Under Control

 "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." - Proverbs 25:28 (ESV) As a high school student, I kept the shot chart for the varsity basketball coach. This required me to sit next to him on the bench during each game. He did a great...

Walking Straight

 "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth...." - Psalm 86:11 (ESV) If I had a dollar for every line I've painted on an athletic field, I'd be a wealthy man! Preparing a field for competition is an art and it also requires having the right equipment. I...

What Did You Say?

"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" - Psalm 141:3 (ESV) C.J. Stroud was taken as the second-round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft. He went on to be chosen as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year finishing the...
Potential

Potential

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. – Luke 6:38 (NLT) Potential—the word has always...

Footwork

Footwork

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. –Psalm 37:23 (NLT) As coaches, we spend hours helping our athletes develop correct footwork. We realize that any skill, regardless of how simple it seems, has to be taught and...

Better Than Average

Better Than Average

"The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” – John 10:10 (NLT) Who wants to be an “average” athlete or coach? To truly compete means much more than to simply show up and participate. Great athletes...

Represent

Represent

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” – 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT) As coaches, we often remind our athletes that they aren’t just playing for themselves. It was a regular practice...

Keep Growing

Keep Growing

“Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.” – Isaiah 8:20 (NLT) Successful coaches are always learning! You can go to any clinic in the country and you will find the best coaches sitting on the front row....

A Coach’s Prayer

A Coach’s Prayer

Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. – Psalm 69:30 (New Living Translation) Build me an athlete, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be...

Champion or Chump?

Champion or Chump?

The line between being a champion or a chump is very thin. Isn’t it amazing that in one game, a coach can go from a genius to a complete idiot. The team that just won a big game is never going to lose again. The team that just fell apart is a bunch of bums who will never win again. The coaching roller coaster often takes us on a wild ride and we have to be well grounded to keep things in the proper perspective. Here is a truth for you...

What’s In a Name?

What’s In a Name?

Game planning is not the same for every opponent. Somewhere on every coach’s schedule is a team that is not only talented, but also has the reputation for being good over a long period of time. In Major League baseball it could be the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers. In the NBA, everyone still wants to beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

Strength Through Weakness

Strength Through Weakness

Our lives can change in an instant! Though consumed with our coaching responsibilities, life continues to happen around us. We tragically lose players and coaching friends to accidents or illness. In the middle of the season we may lose a loved one or face the decision of placing a family member in assisted living.

New Beginnings

New Beginnings

There is something magical about the beginning of a new season of Major League baseball. Stadiums are packed with enthusiastic fans; memories of days gone by are relived as former greats throw out the first pitch; and everyone puts aside the disappointments of the previous season and replaces them with the endless possibilities of what the new season will bring.

Character

Character

How many times have we heard a coach say, “Sports build character?” In his book, Inside/Out Coaching, Joe Ehrmann calls this one of the great myths in America. Most of us would probably agree that they can and should, but all too often the experience falls short of what it could be. Ehrmann goes on to say, “Sports don’t build character unless a coach possesses character and intentionally teaches it.”

Is this Heaven?

Is this Heaven?

Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? To a golfer, the closest thing to heaven must be the crown jewel of all golf courses—Augusta National. Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts created a golf environment like none other in the world. There is something about Augusta National that moves people in profound ways.