Last season, sophomore offensive lineman Barrett Jones helped the University of Alabama football team win their 13th national championship. The right guard blocked his way to Freshman All-American honors after spending his Saturdays opening holes for Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram. Jones also stayed active off the gridiron as a member of both the Crimson Tide’s FCA Huddle and Campus Crusade for Christ; spent his spring break caring for earthquake survivors in Haiti; and maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.
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New Gear to Wear
Set:
One of the most exciting times for an athlete is when their team gets new gear to wear — a new uniform, team sweats, team shoes or pre-game warm-up outfit. In new gear, the step seems quicker, the jumps a little higher. For some reason, it makes you feel better as an athlete. I remember those days as a player, and even when I ordered new things as a coach it was always fun. Outerwear, however, does not make the player different. It is what is on the inside that counts.
#80 - StVRP - Sylvia Hatchell, Deb Patterson, FCA Sports & Les Steckel
North Carolina head women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchel, Kansas State head women’s basketball coach Deb Patterson, Vice President for FCA Sports Sean McNamara & FCA President Les Steckel
Let the Light Shine
Try for a second to imagine not being able to publicly praise your Holy Father in Heaven.
Imagine being so on fire for Jesus Christ and His amazing sacrifice on the cross and wanting to tell every person you met but, because of fear of persecution or deportation, you couldn’t open your lips.
Imagine that governmental supervision was required when assembling in large groups to discuss all Christ has done, all the grace He showers upon us.
Get out of the Boat
Set:
Over the past few years, the technology for swim gear has improved drastically. During the Olympics in the 70s, the average male swimmer probably had swim trunks bought from a local department store, and he didn’t bother wearing a swim cap or shaving. Today, we have technology that makes swimsuits resemble shark skin for less resistance, which shaves the important hundredths of seconds off one’s time.
Coaching the Coaches
Standing just below Jesus at the base of the mountainside were the 12 whom He had called. And so He beckoned to Him those He wanted, and they came. He appointed these 12, designating them apostles, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach the gospel to the nations.
Two thousand years later, it’s because of these appointed 12 that billions of people know about Jesus Christ. Based on that model of discipleship and multiplication, FCA’s Coaches Ministry established its model of ministry and thus created the FCA Coaches Ministry Director (CMD) School.
One-on-One with Kapua Torres
It’s not difficult to see how Kapua Torres’ story is unlike that of most girls her age. A former state champion on the all-girl wrestling team at Kahuku High School in Hawaii, Torres is now one of the few female wrestlers competing at the college level. But it isn’t just the sport itself that sets her apart — it’s also her talent.
Information or Transformation
Set:
Mark was an average athlete. He couldn't run particularly fast, jump extremely high or lift much weight. But something clicked during the summer between his sophomore and junior year. He went from being a very average player into the best player in school history. What was the difference? What made the change?
The Light Is Always Flashing
Set:
Across from the headquarters of FCA, atop a hill, is a tall communications tower. In the almost three years that I’ve worked here, I’ve glanced at this tower hundreds of times and never given it a second look. But yesterday morning I caught myself daydreaming. It was in this daydream that God taught me a beautiful lesson--one He’s been teaching me over and over again for the last several weeks.
At the top of this tower is a flashing light. It guides air traffic and prevents aircrafts from flying into it. No matter the time, day or season, this light continues to flash, and communication continues to be broadcast.
Perspective on Prosperity
Years ago, I was on a 15-mile run along the coast with one of my unchurched buddies when the conversation turned to faith.
He asked, “Will a relationship with God help my running?”
Translation: What’s in it for me?
People don’t always say it, but that’s their question. Listen close and you’ll hear it a hundred times a day in a hundred different ways. We can’t help it; we’re egocentric by nature.
