Set:
Hockey Chat: Some guys use graphite sticks. Some guys use aluminum sticks. Some guys use composite sticks. Some guys use wood sticks. When you have your stick, you trust in it and anything else just isn’t right.
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Afraid of Success
Set:
If you would ask any random person on the street if they were afraid to succeed, they would probably look you straight in the eye and say, "No." However, in most cases, that same person who claims to not be afraid of success might be the very same person who didn't go the extra mile at work for the promotion, or didn't apply for that great new job with a promising future.
Fire In My Heart
Set:
“Do you have fire in your belly?” was a question I often heard from coaches. It was never intended as a question, but as a challenge to play harder. Coaches want to know if an athlete has the passion and determination to play with a competitive edge. As an athlete, I never had others’ natural ability, but I did have the fire in my belly—a hustle, grit, and tenacity to get the job done—whatever coach asked of me.
The Value of the Gospel
Set:
I recently read Rick Warren's book "Better Together" for a series our church was going through. In it he discussed how important it is to share our faith, be a witness and show the love of Christ. One of the analogies he gave was this: "If you knew the cure for cancer or aids, and you kept it a secret, telling no one while millions continued to die, would that be loving? Of course not. If you knew the key to extending human life by 50 years, would you want to share it with others? Of course you would. But as believers who've learned the way to eternal life, we have an even more important, longer lasting, and urgent message to share with the world, and love leaves no choice. Because love cares about the destiny of others."
Higher Standard
Set:
In the height of his playing days, Charles Barkley claimed that he was not a role model. The University of Colorado claimed that the troubles with its football program were not as bad as they seemed. Coach Nueheisel claimed that his gambling was no big deal. The people involved in these situations did not want to be held to a higher standard. Why? Because they felt that athletics and off-the-field issues should be kept separate.
Superman
Set:
Stronger than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, faster than a speeding bullet . . . Who is this? You know it’s Superman. Or is it referring to what is expected of athletes today? The push to get bigger, faster, and stronger is quite evident around teams and weight rooms across the country. We see athletes who weigh 300 pounds running and jumping like guys nearly half their weight. How impressive is that? Yet if it isn’t used properly, all that talent and strength can go to waste.
A Servant’s Heart
Set:
Jesus chose to serve His disciples and followers rather than to be served. He displayed an example for them to follow and called them to a purpose beyond themselves. Servant leadership can be defined as guiding and directing through submission and acknowledging the value of others. A coach holds a position to lead and has an opportunity to teach players, through example, what it means to serve like Christ.
In Trouble
Set:
When a player gets double teamed up against the boards they know their in trouble. As they battle for the puck, they’ll often hear a familiar voice of someone on their team calling out instructions on a safe place to pass it. They would stay in trouble and lose the puck if someone didn’t call out to them.
Persistence Pays Off
Set:
We've all seen it. The superstar athlete comes out of the tunnel after a game, or he is spotted in somewhere public and a crowd begins to swarm him. People begin pushing and shoving, all jarring each other for a chance to get an autograph or picture with the one who made the unbelievable play, won the championship or was inducted into the hall of fame.
Knock, Knock
Set:
Many athletes get distracted easily. The crowd, the faces and the noise all are factors that distract the athlete today. Even small gyms with just a few people in the stands can produce a loud noise. This can present a problem for a team, especially the coach. The coach needs the attention of his team at all times to work the game plan. One mark of a great player is his or her ability to hear the voice of the coach. Staying tuned in to the bench during a contest is essential for success. Players who have the ability to eliminate distractions and hear their coaches' voice will more than likely come out on top in the end.
Praising God Through Pain
Set:
As I approached the third hurdle, I knew that I was a little too far away to take it with my right leg. So in a split second, I decided to alternate and go over with my left foot leading. I had done this a thousand times in my career, but this time when I landed I felt my knee shift out of the socket. I had hyperextended my knee, and I knew my running days were over.
Surrounded by my teammates, I was faced with a choice. My team knew me as the person who had led them in Bible studies and professed Christ, and now they waited expectantly to see what was going to proceed out of my mouth. In a split second their anxious eyes received the answer when I screamed, “Hallelujah!” I yelled it from the sheer pain I was feeling.
The Right Race?
Set:
The first race I ever ran was a marathon, an incredible experience my body will never forget. I learned there are four key aspects to a race, and they all relate to our spiritual life.
We race against competition. There were thousands of runners I wanted to beat and who wanted to beat me. When we run the race for Christ, we compete against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. We race against the clock. Every mile a clock declared I was nearing the end. People say since we only go around once, live it up. Christ says since we only go around once, make it count.
We race for a prize. I received a medal for completing the marathon. As Christians, our prize is heaven and eternity with God!
Spotlight
Set:
I would not be telling the truth if I said I didn’t crave the spotlight when I was playing football. I thought my big problem was that I was an offensive lineman. I don’t want to upset any running backs with this next statement, but those little fellars always got the spotlight! In my entire career I only gave one interview.
