Sports and Health: A Competitor At Heart
Sports are my passion. I grew up playing volleyball, basketball and softball since I could walk. I did not only play for my schools including high school growing up but played the travel/club sector leading into me playing collegiate volleyball for Concordia University of Wisconsin and on the 23u Wisconsin lighting women’s fast pitch softball team. I played for the University of Wisconsin’s club girls volleyball team and coached during my clinicals in graduate school. My Dad was the head coach for softball growing up and has been inducted into the USA hall of fame. These years consisted of state and national tournaments all around the country. My best friends growing up were my teammates, my Dad was my coach and my mom, brother and the rest of my family were my constant encouragement. My Grandpa played on a 50 and over men’s fast pitch softball team until he was 70 years old. We have Packer and Badger season football tickets, and badger basketball tickets. Oh, I also love Dance Revolution and randomly competed at my hometown’s library and at our National Conference for Occupational Therapy. Do you see how much I love sports yet?
I think some people struggle saying it is hard to be involved in sports and serve God. Even though there are challenges, I see sports to serve God and those around me. God gave us our bodies and lives in them, and we are to take care of them. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” -1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Sports are an amazing way to exercise because you forget you are exercising in the first place. Even if not sports, you can do Zumba, run or plenty of other ways to stay active! Any accomplishment can give glory to God. “Lord, you established peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.” -Isaiah 26:12
Sports show you what it is like to build a community. Sports teach you never to give up, and practice can beat talent. Giants can fall even when others do not believe in you. Being smaller in sports where size matters, it has showed me I can play up to higher levels even when my size says no. You must learn to take correction from your coach. The only way I was able to compete in all my sports, do well in school and give time to God and my loved ones was discipline.
Anxiety and fear do not come from God. Sports teach you to push back your fear. The second you play timid or play not to lose instead of to win, you will not reach your full potential. Regardless of sports and in life, you will never reach your full potential without God, because He made you with your potential in the first place. It is literally impossible without Him. Trying to live life without Him is like trying to hit a ball without a bat. You can have all the natural talent in the world that He blessed you with when you were born, but you will never fulfill the awesome things He has in store for you in every aspect of your life until you commit to Him.
In softball, if you are swinging to not strike out instead of to get a hit, you will not hit the hardest or best you can. I relate this to how Jesus wants us to live. One time, I was up to bat against the best pitcher in the state for high school to make it to the state tournament. Mind you, she was also on my travel team, so she knows exactly which pitches are hardest for me to hit. I was fearful going up to the plate, then sunk my feet in, prayed and found confidence. I hit the ball barely fair in right field, helping us win the game. If I had gone into the box fearful, not trusting in the abilities God has given me, this would not have happened. I signed up to run my first half marathon. I did not know what to expect, since I have always been an athlete for team sports. My Dad told me, “You are in good enough shape, you just need to pray and run.” All it took were these words to give me a burst of confidence to finish. God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
With sports, especially being a captain, comes great responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required. You show your teammates their value and that you believe in them. The Packers are a great testimony to faith. Are you scared to be a captain because you are afraid you will fail? Just like having faith or being a leader, it is not about failing. You will fail in your life. It is how you handle your failure. Most people will not even try. Give yourself credit for trying.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” -Hebrews 12:11-12
To play sports, you need to fight fatigue. Train your brain just like you train your muscles. There are scans of the brain showing proof of different activity when you have faith. This is where grit and resilience come in. There is never an excuse for anyone to work harder than you. Therefore, I love defense in basketball. Even if you miss your shots on offense, you can always control how quick you get back on defense. I always strived for the MVP award but knew a lot of times it was out of my control. One award I knew I could always win was the hustle. This is always in your control. “Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.” -Proverbs 15:32, Proverbs 15:10 and Hosea 4:14. As one of the greatest coaches of all time Vince Lombardi once said, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
Practice. I understand some people are gifted naturally in some areas more than others, but I am telling you, you can do anything you set your mind to with faith, passion, and practice. I have played sports since I have been little and the neuroplasticity in my brain was able to easily help me develop these skills. However, now I play guitar. When I first started, many said that maybe I didn’t have the talent. I knew, just like sports, if I practiced, I could get good enough to play in church, for Miss Wisconsin and for my friend’s wedding. I prayed and practiced, and it happened. I knew this was a way I wanted to worship God.
