Coaching Football's "Little Things"

How many of you enjoy waiting for something?!! Like in the check-out line at the grocery store? Or in line at an amusement park?? NO fun!!! for me anyway… how about YOU?? The Lord has been teaching me to WAIT… on Him!!! I submitted to His authority in my life almost 30 years ago. From a football perspective, I told God that He is my Head Coach… even though my title was “head coach.” He is my Boss! Which means, what He says is what I do! That is, IF I’m going to be a good assistant coach!

He told me in October when I knew I was going to retire from Chesapeake Schools in June (yea!) to WAIT. He led me to this Bible verse: Isaiah 40:31— “Those who WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will mount up on eagles’ wings.” I trusted Him so I waited. Wellllllllllll… I waited a little while. Then I started running ahead of His timing and His plan. And I got slapped around! Once I fell back in line, He blessed me with this wonderful new position as head football coach at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy. WOW!!!

Then I started working on hiring a coaching staff. Once again, I didn’t show a lot of patience… ran out ahead of Him and was dismayed at the number of people who turned me down. When I finally stopped, stepped back and just waited (again!), He poured out His grace and brought me thhis week a wonderful young man who will be perfect for my staff!!! I thought my staff was supposed to be finalized by the end of January! Not His plan. His timing was the end of March!

There’s only one way to learn patienceand that’s to WAIT!!! You learn to wait and not run out ahead… be obedient and good things happen. Not only now but in the future. It’s one of those “life lessons” that most of us need to learn and apply!

God is gooooooood!!!! ALL the time!

I spent the week-end in Lynchburg, Va. at the Mid-Atlantic Wings ‘n Things Coaches Clinic. Cecil Phillips did a great job putting on the clinic for us! What was special to me was that I got to spend time getting to know 2 of my new assistant coaches who attended with me. We had a 3 1/2 hour drive going up on Friday so I asked them to take as much as an hour (if they needed it) and just share their “story” with me. It was great! I then took my turn at sharing after both of them were done. As much time as you’re going to spend with your coaches, I think it’s important to know about them as “people” too!

What I shared as I told my life story was some of my core values. What do I mean… by core values? In an ever-changing world they are principles that should govern our life. Core values explain why you do the things you do, and what you stand for. They are not just business or coaching strategies, cultural norms or responses to changes in society. Core values are non-negotiables that dictate how you live your life. Most people want to operate from a firm set of values. However, trying to live that way is more challenging than you think. Take a minute and set this reading aside and get a pen and a piece of paper. Now, write down your core values. I’ll wait….

For most people, it’s a stunning realization that they may not actually know what their core values are! My hope is that you’ll be challenged to explore and integrate your core values into your daily life. The Bible says: “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.” What we truly believe determines how we act and manifests itself in our daily routine.

I’ve heard it said, “If you don’t STAND for something, you’ll fall for anything!” A lot of wisdom there— for young and old! Knowing our core values and living by them are keys to personal satisfaction. There may be times when we are challenged about what we believe; but it’s a small price to pay to keep our personal integrity.

My Dad died in 1976 at the age of 56. I was in my late 20’s and was just beginning to know him from a “man to man” perspective. I always loved him and admired him because he was my Dad! I realized as my Mom and I cleaned out his office WHY I admired him so much. He had a sign hanging over his office door that Mom said he read every day. He lived by this saying. It goes:
“The man who cannot settle in his mind where he should stand,
but merely stays astride the fence, is certain in the end to prove himself of little worth to either side.
But he alone will be of value who, though sometimes pressure may be brought to bear,
knows in his heart where he should stand and then,
despite the consequence, stands firmly there.”

That was it! That was my Dad. That’s how he lived his life. A life of honor and integrity. A man of his word. I knew right then that it was what was missing in my life. I chose that day to follow that saying… well, to emulate my Dad. I asked Mom if I could have the sign with the slogan on it for my office. To this day it hangs over my office door as a reminder of what my core values are and how I must be true to them.

My life is committed to Jesus Christ and living the kind of life that is pleasing to Him. Jesus said: “Go and make disciples.” It wasn’t a request… it was a command. It’s brought some “heat” at times in my life but it’s all been worth it. My goal is to stand before the throne of God one day and hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and enter into your rest… with Me!”

Know what your core values are and then dedicate your life to living them. Remember: you never know when little eyes are watching you. Values, for the most part, aren’t taught— they’re caught! As a coach or as a Dad, you’re kids are watching you; evaluating you; emulating you. How you act around them is what they learn that you stand for. Attitudes are contageous. Are yours worth catching?!

In Christ,
Lew

I commented a couple of weeks ago about “losing” players to our spring sports teams that were starting practice. I was talking with a friend at the fitness center today and he asked what I’m doing as far as off-season work-outs at my new school. I told him about how our numbers were very good until most of them left to start their spring sport practices. He asked, “doesn’t that upset you? How can your kids get any better if they’re not working on football year round?!” I think this voices the paranoia that a lot of us feel about “hording” our players. The Age of Specialization is so entrenched that we had 3 potential football players refuse to come out for our middle school team last fall because their AAU basketball coach told them that they needed to be playing basketball all fall!!! One of the boys actually had Allen Iverson tell him that he should go ahead and play football. But… the AAU coach was standing there and said, “No, football will hurt your chances of making the elite team this spring.” The coach’s opinion won out. But “hoorah” for Allen Iverson! This specializing in one sport at such an early age is NOT good for kids. But, we as coaches put that pressure on them; so they think they have to pick one and spend their whole high school career focusing on that sport. I just don’t think that’s good for the player.

If you are concerned about your football players running track or playing lacrosse, I say “don’t worry.” Yes, the weight room is important. If you can set up an early morning weight lifting schedule where kids can come in before school, try it. However, I believe that the in-season sport takes priority. If the in-season coach doesn’t want him to lift, you need to respect that. Would you want the Wrestling coach at your school telling your football players that they have to be in the wrestling room 3 times a week in October and November at 6 am to get ready for wrestling season?!! I don’t think so!!! It works both ways!

I still think it’s beneficial to the high school athlete to compete in different sports. Frankly, just for the sake of competing. There’s nothing like testing your quarterback’s intestinal fortitude by lining up in the blocks to start a 100 m. track race! He’ll experience things you can never teach him just by competing in those races. Just “drink the specialization koolaid” and get in your head that you can’t be successful unless all of your athletes lift with you for the entire off season. There are benefits to letting them participate in other sports.

As a coach, I don’t think that many of us have any idea how much our player’s (and coaches) emotions, self-esteem and hopes are influenced by what we say. If someone took a poll, would you be identified as an encourager or a discourager???