It takes discipline to make good choices and sacrifices. Discipline can be applied to a player when they understand the truth about the Discipline. Players will not accept disci- pline if the wrong motives or intentions are present. They can tell the difference. Therefore, truth is at the heart of all discipline.

It takes a lot of discipline to make critical sacrifices that lead to success. Making a sacrifice is not easy. It especially is not easy when the sacrifice to improve must take place daily. Discipline and commitment could be one and the same. They both play a valuable role in individual and team success.

There are two types of discipline when coaching. It is the discipline the coach hands down and the self-discipline that comes from within the players. Most players are not born with self-discipline. They develop it as they grow in character.

The coach’s forced discipline is good on some fronts and can create a certain level of success. There must be some imposed discipline from the coach for a team to succeed at any level. This discipline is mainly applied to the immaturity of players who have no, or very little, self-discipline to stay focused on their own. Even if players create a high level of self-discipline, they need the coach to be the authority and impose a certain level of control to the group to keep team continuity in place, as individual self-discipline differenti- ates among the individuals.

When the proper character is established in a player, they will begin to discipline themselves. This is what we call self- discipline and it is the ultimate goal for a player to reach. If a player has genuine self-discipline, you can bet that they have exceptional character qualities.

Individual self-discipline should be the goal of a coach. When the discipline comes from within individuals, they will carry the team to their destiny. Self-discipline is a journey and will be established and increase as individual character increases by the foundation of the Word. It is the "TRUTH" of the Word that creates character. That character, when matured inside an individual, creates discipline that will carry an individual to "THEIR" highest potential. The coach can basically provide fundamentals and teaching and sit back and watch HIS individuals flourish to their highest success level, which is our ultimate goal explained during the pre-season meeting.

Players must be taught to make good "choices." The question they need to ask is, "Are my priorities in order?" We need to know the importance of the decisions we make when it comes to training, working hard, attitude, and per- forming. Some choices affect the team and others affect the individual. When the choices for success are made clear to the individual and team, then it is up to the player to choose the direction that leads to improvement and ultimate suc- cess. It takes discipline to be able to make great choices consistently.

One of the biggest choices players must make is how to treat teammates. Keeping the same unselfish mind-set and helping others on the team is very important in creating unity, trust, and respect. Players will face difficult choices on and off the field. They can choose to react positively or negatively. Their choices will determine their future. If too many players react negatively in adversity, then the team’s future is bleak. It is a mind-set that must be taken under au- thority by the coach. Negative attitudes cause internal self- destruction of the group and will cause the team to break

under pressure.

There has to be a way to choose the right things when being a part of a team. We must turn to the foundation found in the Word to bring us understanding of how to choose.

A player’s attitude toward the game and teammates is a choice. When a player has a big ego, he is setting himself up for failure under pressure. Humility and hard work are always the best choices when being a team leader. Players will naturally follow a teammate who makes great choices and shows respect to each player on the team, top to bottom.

Players on the team know when their leaders have the right attitude and approach. It does not matter how good a player is if he makes bad choices on and off the field. He will lack respect from his or her teammates. This type of player is destructive to the team and will cause team blowup under pressure situations.

The Word of God tells us in Matthew 5:38-44 NLT:

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

Jesus is telling us that it is a "CHOICE" how we react to situ- ations. Unfortunately, our emotions get in the way and we react differently than what the Word teaches us, especially in situations under pressure. Pressure always exposes our foun- dation. If we have built a solid and humble foundation that parallels what is in the Word, we have established a platform that will stand firm under even the most extreme pressure. Team and individual success depends upon a foundation that is established by making great choices.

Sacrifices cannot be made properly until priorities are created. The coach and players must have clearly agreed upon priorities. Sacrifices must start from prioritizing. Ex- ample: God first, family second, team third.

When choosing to make sacrifices to get better, the play- er must prioritize his time accordingly. If priorities change and are not consistent, then the results will be compromised, especially under pressure situations. It is a part of knowing who you are as a player. Your identity and character are tested in battle. If you have a foundation of prioritizing your life, then you create identity. This type of identity does not easily give in to pressure or fear situations. Sacrifice builds character! And sacrifice pays off every time when priorities are in place.

Jesus Christ is our greatest example. He sacrificed Him- self for us. Christ became the biggest winner of all time! It is by modeling His example that champions and heroes are made.

When a coach can create this mind-set of sacrifice with his players, all will become champions for all the right rea- sons. They will set a great example for the players and teams to follow.

