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.

Every season, coaches and players alike try to figure out the “secret formula” for winning a championship. Throughout my years as a player and coach, I’ve learned that every championship team has one thing in common. That one thing is not talent, it’s not size and it’s not intelligence. Time and time again, the common denominator of a championship team is a servant heart. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to believers. Even Jesus, the King of Kings, spent His entire life serving others. Sometimes He served others by listening to them. Sometimes He encouraged them. Sometimes He washed their feet. Ultimately, He served us all by dying on the cross.

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."