A Coach's Diary

Middle school can be some of the best years and some of the toughest years for young athletes. So many changes happen in middle school, and you have to know who you are and who you want to be so that you are ready to deal with those changes in a productive way. In my first year coaching middle school sports, all of the coaches who were there before me kept telling me about this kid named ‘Madi.’ Madi was now in high school, but they told me about how Madi’s presence completely changed the school. Madi was a star athlete, but her genuine 'goodness' on and off the court is what transformed the school. They said that Madi was such a good, nice, and humble person that others started being the same way. It wasn’t always easy for Madi. Madi didn’t curse, she didn’t talk back, and she was a peacemaker and not a fighter. At first, people would tease Madi and try to get her to do things she didn’t want to do, but Madi would just smile and handle herself gracefully and continued to be wh...

Competition can bring out the best in people and the worst in people. Everyone loves a good rivalry because it's intense and exciting.  Great opponents bring the best out of us. They push us harder and farther than we can push ourselves. They force us to rise to the occasion. It is important to appreciate and respect our opponents because they push us to be the best that we can be. And it's important to remember that even in the middle of the toughest battles if you are a follower of Jesus, and to do as Jesus did. You can be the fiercest competitor and still be a good person. BE A GOOD PERSON AND DO GOOD THINGS Goodness is defined as the quality of being morally good or virtuous, but goodness  is more than being a nice, kind, and polite model citizen. Goodness is an excellence of character that actively and intentionally works from the inside out and is seen and felt by everyone that you come in contact with. Goodness is about being a good person, but it is also about being a ...