I made the case that if truth, choices, sacrifice, discipline, and love are the foundation that the Bible gives us, then we should be using sports to teach the same things to young athletes. The results are the same!

Sacrifice is the most important part of the foundation. All ten of the results listed later in the chapter can be created in the team atmosphere when the proper sacrifices are made for success.

 Players must know the truth about who they are individu- ally and who they are in the team setting. The "truth" about a player must be obtained through evaluation. Therefore, they are consistently growing towards becoming a better play- er and person. It is the same growth that we go through as Christians. Coaches must be "HONEST" in their evaluations along the way and continually remind players of their ac- complishments as they develop. As a result, TRUST WILL BE CREATED BETWEEN THE COACH AND PLAYER.

A kind word and hard work with individuals will pay off.

Often players that start off slower in a sport or behind other players athletically move up and often move past pre- viously more talented players over a period of time. Their foundation created with the truth will allow for the maxi- mum amount of growth in character which leads to the most development in a given sport.

Identity is the key. A player will create a "TRUE" iden- tity about the place they are at as a player. This perspective will allow them to reach the highest level of achievement based on the potential for growth created from the truth about where they are and where they intend to get to. This growth now becomes a realistic goal that can be established "by the truth."

Players are often given unrealistic goals and evaluations of where they are at from their parents and loved ones. That perspective almost always differs from the evaluation of the coach. Since we can conclude that the parent’s perspective is not usually the "true" perspective, we must conclude that the coach’s perspective most often is based on a more unbiased

"truth." This coaching perspective is often not accepted or appreciated by the parents, and thus creates a conflict.

The following scripture from the Bible tells us about the "truth" as a foundation. John 8:31-32 says, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”

In these verses, Jesus tells us to abide in HIS Word; then we will be HIS disciples. Then we will know the truth, and the truth shall make us free. Therefore we must come to the conclusion that if this scripture passage is correct, then if we are not abiding in the Lord’s Word, we do not know the truth. Therefore, we are in bondage and are not free!

It works the same in team sports. Often, a player’s per- ception of the truth about his ability differs greatly from his or her parent’s opinion or the coach’s opinion. After study- ing the carnal nature of people and trying to determine their perspective of "truth," I have come to many conclusions and very few, if any, line up with what the Word of God tells us about the "truth" of God.

It is clear that the "world" is speaking a lot of things to people, and they are choosing to "accept" certain things as the "truth" and either good or bad for them. It's the same with young players on a team. They have a choice based on the knowledge they have gained to make decisions on basi- cally every choice that they face. If a player’s peers or even parents are unwilling to tell a player the truth about who they are athletically, it is the same as the false teaching that our youth are hearing from the world. Deception has a foothold. How many different opinions and people are young players listening to who do not know the Word of God when making important decisions in their life? I started to be on guard of who was speaking into the life of my players and whether or not their plan came from a TRUE perspective

that lined up with the Word of God!

I determined many things when I was seeking the Word of God to find out about the choice we have. First of all, the word "truth" is mentioned 237 times in 224 verses, all refer- ring to the truth of God or the truth of HIS word. I have con- cluded that if truth of God’s Word is the foundation, and of great importance for me to know, then there must be another "truth" or in this case an opinion that is masquerading as the truth that I need to avoid.

When we refer to the scripture listed previously, we must understand that something is keeping people bound that is either not the absolute truth, or perceived by people as some- thing that is masquerading as the truth. If it doesn’t come from God, then it is an opinion of the enemy. I believe the great majority of players are going through a season in sports in bondage from following a voice that is deceiving them. It often comes from peers or a parent.

Proverbs 12:26 says, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

A player must be given true direction and guidance as to how to improve his position on the team. It comes from a coach taking time with them and getting to know what motivates them and how they react to situations. The coach should understand the player’s situation at home and the false teaching that they are receiving so they can know when the individual is being affected negatively by his environ- ment.

THE TRUTH SHOULD NEVER BE DELIVERED

FROM A COACH IN A WAY TO HARM! It must be deliv- ered with "LOVE" and based on the coach's opinion that he gained through hard work and thorough evaluation.

Time and time again I have seen a player that simply

wanted his coach to speak the truth in love and also encour- age them to work hard to grow in his skills and character to reach his or her full potential. Even if that potential is mini- mal, the player will feel accepted and will give everything "HE" has to the team and coach.

Settling for telling players and parents what "they" want to hear only creates more confusion and false self-esteem that is foundationally detrimental to the individual and the team!