The Difference Maker
Set:
March Madness has arrived. State and College basketball tournaments have begun and many are finished. In our state (Illinois), the girls' AA tournament just ended. Once again, Naperville Central won the state crown, led by Coach Andy Nussbaum and athlete Candace Parker. Candace tore her ACL last summer and missed many games before Christmas, but since her return, they have gone undefeated all the way to back-to-back state championships. She was the difference-maker for her team. She will be heading to Tennessee to play for Coach Pat Summit next year.
Communion
Set:
Six years to the day after his father won his first Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won NASCAR's most prestigious race for the first time. It was also the same race which claimed the life of his father on a last-lap crash three short years ago. "In a way, it feels like I'm closer to my dad," Junior said. "At the same time, this is a reminder of losing him all over again."
The Heart of Texas
In many cases, the University of Texas (and they wouldn’t mind us mentioning this) is larger than life. After all, isn’t everything bigger in Texas?
And really, it’s tough to disagree. The Greater Austin metro area has a population of 1.6 million people. UT’s 350-acre main campus employs 21,000 faculty and staff while serving as the educational grounds for nearly 50,000 students, many of whom are members of one or more of the 900 registered student organizations.
Impacting the campus and community for Christ sounds like a great vision, but where do you begin?
Fit 4 Ever: Water of Life
Water is the single most important nutrient in the body. To be honest, it's impossible to be healthy without water. Yet, even though we know we're probably not getting enough, many of us still don't do anything about it.
STV Hot Seat: Teresa L. Phillips
Teresa L. Phillips is a sports pioneer. A former Vanderbilt basketball player, Phillips spent time as the head women’s basketball coach at Fisk University (Tenn.) and Tennessee State University for a number of years before becoming the first woman to coach a Division I men’s basketball team, which she took over at TSU for a short time in 2003. Now the TSU athletic director, Phillips was named one of the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports by Sports Illustrated and Tennessee’s second-most influential sportswoman by The Tennessean—all this while becoming just one of a handful of female athletic directors in the country.
Godless in Heart
Set:
The godless in heart, even when chastised by God for their foolishness, will not cry out to Him for help; instead, they store up anger and resentment. That sounds like some people I’ve known. Some players rebel against the coach’s leadership and suffer the consequences, but they never learn from them. They break the rules again, serve a suspension, and are restored to their teams, only to shift blame and return to their foolish ways. Such patterns of behavior reveal the nature of their hearts.
Thankfulness: An Attitude of Gratitude
Set:
If you were to list the qualities of the people you most admire, a thankful attitude would probably be at the top of the list. Attitude will make or break a person. In his book Attitude 101, John Maxwell says this concerning attitude:
#97 - StVRP - Chad Hennings, Susan Bumpas, Clebe McClary & Les Steckel
Three-time Super Bowl Champion and Air Force pilot Chad Hennings, Susan Bumpas, Vietnam War Veteran Clebe McClary & FCA President Les Steckel
Trusting the No-Look Pass
Set:
Mike is one of my best friends. What you need to know about Mike is that he is a natural-born athlete. I, on the other hand, am a natural-born glutton for punishment. When Mike and I were in college and graduate school, we spent a lot of time working at our neighborhood pool during the summers. When there was a break in the action, we'd play some basketball on one of the hoops that was set up adjacent to the pool's tennis courts. I never beat him head-to-head. Let's just say that he was the Kevin McHale of our neighborhood, while I played basketball like the swimmer I was. Sometimes, though, one of Mike's best friends from college, Jeff, would stop by for a visit.
Passing the Torch
Set:
The NBA … it's fantastic. Well, maybe not. But at playoff time it does get pretty exciting. The Indiana Pacers are once again making a push for the coveted title. The Pacers are not being led by the deadly sharp shooting of Reggie Miller this season, but the powerful play of two younger players — Ron Artest and Jermaine O’Neal. Reggie's days are ending, and he is passing the torch to his teammates. He knows he cannot carry the load like in years past. It is time for the younger, more youthful players on his team to step up, take on the responsibility, and lead their team to a championship. Reggie no doubt will do his job, but his best days are behind him now.
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