Impacting Young Athletes For Eternity
By Rick Mitchell, adapted from an article by Wes Neal, used by permission
Why do you coach youth sports at your church? Is it to show off and
let everyone see how good a coach you are or is it to share Christ through your coaching? If it is the former, you will soon quit. However, if it is the latter you are well on your way to making an eternal impact in your players' lives. However, get ready for criticism as your "Christian" style goes up against the "world's" style.
Do you coach/play to win games, at all costs, or do you coach/play
first and foremost to win players to Christ? This question is of paramount importance. It defines who you are as a coach. It determines everything else you do.
Every coach knows what it means to live in a glass house. Everyone
watches and comments about how you coach. In crucial situations, fans
wonder how you're going to respond. Do you keep only your "first string" players in the game or do you play everyone? If you lose your temper during a practice, who doesn't know about it the next day? When you blow it, that kind of news spreads fast. It's fun for others to talk about.
Not many people will gather in two's and three's to talk about how
well you handled a tough situation. You won't see people whispering as you walk by, "Did you hear how Coach encouraged...?" Or, "I really admire how Coach is so disciplined..." Or, "Coach is the most fair person I know."
No, the players and fans you interact with won't compliment you when
you spend extra time helping an athlete, or when you remain calm in a
pressure situation. Not many will even rejoice with you when you have had the opportunity to share Christ with a player and his family. But this is really what it is all about.
However, your athletes will see you in all of those situations.
They'll notice your calmness. They'll hear your sincere apology when you blow it. And the athlete with whom you spend that extra time helping or win to faith in the Lord will always remember it. You'll forever be in that athlete's mental "Hall of Fame."
That's what Jesus meant when He said a godly person is like a lamp set
on a lampstand, lighting up the whole room. Your attitudes and actions are like a bright light that shines on your entire team. A beacon light of Christlikeness for your athletes to head toward in an otherwise dark world of "me, me, me."
Who cares who notices it? Rest assured, God does and so do the
athletes you touched.
Check out more at Rick's Web site at:
www.sportsrecplus.org
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