In 1996, I went to my first professional golf tournament. Lush green grass, beautiful colors and the world’s best golfers took center stage at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I watched several groups tee off and was amazed at how far they hit the ball.

As I walked the course, I came to a hole where there was quite a buzz. People were crowding in to see a young golfer hit the ball—a young man named Tiger Woods. I, too, greatly admired this young, talented golfer. Tiger took it all in stride. He showed amazing composure for such a young player.

Imagine fielding a ground ball, throwing it to first base, and no one is there. Imagine running the bases, coming into third wondering whether to keep running, and no base coach is around. We depend on our teammates and coaches to be there. When we commit to a team, we commit to be there—win or lose, good or bad. We depend on our teams, and they depend on us.

Off the field, life is similar. When times are tough, we expect our friends to be there. When we arrive home—needing a meal, support, and love—we expect our parents to be there. When I come home at the end of the day, I expect my wife to be there. More importantly, when life is good or bad, I expect God to be there.

Hockey Chat:  I watched a Chicago Wolves game on a Friday night, and saw a team in disarray.  They did not play like the first place team they were.  Instead they were walked on through the entire game, giving a whopping 50 shots to Peoria and 7 of those went in.  After the game, their goalie who was one of the team leaders, Fred Brathwaite, gave the guys an earful on what went wrong.  He told them what they needed to hear.  The very next night they turned the tables and put up 47 shots and got 8 goals against Rockford.  Back to the kind of hockey those guys were known for.

Isn’t it funny how we always pray when we want something? Think about it. Almost every time people want to win a game or match, they pray before it’s time to play. Then, after that prayer is done, the “God part” is done, and it’s time to put their game faces back on. If they win, they’ll probably even go party after.

Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan. They stood out as great NBA players, but they had a certain quality that did not show up in the box score. It was the ability to make the players around them better. They added value to their teammates, and they could see the bigger picture. Success for them was inevitable.

Likewise, Jesus calls us to see the bigger picture of His kingdom as we influence others for His sake. Every day, we encounter fellow coaches, students, players—even our family—who might need our help so that they can get to the next level, not just for their sake but for His.

Let’s be honest. There are some days when we just don’t want to have it all together! I’m a coach’s wife, and as such, I sometimes don’t want to be the patient listening ear for my coach and his frustrations. After all, isn’t it his fault that we are in our situations and dilemmas? Our kids miss their dad while he spends time with someone else’s kid.

In today’s devotion, I want to speak directly to the coach’s wives and hope that the rest of you can take away a small bit of spiritual encouragement, as well.

Hockey Chat:  In the 95-96 NHL season something incredible happened.  After not even making it to the playoffs the year before, the underdog of the season was a team in a state that didn’t have many hockey rinks and was hardly a place any NHL’r would imagine a good team would develop. Other teams may have laughed at the thought of this club being a contender but the Florida Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup finals only 3 years after they started up, a record at the time for start up teams to make it that far. 

Hockey Chat:  Have you ever listen to an interview with a hockey player when they are questioned about their opponent.  It could be the last place team but they always find a way to say something nice and honorable about them.  They give the respect to them even though they are the adversary.  Then of course they add their strategy on how they are going to beat them.  They are courteous but confident.

Last week I got to go to Austin, Texas, to interview Colt McCoy for the December issue of Sharing the Victory magazine and our online video ministry. In my line of work, I get to sit down with Christian athletes and coaches on a regular basis and talk about their faith. It’s a dream job, of course, and one that I thank God for every day.

In all of these interviews, I meet a lot of different personality types. There are hard-nosed, intense guys who convey that in their passion for the Lord. Some are more reserved and shy, yet incredibly sincere. Others are just straight-forward, no-nonsense athletes who tell you like it is. It’s such a unique opportunity to see how God’s body has many different parts that function as a whole unit for His glory.

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.