Popular content
February 04, 2012
Set:
Anyone who has been either a player or a coach knows the value of encouragement, yet all too often we are quick to point out the mistakes and failures of others rather than their successes and the things they do well. Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement,” was a person who grasped the enormous value of blessing others with words. He came alongside believers in the midst of trials and troubles of all kinds, and he encouraged them to press on and to be all that God had called them to be.
January 07, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: There is a term in hockey known as being “back on your heels”. It means to be playing lazily and timidly. Hockey is not a game for the weak hearted because it takes desire to want the puck, strength to work and win board battles, and clear mindedness to know the right plays to make.
October 19, 2010
Set:
We all know the story. It has been fantasized in the minds of aspiring athletes everywhere. It has been replayed continuously on driveways and vacant lots all over the world. Whether it’s one second left on the clock, the bottom of the ninth inning, or the last ten meters of a race, somehow the unlikely hero snatches victory from the jaws of defeat and basks in the adoration of the make-believe crowd.
April 18, 2007
Set:
A couple of weeks ago, during the 2007 Masters golf tournament, commentator Nick Faldo addressed the three character traits he believed were necessary to be a champion: desire, determination and courage. Faldo expressed that, in order to put on that coveted green jacket awarded to the Masters champion, a golfer must have the desire to win.
Faldo is certainly right about one thing: desire is necessary in becoming a champion. Why else would we put ourselves through the pain and agony of intense training, the discipline and focus of honing our technique? Why else would we spend hours upon hours studying our particular game? Is it not desire that causes great athletes to dig deep and find a way to win?
February 15, 2010
Set:
When I exercise or warm up for a sports game, I love to blast contemporary Christian music through my headphones locked in my iPod. The music works as an energizer and motivates me to keep practicing. It makes me want to dance and sing. The great thing about music is that there are so many different styles of songs that there is something for everyone. For me, listening always lifts my heart and leaves me with a smile and a desire to get out there.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: There is a technique play in hockey know as “cycling”. It’s a matter of one guy skating with the puck then passing it off to another player, moving the puck in the same way while the first guy takes the second guy’s position. Sounds confusing? It’s much harder to defend than to understand. The premise is to skate until you get in trouble and then pass the puck back. When that guy skates and gets in trouble, you’ll have skated back to be open so he can pass it to you. The constant helping out the guy in trouble becomes a “cycle” that draws the defense and helps keep control of the puck.
May 02, 2009
Set:
Ever notice how easy it is to stop a treadmill? All you have to do is press the “stop” button. It’s right there in the center of the panel in bright red. It’s genius! But that simple red button is also a glaring source of temptation. It begs to be pushed when the run gets too long, the legs get heavy, or the mind gets bored. In fact, that tiny button can do major damage to a training program if we give in to the temptation to push it.
Every day, we as Christians face temptations from the enemy. Generally, he doesn’t waste time hiding them from us. He throws them right in our faces—kind of like red stop buttons in the middle of our running path with Christ.
January 01, 2010
Set:
In the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, sprinter Bob Hayes tied the Olympic record on his way to winning the gold medal in the 100-meter dash. Just a few months later, Hayes was dashing past defensive backs as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Turning a world-class sprinter into a football player was a radical concept at the time, yet Hayes’s success altered defensive strategy and changed how football is played.
December 10, 2010
Set:
Many of us know the exciting story of Moses and the major events that occurred during the time of his leadership. We think of the miracles such as the burning bush and the parting of the Red Sea, and we recall the awesome wonder of the Ten Commandments. What we tend to ingore is the beginning of the story when God came and commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When the call came, Moses questioned his ability not once but five times (see Ex 3–4). God reassured Moses, and eventually Moses stepped up to the plate.
December 09, 2009
Set:
We, as athletes do not wish for weakness, nor want anyone to see weakness in us. But weaknesses are instruments that can be used to make us stronger, if we have the courage to face them. In dealing with weaknesses, we must learn to surrender—to admit we have a shortcoming, then be willing to work on it. Sometimes it can be corrected; sometimes it must be accepted. Either way, surrendering will lead to the success of our team and produce maturity in us.
August 18, 2008
Set:
This weekend, the world’s greatest female distance runners took to the streets of Beijing to compete in the Olympic women’s marathon. U.S. representative and 2004 bronze medalist Deena Kastor was among the group and was expected to finish among the leaders of the race. However, just a few steps into mile 3, Kastor felt a “pop” in her foot, and she sank to the curb. She’d broken her foot, and her Olympic race was over.
Think for a minute about her situation. She’d trained hard for years, she had the expectations of her country on her shoulders, she had personal ambitions to do well, and she only had one shot. But injuries were out of her control, and she will now have to mentally deal with what happened.
