One of our three pillars in the Western Christian Football program is COMPETE. This will be the focus of spring ball 2011 which begins May 31st and ends June 11th.

We already talk a lot about competing against our best self. Our athletes know they should be focused on improving themselves on a day to day basis. This is something we will coach in the weight room while the athletes continue to get stronger, during speed and agility drills so we can become faster, and on the football field so we will have football players who are improving at their individual position(s).

While we will focus on individual competition, or competing against our best self, it is vitally important that our athletes understand why they are trying so hard to improve themselves. There main motivation and focus on improving themselves should not be for personal gratification. WE ARE ASKING THEM TO DO THIS SO OUR TEAM WILL BECOME BETTER. When our motivation for doing what we do on any given day becomes larger than our self, great things will begin to happen.

Paul speaks of competition in 1 Corinthians. “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. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly”

Paul is telling us when we do something, be focused on why we are doing it. What is the end result? Below we have stated what we want our end result to be as a football program, the motivation and reason for improving our best self as individuals. Western Christians goals for the 2011 football season are the following:

1. Beat Ontario Christian 2. Win the Ambassador League 3. Make the Div. 12 CIF playoffs

It is very evident what Paul’s says his intentions are when he does something. His intentions/end result is to always further the Kingdom of Heaven. Although our goals as a football program are to beat Ontario Christian, win league and go to the playoffs, the end result of EVERYTHING we do as a football program is to glorify our Father in Heaven.

As we teach our football players to compete in this program, they are practicing what it means to truly compete in everything they do, now in the present and later on in their future lives. The day will come when our athletes become business men, teachers, or police officers. The day will come when our athletes are husbands and fathers. Will these young men be prepared to compete with their best self when they meet those challenges? More importantly, as Christians, will our athletes understand that it is not easy to further the Kingdom of Heaven and we must work at it, always competing at it and not walking around aimlessly like Paul mentions?

Love-Lead-COMPETE