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Hockey Chat: We’ve seen it at every level. From the pee-wee’s up through the professionals. As much as skaters on the same team try to move fluently and work together, there is always some moment in some games where two guys on the same team cross paths and trip each other up. The lack of proper communication or the way they communicated caused them to run into each other. One misjudged the other and they both wound up in the same space and down on the ice.
Hockey Chat: On November 2 of 2002, Tie Domi took a penalty and then let his emotions take his whole team out of the game. His mouthing off and cursing at referee Brad Watson landed Domi a gross misconduct penalty and an accompanying fine of $200. The Maple Leafs were scored on during the penalty and stayed back on their heels to lose the game 5-2. His words cost him and the team a loss.
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PICTURE THIS: Its Wednesday morning July 28, 2010. Its 6:30 AM, time for my morning run. It’s raining. Its decision time…to run or not to run that is the question. Put up or shut up, go hard or go home, don’t be a punk were some of the thoughts that ran through my mentality as mind kept reminding me that it was raining. OK Chad, what’s it gonna be?
The Team and the Body
Set:
As coaches, we are supposed to teach our players about the game and about life lessons. Sometimes, the reverse happens and our players teach us a valuable lesson. The day before my first home football game of the season, my senior quarterback boldly stood up in front of the entire team and coaches and quoted the above Scripture.
Interceptions
Set:
During football, soccer, and hockey games, the course of the game can change quickly. Success is often the result of an interception that leads to a score and victory. God can also intercept our life. When we think that everything is going wrong, God finds a way to get our attention. It may be by a circumstance or someone He strategically puts in our life. The next time you see a defensive player intercept a ball or a puck, watch and see what happens next. They are congratulated by their teammates and the change of momentum will often lead to a score and victory. When it is needed, don’t be surprised if God intercepts your life.
Don’t Stop Believing
Set:
In sports, every time we compete there’s the possibility of defeat as well as the opportunity for victory. So much would be lost in this world if throughout history, people had succumbed to their fear of defeat and not fought for what they believed. Yet the possibility of defeat often keeps us from fighting, from moving toward what we desire and believe.
Integrity
Set:
Most know the story of Job and how he lost all of his children, property, and possessions. What was he like
True Greatness
Set:
Who’s the best? Who’s number one? Who is the greatest? These are all questions we ask in our culture—all very important questions. As a coach, I’ve spent much time and energy trying to persuade young people to work in order to win a game, to determine who is best on a playing field. Ask almost anyone in America who is great, and they will answer with names of those who score touchdowns, hit balls a long distance, and slam dunk basketballs; people who sing great songs or are great actors; strong people; powerful people who tell others what to do; people who can have anything they want, go anywhere they want and do anything they want to do. Such is greatness as we define it in our time. And then along comes Jesus, who changes everything.
Good Grief
Set:
“Good grief.” I guess Charlie Brown started that phrase. He might have been referring to a pitiful-looking Christmas tree, a materialistic doghouse designed by Snoopy, or a wild scheme by Peppermint Patty. I’ve used the phrase, too. We kick off on the first play of the game, and it is returned by our opponent for a touchdown. Then they kick off to us, we fumble, and they return the fumble for another touchdown. Thirty seconds have run off the clock, and we are down 14–0. Good grief!
Let me ask this question: Is grief ever good?
Oops I Did it Again
Set:
Most of you have probably heard the greatly catchy, but annoying Britney Spears song "Oops I did it Again". The lyrics of this song go something like "Oops I did it again, I played with your heart". The song stresses the idea of not only making the same mistakes over and over, but leading someone into thinking we like them more than we actually do. Unfortunately our lives as Christians look much the same.
God’s Word Is Perfect for Coaches
Set:
Coaches have it tough. Let’s be honest. There’s a stigma that we are all ex-jocks and not very good classroom teachers. There are many stereotypes about coaches: “They are teachers who get all the breaks without really working hard in the classroom…They get to miss faculty meetings…They eat meals with their teams that are paid for by the school…They sit down all day and hand out worksheets to their students…They think winning ballgames is the most important thing in the world.” For some coaches, these stereotypes may be true, but I know many where that is not the case.
The Hope You Have
Set:
In our culture, sports figures are elevated to star status and placed on lofty pedestals. Coaches feel great pressure to compile winning records. Yet, in spite of this trend, I believe God calls us as Christian coaches to focus on matters of the heart such as the spiritual lives of our players and fellow staff members. With every interaction, we have the opportunity to be a witness for Christ.
