Raising Up Leaders

  “Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.” – Exodus 18:21 The selection of team captains will have a...

Prepared in the Wilderness

“Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,what is good and acceptable and perfect.”– Romans 12:2 There is a strange paradox that comes from a wilderness experience. We...

Swallowing Your Whistle

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” – Isaiah 1:17 (ESV) It had been a back-and-forth game and the officials were calling it tight. The whistles had blown repeatedly leading to constant trips...
Are you Listening?

Are you Listening?

“Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding.” – Proverbs 2:2 (ESV)   “Give me your eyes!” As coaches, how many times have we challenged our athletes with these words? With another practice in the books, we stand in front of...

Driving the Bus

Driving the Bus

“The one who trust in himself is a fool, but the one who walks in wisdom will be safe.” – Proverbs 28:26 Have you ever thought too highly of yourself? I was guilty of falling into that trap as a young coach working with a very successful high school program. As...

Team Meeting

Team Meeting

“Woe to you experts of the law! You have taken away the key to knowledge! You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in.” – Luke 11:52 We all know about the team meeting. When things aren’t going well, the coach gathers his or her players...

Quitting

Quitting

“For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, ‘They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.”’ - Nehemiah 6:9 As practice was about to begin two coaches watched the players come out of the locker room and begin walking to the field....

Gear Up!

Gear Up!

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” - Ephesians 6:13 (ESV) In sports, having the proper equipment is crucial. Too often, when we watch youth sports, we see athletes using...

Distractions

Distractions

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. – Psalm 119:15 (ESV) One of the great problems in leadership is becoming distracted. How often as coaches do we find ourselves getting off the main road and meandering down rabbit holes? When we’re...

Expectations

Expectations

“As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ….” - Luke 3:15 (ESV) As coaches, we know all too well about expectations. An expectation is defined as “a strong belief that something will...

The Value of Today

The Value of Today

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 (ESV) “To live in the past and future is easy. To live in the present is like threading a needle.” These words by Walker...

New Beginnings

New Beginnings

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) Each new season brings new players, new chemistry, new goals and new experiences. No matter how long we’ve been coaching,...

Team

Team

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)   It’s not easy to build a TEAM. As coaches, we are asked to take a group of individuals and mold them into a...

Never Quit

Never Quit

“And David said to Saul, ‘Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”’ – 1 Samuel 17:32 (ESV) How do you know you’re defeated? When do you quit? On April 26, 2003, mountain-climber Aron Ralston found himself in a...