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What You Got?

May 27, 2013

devotional
Set: 

The neighborhood gang gathered to play ball at the park and a new guy showed up. Everyone brought their usual stuff: Tom brought the favorite bat, Jimmy his bases, Alex had a cooler of water and cups, Derek had extra gloves. Joe, the new guy, had nothing. Tom asked him, “You wanna play?”

Joe replied, “Sure.”

Tom then asked, “What do you got to play with?” Joe walked away dejected.

In Romans 12, Paul pleaded with the people to offer themselves to the Lord. Too many times we think we need to give God something. Paul urged the Roman people, in view of all God had done for them, to simply present their bodies back to the Lord for His glory and honor.

Spiritual Eyes

August 13, 2012

devotional
Set: 

Basketball coaches love it when their players have court awareness. Unlike dribbling, passing or shooting where athletes rely strictly on athletic talent during the course of a game, court awareness is a talent that involves competing with mental alertness, seeing all the obstacles in advance and reacting while moving at full speed. The great players have that special ability.

Many times over the years our team has competed against opponents with more physical talent. The games all start the same way. The opponents strut onto the court with a sense of confidence and a swagger in their own abilities. Their body language indicates they’re confident of dominating the contest.

Fit4Ever: The Domino Effect

August 01, 2011

Fit4Ever: The Domino Effect

Life is a lot like dominoes. Our small decisions often lead to rippling consequences that we never expected. We tend to think single, small choices are stand-alone decisions and that they won’t affect our futures. Over time, though, these decisions lead us to make other decisions just like them and eventually result in either tremendous negative consequences or outstanding positive patterns.

Rocco Grimaldi

May 25, 2010

podcast

Rocco Grimaldi, Forward on the Gold Medal-winning U.S National Hockey Under 17 and 18 teams, tells his story of faith, family and hockey.

FCAHockeyRoccoGrimaldi.mp3

Construction or Destruction?

February 02, 2004

devotional
Set: 

A couple nights ago, I was sitting with my two oldest kids watching "Remember the Titans." This is a great movie — one I love to watch — but my children made me think about one particular part in the movie. The team was at training camp and Coach Boone was trying to get them to work harder. He spoke very rough to his team and did not let them have water during practice. Many of us in the coaching profession would call this "Old School," but to my kids it was a different story. My daughter asked me a tough question, "Daddy, would you ever talk or treat your team like that?" Pow! Smack! Bam! Like Batman of old, upside the head, it hit me. I was just like that at times. I was a destructive mess with my team.

Confidence

December 11, 2012

devotional
Set: 

David had been contemplating a very big decision and sought advice from Nathan the prophet. Nathan’s reply was basically, “Go for it!” We get that same feeling when we have prepared to compete and everyone involved has great confidence in the game plan. Each coach and player is infused with excitement and can’t wait to get to the field of competition.

How great would it be to approach every day of our lives this way? Why do we not? God is surely with us, so let’s strongly and confidently pursue the life He’s put in our hearts. As Nathan said to David, I’m now saying to you, “Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you” (1 Ch 17:2).

Pressure

February 17, 2013

devotional
Set: 

Coaches face pressure on a daily basis. Whether it’s your won-lost record, player’s academics, boosters, parents—the expectations placed on coaches are never-ending.

What a comforting truth Matthew brings us! Jesus was declaring His willingness to stand in the gap for us. He liberates us to focus on Him, producing a pressure-free response to His Spirit and truth.

Christian Hosoi

March 12, 2010

podcast

FCA interviews professional skateboarder Christian Hosoi. Hosoi has been in pro skateboarding for over 20 years, most recently winning the 2009 X Games Legends contest.

Hosoi.mp3

Etc.

May 19, 2013

devotional
Set: 

As an athlete, I constantly struggle with my thoughts. I have thoughts of doubt, confusion, and pride—just to name a few. I wrestle with doubting my athletic ability and potential, my place on the team, and my acceptance from teammates. It is usually my mind that is the greatest challenge, not my physical ability. My mind runs wild with speculation.

My college lacrosse coach would post his daily practice plan before practice began. Based on where he would put my name on the practice plan, I would think better or worse of my ability. My thoughts would consume me as to why my coach had listed me in the order that he did—thinking that he had either moved me up or down in the rotation. I later found out that he had no real reason for moving the names around.

Coached Up

January 01, 2011

Coached Up

He’s the man who replaced the man. And that’s really all most people know about him. It’s an old axiom in coaching that you should never replace a popular coach because it will be difficult if not impossible to live up to their standard. Indianapolis Colts’ Head Coach Jim Caldwell stepped directly into that situation when his predecessor, Tony Dungy—possibly the most recognizable Christian coach of this era—removed his headset for the final time after the 2008 season.

Plateau or Stalled?

January 27, 2010

podcast

Have you reached a plateau or has your effort just stalled?

Heaven’s Booster Club

April 13, 2013

devotional
Set: 

Coaches need support just as their teams do. As a result most schools have booster clubs made up of a wide range of people from parents to interested members of the community. Most of the time, club members work sacrificially to help make the school’s athletic programs more effective. Some, however, may become more of a thorn in a coach’s side through expressions of uninformed criticism.

How David Beats Goliath

August 02, 2010

article

“The difference between champions and near champions is the ability to play for something outside of self.” – Lou Holtz, Hall of Fame football coach

What comes first, success or confidence? For most of us, we are confident when we are successful, but how do we get that initial confidence? Can we be confident without the evidence of success? It’s like the old question: “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” We want to believe we can succeed, but we need proof. We think we have to actually see David defeat Goliath before we believe it’s possible.