One Called Alongside
Set:
Before Jesus left His disciples and returned to heaven, He promised that He would send them a “Counselor” or helper, the Holy Spirit. The word helper in the Greek means, “one called alongside.” He stands beside us to help us. That’s why we, as Christians, fight no battles and face no problems alone.
Pray Like Birdie
Set:
Birdie Pitts served Christ for all of her 92 years on earth. On August 9, 2001, she went home to be with the Lord. She was my first official FCA prayer warrior when I started with FCA almost 20 years ago. Little did I know, however, that Birdie had actually started praying for me 11 years before I even joined FCA. I was in eighth grade when I first met two buddies, James and Tim (Birdie’s grandson), at a summer camp in New York. Not only did I make two lifetime friends at that camp, but I also made a commitment to full-time ministry.
What did you call me?
Set:
It seems as if everyone who plays sports picks up a nickname at some point. Coaches love to give nicknames. One coach I know gives every player he coaches a nickname.
One definition of the word "nickname" is that it is "a descriptive name given instead of the one belonging to a person." It can be cute, funny, short, rude, defining or obvious. You either love your nickname or hate it. My dad's nickname growing up was Horse, because he worked like one. My nickname was Bean, because I loved baked beans as a kid.
The Sharpest Tool in the Shed
Set:
If a person tried to build or repair something without the proper tools, it would not take long until he became tired and gave up in frustration. In this passage a group of men were building a place to live and cutting trees for lumber. As one of them was chopping, the ax head flew off the handle and fell into deep water. He could have gone on and beat the tree with the handle alone, but his time would have been futile without the ax head to do the work. A sharp ax is what is needed to chop down a tree.
Comfort Cycle
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.
Ephesians 6:14 Continued
Set:
Hockey Chat: The chest protectors that goalies wear are nothing short of phenomenal. They allow for 100+ miles per hour vulcanized rubber biscuits to bounce off them with no pain to the goaltender. That keeps him confidently in the game.
Not What It Seems
Set:
God doesn’t always work the way we think He should. Sometimes the things that we think are tragedies turn out to be blessings. In the Bible, Joseph serves as the perfect example of tragedy-turned-blessing. When Joseph received a dream foreshadowing his role to reign over his brothers, his brothers grew angry and sold him into slavery. When Joseph was later falsely accused of a crime and thrown into prison, it seemed that his dream would never come true.
Proverbs 29:11
Set:
Hockey Chat: Many penalties in a hockey game aren’t just blatant attacks from the opponent for no reason. Often there was a little something more to the story. There was some bad blood built up along the way. That’s why most fights happen later in the game. The emotions are boiling over and they give in. In many penalties, the one who loses control is the one who makes is anger apparent and gets called for it.
The Race
Set:
Perhaps more than anyone else, we coaches can appreciate the athletic imagery used in the Bible. The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers to “run the race” that is set before them, and from his words we can draw four encouragements as we run the spiritual race of faith set before us.
The Smallest of Tasks
Set:
At soccer practice, it was always understood that the freshmen were the ones who would always help clean up by collecting soccer balls, cones and pennies. That’s just what they were supposed to do, kind of like a rite of passage.
After long practices, it always seemed like nobody wanted to collect the sweaty pennies or run all the way to the far corners of the muddy field to collect the balls and cones. Then, one day, our coach gave the freshmen a break and asked the older players to help pack up. We looked around, thinking it was a joke. This wasn’t our job! Why should we be stooping so low? We were above the task. In reality, it seemed we were looking after our own interests, and not the interests of the entire team.
Seek No Gratitude or Pity
Set:
My dad was a simple man. I know he did not have a resume or belonged any major civic, political or religious organizations or did things to impress the boss. I do know that he got on his kness and prayed almost daily. He provided for his family, took pride in his work as a city employee and loved baseball. This July 25th he would've celebrated his 82nd birthday.
Living Sacrifice
Set:
Last year, I was on the junior varsity basketball team. Our record was 23-4. It was the best record our coach had ever had. However, he was not pleased with us all of the time. He continually told us that even though we were winning games, we had not played to our full potential. He told us we had yet to play a full four quarters at our hardest. Just because we beat other teams the coach believed we were not living up to the standards he had for us on the court.
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