What You See is Either Taught or Allowed

“What you see is either taught or allowed.”

A simple phrase that has stuck with me.  I first heard it from a varsity football coach who hired me as a head 8th grade football coach.  The point behind this statement is pretty powerful:

As a coach, whatever product I saw on the field was the result of what had been taught or allowed.  If my players lacked discipline, it was because it was either taught or allowed by me or my staff.  If my team looked unorganized, or disinterested, it’s because it was either taught or allowed.  In football, this is why fundamentals, organization and discipline are so essential for success.  In short, this statement is a great teaching point for leadership of any kind.

Think about this statement in these environments:

 

Why I Coach Football

Tonight, we wrapped up the 2008 season for the Middle School Football Team that I coach.  We had quite the turn-around from last season.  We didn’t win a game last year and this year we went 6-2.  We won our last 3 games and had 3 defensive shutouts.  But here are the main reasons why I coach:

• I am truly interested in developing players to be “built for others.” (check out our team website by clicking here)  It’s my desire to create young men who will grow up to be good husbands and fathers.  Coaching gives me countless opportunities to teach Biblical principles to players at a public school (without ever mentioning Jesus.)  Honestly, the most important thing about this season was a service project we did with the guys at a local mission.  Hopefully, we taught the players the value of living a selfless life.  Check out the video below.

• There is nothing better than seeing a player respond to what you are saying.  It’s an honor and a joy to hear players speak up in front of the team and using language and phrases that they have heard the staff use.  The best thing about that?  They aren’t talking about X’s and O’s…they’re talking about life-things and living differently.

• I love to see when players overcome tough circumstances at home and then become successful players.  Several of our players come from rough backgrounds…with absent fathers.  There is nothing better than helping a player experience success on the field and then saying things like, “I believe in you son.” Or, “you’re a winner and will go far in life.”  For the players who have no fatherly voice, God has provided me and my staff with the opportunity to be just that for them.

• Even though I saw it coming, it was cool to be doused with a Gatorade cooler tonight.  It means that the players had fun this year.

• Tonight, as I tucked in my 2.5 year old son, this is what he said, “I like you coaching football boys daddy!”  How amazing is that?  That’s the best confirmation I could ever receive for doing what I do and making coaching an arm of my ministry and my life.  I pray that my kids will always see the value in investment, coaching, discipling and mentoring.  May I live that out at home first and demonstrate it to my children by pouring into others throughout my life.

 

Team Service Project

“Built for Others.” This has been our theme for the Jr. High Football team I coach. Recently, we had an opportunity to live out what we’ve been teaching the boys as we served a local mission in Canton. The boys did a great job and I’m hopeful they learned a lot about serving and living selfless lives. Check out some highlights:

 

Happy to be 4-2…

As many of you know, I coach Jr. High football.  After last night’s win, our record stands at 4-2 (with 2 games to go).  Now, you might be thinking, “big deal.”  But, wins were hard to come by last season — my first as head coach.  In fact, we didn’t win a single “A” game and only won one “B” game.  So, that’s quite the turn around.  So, I’m happy to be 4-2,  but even more excited to be investing in the lives of our players.  This season, our theme has been: “built for others.”  We have been teaching the kids to live selfless lives and have taught some Christian principles to the guys under the radar.  If you didn’t know…this is all at a public middle school.  This Saturday, our players will have a chance to live out what has been taught as we have a team service project at a local mission in Canton.  Hopefully, the players will visibly see what it means to be built for others as they serve this weekend.  I recommend coaching, or something like it, to anyone who is involved in youth ministry.  It’s a great way to get involved in the schools and have some impact in your community.  Plus, it gets you outside of the church bubble and onto the battlefield with some kids who may never enter the doors of your church.  Be sure to check out my team’s website by clicking here. Pay special attention to the “Team Life” page.

 

Team Life

As a coach, I think it’s really important to have a team philosophy that is known by every player and coach.  The team philosophy I have implemented is called “Team Life.”  Basically, Team Life shapes everything we do and say as a team.  Below is our Team Life for the 2008 season.  Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

 

The Profile

As a football coach, I’ve always wanted to do more with the kids.  God has opened an amazing door for me to have influence and speak belief into  players’ lives.  One way to know the players better is to create a player profile.  This season, I am having each player fill out a profile.  Here are some of the questions I put on the profile:

 

And So it Begins…

This past week, we started Spring workouts for the 7 & 8th grade football team I coach. The turnout has been a bit overwhelming. We’ve had over 60 kids show up. When you get that many kids into a small weight room, things like leading them through stretching become an instant headache. However, the number of kids presents us with a beautiful problem — a struggle for space. The turnout indicates some momentum and excitement heading into our upcoming season.

 

Words That Work

I missed church today. My whole family has been sick this weekend so we all are home today blowing our noses and dealing with other bodily fluids (enough said) So, I turned on the TV this morning and watched a church service. I don’t normally do this…for many reasons…but today it was worth it. The Pastor spoke about the power of encouraging words. He primarily taught from the book of Acts and how Barnabas was a man whom greatly encouraged Paul.