One key is to return to fundamentals in our sports in order to become a great player. Your form needs to be correct before you can generate all your power in your swing, shot and serve. It goes the same for Jesus. I think those of us in Christ tend to think “I know this story already” and not realize we need to continually go back to the core of our relationship with Christ and be renewed daily as we are being infected by sin constantly throughout our day. Absolutely, keep growing in your relationship as in sports keep growing in your skills, but you will never continue to flourish unless you keep the fundamentals at hand. The thought of Jesus being crucified on that cross should always love you, and never seem like old or repeated news. If it ever does, it is time to go back to the fundamentals.
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy sayingthat deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” -1 Timothy 4:7-10
We never have to strive for God’s approval and love. It is given to us unconditionally. However, we strive toward our goals with the motivation being His love, instead of having the burden that we “have to be good enough.” Frankly, that will not motivate you but simply drain you. Once an NFL kicker was on the news, and they in a sense were asking him how he felt after missing the kick losing one of the most important games. His answer is key. He said he plays football, but his identity is in Christ. I love sports, but they are not my identity, and they are not yours either. I am not saying this to upset you, but to give you hope. I also heard a player say they were benched for many years, but eventually when he became the lead quarterback, he realized God’s timing was perfect.
Sports will come to an end and change as we get older. Our bodies either will not work the same, or someone better may come along. I have been there. It feels like my life is over at the time. I felt this way because my identity was not where it needed to be. Sports will teach you discipline, how to be a good teammate, how to compete at high levels, courage, confidence, bringing accomplishments through teamwork showing God’s power. There is a small chance we will become professional athletes but a guarantee we will all stand before Jesus. Just like working out and sports, the same concepts apply. You cannot be good or get in shape only doing it once a week. Same with your relationship with Jesus. If you only focus on Him on Sundays, you will not be in shape on His team.
What about those with disabilities? I have coached for the Special Olympics, and in general being an occupational therapist, I have tried to help those who struggle physically have the opportunity to play in the beautiful world of sports. Bethany Hamilton is an amazing example of not letting adversity stop her, as she lost one of her arms due to a shark attack, yet she still continues to surf. I was also helping at try outs for my high school one year, and I saw there was a girl with one arm playing. Anything is possible when the passion and discipline is there. However, what if you were in an accident leaving your body paralyzed? No matter what, you could not move any part of your body and could not play sports. Is your life over? As much as it would feel like it, no doubt, it would not be because sports only give you a temporary crown, but when our identity is in the eternal crown, it can never be taken away.
As staying active and eating healthy nutrition is important, so is rest. The struggle in trying to find the balance is real. God commands us to rest just like He commands us to work hard. God did not create us to go full speed all of the time. Life will throw you curve balls. You will swing and miss but stay persistent. Be the one who does not give up, and you will reap the benefits. God will show you how to swing. Most importantly, glorify God. Tim Tebow wore John 3:16 on his face during a game, and millions heard the gospel. We stay in shape not for our glory, but His. We exercise to have the energy and stamina to serve Him.
We can pray for the “best body,” to be the “best athlete,” or be in the best shape, but this is where free will come in. God will provide opportunities to help you take care of your body, but with free will He lets us make the choice. We cannot pour into others unless we feel energized ourselves. I have such a sweet tooth and struggle to always eat the best. Honey and sweets are fine in moderation and have their place, but if you have too much, you will get sick. “If you find honey, eat just enough- too much of it, and you will vomit.” -Proverbs 25:16 and Proverbs 25:27 I know God has given us food to be enjoyed, and I pray about what He wants me to put into my body. I used to like very few vegetables, and the more I prayed the better it got. “…plants for people to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.” -Psalm 104:14-15 “He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.” -Isaiah 44:12 When playing sports, it is important you nourish your body and stay hydrated. Staying hydrated includes making sure to get enough electrolytes.