September 03, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: For many folks, the greatest hockey player they know was Wayne Gretzky. Even his old coach knew that. While playing for the Indianapolis Racers of the WHA in the 1978-79 season he was sold to Peter Pocklington owner of the Edmonton Oilers for a painting and a million dollars. He went on to win the scoring title 10 times in his career and blasted through the goal scoring record like he blasted pucks into the net. Nine Hart Tropheys, 4 Stanley Cups, 2 Con Smythes. He made the highlight clips nightly but the one clip that has not been talked about as a great feat was a great blunder (I just happen to still have it on VHS tape). As he was racing back to get in between a 2-on-1 break on his own goal, he stuck his stick out to block the p
October 13, 2009
Set:
You walk through the gate, eyes cast down onto the field, bag slung over your shoulder. You mentally walk through each of your fears, again and again. A nearby ball is cascading excitedly across the wet grass, throwing beads of water onto your bare shins. You make it to the bleachers, nervous as ever, and equip your shins and feet with cleats, socks and shin-guards... What's going to happen next? A grueling tryout. Everything you do will be watched; every mistake and every success. You just hope your mistakes aren't too many.
January 23, 2012
Set:
The goal of every coach is to have an outstanding team, but a winning team must train at all times, in season and out, even when it is inconvenient. A coach knows that training during the off season is just as important as training in season. A good team is comprised of athletes who are in shape, well trained, and in tune with the other players. Every coach knows that if a player is out of shape, hard workouts will cause injury and a severe loss for the team. That’s why there can be no slacking off between seasons. Even the best players have to practice year round.
April 13, 2007
Set:
Do you ever worrying about things you can't control? I find myself in a frequent state of anxiety, worrying about things that (more often than not) never happen. I often pray and "give" these situations to God, but then I unintentionally take them back, thinking I have the answer.
May 18, 2010
Set:
Years of effort, sacrifice, and planning come down to this game. The commitment of the coaches and players has brought them to this point, and the payoff is right in front of them. The time of growth and struggle is finally paying off. A one-win season has grown into a three-win and then into a five-win season. The program has reached a point of respectability. The goal that has been front and center for years is finally in reach—the conference championship.
November 06, 2008
Set:
Driving down the road yesterday I saw something that made me take notice. Coming toward me was a middle-aged man running against traffic. Now, that did not bother me so much; I see that all the time. But what I found strange was that he had his iPod on and was running right on the edge of the cars. Then I broke out in laughter because not 10 feet from him on his left was a beautiful well-groomed sidewalk, on which there was not a single person.
April 28, 2009
Set:
Michael has the potential to be a good player, but he gets so frustrated with his game. He doesn’t understand why his coach always wants him to change his shot and other parts of his game. Finally, he had a talk with his coach. Suddenly things became clear to him, and his improvement took off. His coach simply told Michael what he needed to do in order to get better and how those changes would help him in years to come.
May 11, 2010
Set:
There is an article I’ll probably keep my entire life. It’s an article about a coach whose team had made it to the state title game, only to learn they had an ineligible player. The coach had a decision to make—keep the information quiet and prepare for the championship, or contact the state association and have the season end on a forfeit. The coach maintained his integrity and informed the state.
In today’s verses we learn that David led the nation of Israel in two ways. One way was with a pure heart, a heart of honesty and integrity. I’m sure David—but more importantly God—would be greatly pleased with the pure heart exhibited by
April 17, 2009
Set:
I recently met a girl. She had just moved to Kennesaw, Georgia, from Nashville, Tennessee. A friend wanted me to introduce her to the new city. We met and hung out for several nights. While talking on the phone one day, she said, “I am embarrassed to say that I am 25 years old and don’t really understand Jesus and the Bible.” We talked a little and I invited her to a Bible Study the next evening.
January 25, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Have you ever tried to skate with your hockey pants around your ankles. It doesn’t work. It’s happened before to Marc Savard when during a game in Calgary when his belt broke. When your belt fails, the essential protection in your hockey pants doesn’t do much good slipping down your legs will you’re trying to skate. Little strap of fabric has a very important purpose.
January 19, 2012
Set:
Are you honest about your finances? Jesus spoke more about material things and how we handle them than anything else. Why? Because how we handle material things is an indicator of how much we really trust God. We all need material things to survive—money, food, water, and clothing—all of which God promises to provide for those who seek Him. People everywhere believe the more of these things they have, the happier they will be. That is just not true. In America, we have more things than any nation in history, but we are not a happy nation.
November 08, 2010
Set:
Too often as coaches we feel we know the right way—the right way to go. If we would stop and think of these verses, we might take a different path. Since we are coaches, others look to us for leadership, and we might be leading in the wrong direction. We might let our bias get in the way of seeing the real potential of student athletes. We may only see what we think they can do for our career or our team instead of how the Lord is looking at them.
November 01, 2008
Set:
The question for any athlete to consider is, “What does God think about my sex life?” After all, it is to the heavenly Umpire that we must one day give an account!
God is not a Cosmic Killjoy. He wants us to enjoy life. He wants us to have a great sex life! But the Creator knows and has told us the time and place for everything. Sexual relations with a permanent spouse is God’s plan. He tells us, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified [set apart to Him]; that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, NIV).
November 01, 2008
Set:
It happens all the time: As an athlete or coach, you are confronted with a situation in which your attitude will dictate your altitude. Someone does you wrong; a promise is broken; a ref makes a horrible call in a game; you are treated poorly. Whatever the circumstances, does your attitude show that God is in your life?
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul urged the believers to stand firm in their faith in Christ. Paul wanted everyone to stay focused on Christ and the glory of the cross, no matter what happened. In every situation we are under the authority of God, and we should act and react accordingly. Though we may be wronged, mistreated or severely tortured, we must stand firm, knowing that God will provide the victory.
