Coach Training Videos

Cameron LeSage and I have been working on a website that will allow us to better train the coaches of our youth sports in both the fundamentals of the game and the Christian principals we want them to put in practice.

As soon as the website it up I will post a link to it here. But for now, here is a sample of the video clips we are working on. Keep in mind, to put the clips online we had to downgrade from the DVD quality we created them in.

Power of Positive Energy

I recently signed up to receive an e-newsletter from Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus. This is a book I have been looking for in our local bookstores, but they have been sold out...I think that is a sign of a good book! I guess I will have to order it online.

His e-newsletter today was something everyone needs to read...especially if you are involved in sports at any level. Here is an excerpt:

The Secret to Winning
This past Friday, Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio shocked the sports world by announcing that they were releasing Byron Leftwich, their starting quarterback, and replacing him with David Garrard. Coach Del Rio stated that he not only thought Garrard was the better quarterback but that he also brought more “positive energy” to the position and team. He said, “positive energy is something we covet.”

Del Rio, like all great leaders and coaches knows an important secret. If you want to win, ironically, you don’t focus on winning. You focus on the positive energy and attitude and development of your people and team.

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA Basketball Coach, never focused on winning. He focused on developing his players. He focused on improving their fundamentals, skills, character and team work. He focused on people instead of outcomes and as a result he won….a lot.

...Whether its football, basketball, work or life, winning doesn’t happen by focusing on the points on the scoreboard. It happens when we focus on the people, skills, positive energy and teamwork that generate the points.

You can check out the entire article at http://www.jongordon.com/newsletter-090307-SecretToWinning.html.

A Good Uncle

Being the good uncle, I got to teach Olivia how to shoot a basketball. It is never too early to learn!

It's Never Too Early

My brother, Jimmy, and I grew up playing basketball. Of course, I was always better than he was (he may argue that point).

He now has the blessing of a daughter, Olivia. He is starting her off in the right direction with this nerf basketball goal. Since she made the basket, I can tell she got her skills from her mother.

Sarah played basketball growing up as well. She is probably better than both me and Jimmy!

Go Gators!!

I haven't said anything about it on my blog, but.....

GO GATORS!!!!

Favorite Sports Quote

I am a huge fan of John Wooden.

He reached goals in NCAA basketball with his UCLA Bruins that will likely never be met by anyone else. In his 27 years leading the Bruins they never had a losing season. His record of 88 consecutive winning games is unheard of...not to mention his record 10 NCAA championships.

Coach Wooden understood and experienced success, both as an athlete at Purdue University and as the coach of the Bruins. He is actually the only person to be inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame twice...once as an athlete and once as a coach.

With that in mind, check out this quote:

"I always tried to make clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere."

In that one quote is the message we strive to get across in sports ministry. Our relationship with God is more important than anything.

How easy is it to lose focus of that? I am a competitive guy. I love to win. It is easy for me to let winning become the highest priority. My initial goal for playing basketball in our church league was to build relationships. There have been games, however, that I focused all of my attention on winning the game and those relationships I said I wanted to build took a hit.

Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds me to stay focused.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

It is not easy, but living a life that is focused on Jesus and ridding oneself of all that hinders us from doing so is one of true success.

In living that life we have to decide everyday to purposefully focus on Christ.

As Coach Wooden said, basketball, or whatever the case may be for you, is not the ultimate.

Basketball and God

For the last several Sunday nights I have had the opportunity to play basketball with a great group of guys at the church. After we play there is another group that comes in to play. I didn't realize they were playing or that God was going to challenge me and open up a new avenue of ministry.

In that second group are about 30 guys. I only know 5 or 6 of them. Unfortunately, I would not normally spend time with these guys. We don't run "in the same circles."

As the sports director of the church, I started sticking around after my games to monitor this group. My mindset was that I would be there when something bad happened...a fight...a verbal outburst of colorful language...whatever the case my be.

Tonight it clicked!

I had tried to be friendly...while patting myself on the back for what a great guy I am for reaching out to them.

Last week one of the guys asked me why I just watched them and never played in their games. I didn't have much of an answer for him. That question challenged me all week. Then I started preparing for my next small group lesson from James 2 and realized that I was exhibiting a prejudiced heart. James 2:1 (NLT)says,

"My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?"

Well...tonight I played! And I must say, I did pretty good! It was amazing the way I viewed people differently and the way they viewed me.

Using basketball to build a bridge to others is something God has done in my life since I was in elementary school, yet it seems to surprise me everytime I experience it.

My goal is for these relationships to be ongoing and genuine. That they will result in people coming into a real relationship with Christ.