Standing Guard
Set:
A pastor once told me about his job on a Navy ship in Europe—to stand night duty at port side. Sounds easy, right? But his job was to stand in the darkness from
midnight until 5:00 a.m. staring into the vast nothingness. His job was to watch for anything out of the ordinary. He would stand guard for hours in the black silence, watching for change.
Habakkuk stood guard. He was in turmoil over his land, so he decided to stand guard and wait for a voice from the Lord. He was looking for change. I wonder how long or how often Habakkuk stood guard, staring into the vast darkness, waiting on the Lord. I wonder what kind of determination it took to stand still in the midst of turmoil, waiting for a message from the Lord.
Pushing Against the Crowd
Set:
Last month I was in San Antonio with one of my board members working the FCA ministry events at the men’s Final Four. One night after the great FCA meeting, we were heading back to our hotel and decided to get a bite to eat at the street fair. Once we received our food and had started making our way through the crowd, we realized we were suddenly fighting a mob moving in the opposite direction. As we fought our way through, we heard a band start to play and suddenly realized why we were fighting the crowd. Rock star Kid Rock was taking the stage nearby. Everyone around us—young and old—was rushing to see and hear him, hoping he would acknowledge them. My friend Dave and I struggled to get through the crowd back to our hotel.
Lion Living
Set:
Wicked people live life with their heads on a swivel—looking for anybody or anything that might be after them. They might even sleep with one eye open! They live restlessly and peace is a foreign object. On the outside, these people may look like they have it all together, but inside their lives are complete messes. They only know wickedness, so they suspect everybody is just like them. Hence, they run even when no one is pursuing them.
Forget About It
Set:
There is a great Peanuts comic strip that shows Lucy about to catch a fly ball. At the last minute, she loses sight of the ball and misses it. Lucy turns to Charlie Brown and says that she is sorry, but the “past” got in her eyes.
It is easy to let past mistakes get in the way of a good performance. We remember what we have done wrong at the worst time in our lives and end up making the same mistakes again. Then we begin the cycle of rehearsing that mishap over and over in our mind.
As a Christian, instead of letting the past get in your eyes, turn your eyes to the present and to the possibility of doing things the right way. Remember, you are a new creation in Christ and you don’t have to keep making the same mistakes.
Turn the Music Up
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.
The Value of Encouragement
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.
Live Out Loud
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.
The Crowd
Set:
There is nothing that compares to the feeling of walking on to the field or court with the stands full of people cheering for one’s team. There is energy in the air and a sense of adrenaline pumping through everyone’s veins. The atmosphere is full of excitement and enthusiasm. As coaches, we rarey think about the people who are watching us from the sidelines. Our attention is focused on the players. We want them to be ready, prepared, and in place.
Worship Service
Set:
If you love God, you’ll obey Him. So your act of worship is service. If you’re truly worshiping and loving and admiring who God is and what He’s done in your life, it’s going to be a natural process to serve. If you think of worship as a whole, you worship God with the talents that He’s given you. For me, basketball is a way that I can worship Him and give back what He’s given to me. If you think of it with respect to service and the time and the resources that He’s given you, your act of worship is utilizing those things to help others. So when it comes to true worship, my prayer is, “Change my heart.” I feel like your heart should be a true reflection of God and what He would want you to be doing.
Romans 8:6
Set:
Hockey Chat: A goalie’s skill is part physical and part mental. The better physical shape they are, the better they can make quick moves to cover the net. But the most important thing to do is to keep focused. They keep in control and keep their mind clear of all the commotion going on all around them. If they give into it, they’ll be off their game and out of place.
The Complete Package
Set:
Having proclaimed Christ as Lord and Savior for nearly three decades, you would think that I’d be able to share my beliefs without hesitation. But the truth is that for many of those years, I was content to be just a casual, amateur Christian. I’d let my actions be my witness. A few years ago, there was a great opportunity for me to share Christ with my brother, and in truth, I blew it. I hadn’t been practicing consistently; as Christians that means searching the scriptures, being constantly in prayer and fellowship with other believers.
Sports superstars usually have the “complete package”; they seem to excel in every aspect of their sport. Great sprinters get out of the blocks, accelerate to top speed, and finish strong.
Joy and Peace
Set:
Which is a better description of our frame of mind in competition: joy and peace or anxiety and rage? I’ve known competitors from both camps; and I know which ones were more successful and better teammates.
Though many coaches pursue their sport in anger, full of anxiety and rage, this Scripture presents another alternative. If we go out in joy and are led in peace, we find the course of life more pleasant and we receive great favor from those around us. Joy, or more simply emotional stability, is important during competition as we experience the inevitable swings of momentum from one team to the other. If we go out in joy, we have the emotional stability to react appropriately to each situation that arises.
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