Glory on the Gridiron

May 05, 2009

Glory on the Gridiron

This month, as college football bowl games flood your television, let yourself get sucked in. Just make sure you have read below or your STV is close by. You’ll want to refer back to this article when you see a player score a touchdown and kneel in prayer. “Maybe he helps out with his FCA Huddle,” you’ll wonder.

 

If he’s found below or inside the magazine, the answer is yes.

 

We are profiling the athletes who are owning leadership roles both on and off the field. They are actively involved in their FCA Huddles and chapels and are setting positive examples for young fans to follow. We'll start with Heisman-hopeful Sam Bradford, and he is just the beginning of this tremendous list of athletes.

Authority and Power

October 07, 2013

devotional
Set: 

What is the key to attaining a position of power and influence? How do leaders and other people of prestige and authority reach their positions? It is shown throughout the Bible that God puts people in places of prominence and power after they have taken a lower position to serve Him and others.

Peter calls us to maintain an attitude of humility, both before God and among our teammates. There seems to be no room for self-promotion or arrogance in God’s kingdom.

The promise that Peter offers in 1 Peter 5:6 is that as we maintain a spirit of humility, God Himself will lift us to prominence at just the right time. I’m sure God is smarter than I am, or any of us, for that matter. Let’s trust Him and His timing for our coming into positions of prominence.

Confraternidad de Deportistas Christianos

May 07, 2009

Confraternidad de Deportistas Christianos

Sheltered from the stark contrast separating the world’s “haves” and “have-nots,” FCA Colombia Director James Oilar was living the good life as a sports club manager in Chicago.

But when a friend asked Oilar a simple question, it took him on a journey that eventually landed him in Bogotá, Colombia, to help lead FCA’s first international Huddle.

The question? “James, what has to happen in your life so you don’t consider it a failure?”

No Excuses. Period.

January 06, 2010

podcast

I think you know what this is about!

Chicken Little

April 19, 2004

devotional
Set: 

The main difference between a good quarterback and a great quarterback is the ability to not panic. The great quarterback knows there is always time to win. A great player pulls the game out of fire with minutes or even seconds left.

The classic story of panic evolves a little guy called Chicken Little. This was an instance when a nut caused a great deal of trouble. The poor little guy was hit with an acorn falling from a tree and believed the sky was falling.

Mind Over Batter

May 19, 2009

Mind Over Batter

Cat Osterman had Callista Balko’s number: nine to be exact. Balko had been 0-9 in her previous career at-bats — nine straight Ks — when facing Texas’ three time national softball player of the year.

“She threw my weakness — a drop ball,” said Balko, a junior at the University of Arizona. “I was trying to adjust anything to hit off that girl. I don’t think I even fouled off a pitch during those nine at bats. It was a frustrating time.”

Championship Fathering

June 01, 2009

Championship Fathering

Carey Casey wants to start a revolution. He travels around the country, rallying and recruiting men to join him and asking them to enlist for the cause. His goal: an army of 6.5 million.

Not to be confused with any militant operation, Casey's is more of an intimate and personal quest: changing the world one championship father at a time.

Fairway to Heaven

May 19, 2009

Fairway to Heaven

When STV caught up with Craig Kanada, he was shopping for shampoo at Target near his home in The Woodlands, Texas, accompanied by his wife, Brooke, and their three sons.

Nobody asked for his autograph. It is likely that nobody recognized him, even though at that time — five weeks into the PGA Tour season — he was outplaying Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby, John Daly, Stewart Cink and many of the big names who had been padding their multi million-dollar portfolios while Kanada was piling up over 100,000 miles on a Chrysler minivan with malfunctioning locks.

Birds of a Feather

May 20, 2009

Birds of a Feather

The faint of heart need not apply.

It takes grit to play at Rice University’s Reckling Park on game day in front of 3,000 fans. It takes nerve to battle under the shadow of a preseason No. 1 ranking. Expectations overwhelm, and stomach knots tangle themselves inside even the most tested of athletes. Why? Because players know that a single performance can make or break an entire season.

But really, that’s all hogwash ... and Rice juniors Bobby Bramhall, Joe Savery and Brian Friday know it.

Chosen

February 07, 2012

devotional
Set: 

As I read commentary on last week’s NFL Draft, I was reminded of that special feeling we get when we are chosen for a team. Whether it is being picked for the sandlot team, making the cut for the varsity, being recruited to a college, or being drafted to a professional organization, there is always a wonderful sense of acceptance and gratitude when we “make the team.”

I remember my own experience of walking up to the coach’s door after tryouts to see if my name was on his list. I remember grinning happily when I saw my name and high-fiving friends who also had made the team. I remember feeling called, chosen, set apart for a unique purpose. I was part of the team.

Team - Plan

October 05, 2009

Team - Plan
  • Secure day, time, and location of team bible study. 
  • Recruit a bible study leader or facilitator. 
  • Develop a bible study plan with timeline and specific lessons outlined. 
  • Organize a weekly study agenda.
  • Plan an initial study that introduces FCA, explains what the study is about and the importance of commitment and confidentiality.

 

Fit4Ever: Training Aimlessly

May 01, 2011

Fit4Ever: Training Aimlessly

“...I do not run like one who runs aimlessly…Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” - 1 Corinthians 9:26-27

“Living without a purpose and a plan is like sailing a ship without a rudder—you’ll float aimlessly in circles and go nowhere.” – Unknown

Don’t you just love that quote? Personally, I believe it paints a great word picture for life, especially as it pertains to our physical health.

 

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