During my lifetime of sports I have been very blessed to have had coaches that inspired me not only on the playing field but in the game of life also. It has been my pleasure to have coached all of my children and now some of my grandchildren and I hope that all of them have witnessed more than a sporting event but a winning attitude toward life itself.
I once read a phrase that said, “A good coach can change a game, a great coach can change a life.” This statement was made by the tremendous, legendary basketball coach John Wooden, who enjoyed several college national championships and provided some great players for the world to know about after their college days were over.
It has been my privilege to see my children enter the coaching field in high school and be an example that all of their players have admired. I am witnessing many young people that I watched grow up enter into a field of coaching and teaching and are leading by example. There is no greater witness to a young child than to see their coach or teacher living the way they talk and their actions are the same as they are teaching.
When I was playing little league sports up through the days of my college baseball games, I had coaches that inspired me to do the best I could and to play hard while maintaining good sportsmanship. They taught me about life and how to handle adversity when it came my way. They taught me to win with dignity and never degrade the one that did not win. They taught me that winning was not everything but doing the best I could with what I have will take me further in life than trampling on others to get a victory.
In today’s world we see so much turmoil in the sports field because it has become about financial gains. Not only do we see this in the professional leagues but it is well known in the colleges and some high schools. One may not think of this as financial gain but how many of us have given our children and grandchildren a reward for winning games or hitting home runs? Should we be doing this or should we give them a pat on the back or the head and simply say, “Great game, good job.” I don’t ever remember receiving a reward for a game I played or participated in. This is not to say that I was a benchwarmer because I did play but I played to win on my own merits not what was waiting for me at the end of the game. Many sports are being ruined because of players wanting a reward for their participation in a game based on their abilities.
I am not saying that you shouldn’t reward your little leaguers but do it in a way that doesn’t require them to be judged on their ability to play. Love them, buy them ice cream, but let them know it is because you love them and appreciate them being a part of the game. Whether they win or lose let them know about life and the disappointments that my come their way if they are not victorious in everything.
Many college programs have gone awry due to some who give money to athletes for the way they play the game. Even though it does happen in most colleges some programs have been ruined because of money and its ability to entice players.
I was once told by a professional player who had retired that little league would be a great place to play if the parents stayed at home. I wonder what he would have done when he played professional sports and all of the fans stayed away. Sports are great for all little kids just as they are great for college and professional players. Most everyone in the world is going to watch someone play in some field or another but we need to remember sports will end one day and what have we learned about the game of life through our participation. Is life going to be about fair play in everything we do or are we going to run roughshod over anyone that gets in our way? Play fair, play strong, but do it in attitude of love and generosity and all who are watching you will cheer for you.
GARY ANDREWS' devotional appears each week on the Church Pages of your Clarksdale Press Register. You can contact him at GARY@gadevotionals.com
