, White said, “I’d go through it all again.”