“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body,” -Proverbs 4:20-22 Ultimately, what brings health and nourishment to us is to listen and fear the Lord and shun evil. He says to keep His Word close to our heart, and it will bring healing to our entire body. He will provide the guidance in how to care for our bodies once this is our priority. “…fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” -Proverbs 3:7-8
My collegiate volleyball coach asked us to write an essay about what motivates us. I wrote that what motivates me is the One who created me. God talks about controlling our minds. Motivation begins in the mind. When you realize God puts a goal and passion in your heart, and you know you serve a God who will help you to accomplish them, you cannot help to begin to feel motivation. This motivation carried me to study to become a CHT, in sports, in my job and in my relationships most importantly. God has not given us abilities for only ourselves, but to glorify Him and serve others. Every day since I have been eight years old, I have worn the necklace with a basketball on one side, and the verse which is the theme of this book on the other. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:13 God has had this book in mind since I bought this necklace when I was eight. This is where my motivation began to share your purpose, with you.
When serving others, you will not be able to keep your motivation strong if you are always thinking you are bettering them. If you humble yourself to think, wow, I get to serve this individual, you will continue to stay motivated, even when people are resistant to you. People want to know you are serving them because you value them, not because you pity them. We serve because we see the other person as valuable and an honor to serve them.
Playing sports has been the perfect demonstration of God’s will for our lives. God gives us “practice” through His Word so we will be ready to play! You cannot be on the team or play if you do not know what God asks of you. However, you also cannot score if you do not swing the bat, shoot or serve! God already told you he will bring you home, the path you get there is up to your preparation, willingness to trust and Him. I think also if you think about the entire game ahead of time, you will get overwhelmed. Focus on each play. I’m not saying not to prepare, because any athlete will tell you how much you need to prepare for each individual play. God’s plan for your life will pan out if you focus on obeying the Holy Spirit in each moment of your life. “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” -Psalm 115:1
“Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.” -Proverbs 25:19 I know all about broken teeth, as I have three from diving to catch a foul ball and running into the fence. All that mattered was that I caught the ball, right? My teeth are now stable due to the help of a dentist who are great family friends of ours, but before the final cap my teeth were not stable, and neither are the unfaithful. If there are people on the team who try to gossip about other teammates, I know it can be very awkward to just stop the conversation. Always pray and ask God how to redirect these conversations in the positives about your teammates, and what skills you feel they add to the team either physically, mentally or as an encouragement. Your team is supposed to be like your family, and you want to stay faithful.
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?” -Jeremiah 12:5 You should always practice for the best competition. What good is it to practice for lower competition, when you know you eventually will have to play the best? Progress can and should come in small steps, but the goal should always be how to push yourself to be the best, and to reach the potential of the God given talents and abilities you have been blessed with. Our bodies are not our own, they belong to God and should be treated as valuable and taken care of. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” -Romans 12:1 You are God’s temple, when you have Christ His Holy Spirit lives inside of you. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” -1 Corinthians 3:16-17 You are sacred! “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” -2 Corinthians 6:16 “And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” -Ephesians 2:22 and 1 Peter 2:4-5
Even though the Bible talks about competing, and that sports and physical training are of some value, the important, and truly in the end only eternal value is to receive the eternal crown.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” -1 Corinthians 9:24-27
It seems like Paul and John were both competitive. “Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.” -John 20:4 “Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first.” -John 20:8 It is great to want to push yourself to be the best you can to win the competition, but the key is not to gloat over your opponent and still love on them, you know…once you beat them… “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove.” -Proverbs 24:17-18 In all seriousness, I love sports and love competing, but I cannot let it get in the way of the goal and achievement of life, to receive the eternal crown that I cannot achieve on my own or by any effort, but only by following the best coach, leading us to the ultimate victory of life for eternity.
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.” -Philippians 1:27-28
When you play with a team, you are all striving together for one common goal, one common championship uniting yourselves together and making it easy to form trustworthy relationships. We are to be the same way as believers. We are striving together toward one goal, one finish line, to get as many as we can with us, on our team, under the super Bowl championship coach. When we stand together, we stand firm and resist the enemy.
“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” -2 Timothy 2:3-10
What I love the most is sports taught me about sacrifice. Sports teach you to be the teammate who is willing to lay down the bunt to get your teammate to second from first, even though your stats will show you made the out. When I was Libero for volleyball, I had to think about sacrifice. What hurt worse, when I hit the floor to dive and save a ball, or when the ball would hit the floor and let down my teammates? It helped me think of others before myself. Sports teach you that yelling at the umps and refs do nothing when we do not get our way, even if we are completely justified teaching us self-control when falsely accused. Some have made the argument God does not care about sports. God cares about the hairs on your head, he cares about sports, and can and will continue to use them for His glory.
