Memories. Pain and the Game,

"You will suffer in significant ways from this for the rest of your life."

There are times in all of our lives when we hear things that we dread. This was one of those for me and it happened this week. These words came from my doctor after I took a series of tests for brain functioning as a result of concussions throughout my life.  Let me be clear, they were not a surprise. I have known for years that many of the symptoms for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) are things that I am experiencing. Memory loss, depression, emotional outbursts, questionable judgment, headaches, dizziness are all things that I have had to deal with.  But the difference between hearing that you may suffer and you will suffer is a huge gap.

It does not mean I have been diagnosed with CTE. At this time, it can only be diagnosed post-mortem. But I do show chronic signs from traumatic brain injuries that in turn led me to score low on the tests. According to my doctor, there will be many more tests and lots of physical therapy. And pondering and processing. It is hard to realize that something that you have loved, in this case, the game of football could have caused so much pain.

Football has helped me become who I am. Through coaches who actually taught virtues through the game, I grew to understand dedication, humility, hard work, commitment, loyalty,  love and community in ways I never learned anywhere else. I have met some of the most amazing and unique people that I have played with and against. I have coached some of the most incredible people on the planet. I have traveled to places I never imagined I would go, and I have made some of the best friends anyone could ever have, all through football. I have been blessed through the game. I knew that my body would take a toll, but I never knew that it would be so vicious.

When I was playing we knew nothing of CTE or the effects of multiple concussions. In fact, one year in college I had five concussions and was approved to return to play after each one. No one imagined the horrors that would await some of us. And make no mistake, they are horrors. The absolute pain of the headaches, which feels like someone is taking a knife to the inside of your skull, the sensitivity to sound which produces more headaches. The pure darkness of depression when you feel as if you are in such a deep hole that you can not claw your way out of it and which creates physical pain to match the mental abyss you find yourself in for no apparent reason. The emotional gymnastics which make suicide seem like a far better option than to take one more excruciating breath. All of this and more are the other side of the game.

Balancing those two realities and trying to come up with an answer for "was it worth it?" is an impossible task. And so we have a debate now raging around the issues of concussions and the game. Ironically, last week saw the release of a book by Merrill Hoge and Peter Cummings called Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and The Plot to Destroy Football, in which the authors try to make the case that there is no scientific proof that football causes CTE. In the book, they take on the Boston University neuropathologists who have done the majority of the work in the field and in 2017 released a study where they found that of 111 brains of former NFL players 110 had CTE. Hoge and Cummings point out the flaws in the study, which granted there are some. The research still needs to move forward and more needs to be done. Hoge's book does not dispute however that those 110 brains had CTE and that is 110 families that lost a loved one. While the science needs to catch up, we also need to know that the game has its costs and many times we are not aware of them until it is too late. For me, it is no longer an academic or philosophical premise. I know what caused my trauma, and it was the game I love.

Personally, I knew of some of the risks later as I was coaching and the word was getting out about the effects of concussions and I experience the start of some of my symptoms. As a result, I changed the way I coached and ran practices. We no longer hit during practices with live tackling. As soon as Hawk tackling was introduced by the Seattle Seahawks we implemented it in our tackling. I did everything I could to take the head and the repeated banging out of the game. Shorter practices, less hitting, never taking someone to the ground, new techniques, new equipment, whatever we could do I implemented it because I did not want any of my players to experience the pain I was.

I felt like that was my way to honor the game by making it safer for those I coached so that they might be able to benefit from the positive aspects without the residual pain. I faced resistance, from assistant coaches primarily who weren't living the hell I was and thought that toughness was more important and that we should be hitting more. But, I never backed down and it has cost me over the years.

And so now I move forward, knowing that the road ahead is difficult and hoping that the things I learned from the game about perseverance, hope, and diligence will help me through this challenge ahead. Persevering through the tasks set in front of me, Hoping that science will find solutions that may provide a cure where there is none today. And being diligent about loving those around me to the best that I can. And if nothing else trying to keep positive in the midst of things. As I told my doctor, "well the good thing is that every movie I watch is always brand new to me these days! That's something!" 

Kneeling is a position of humility.

Colin Kaepernick continues to spur controversy. It used to be over whether you liked the San Francisco 49ers and their success with the young Quarterback and his skills on the field. But these days due to the collusion of NFL teams who have blackballed the QB it is purely for the just off-field (sideline) protests that he started when he was still in the league.

            Kaepernick started a movement to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem in protest of the way that people of color are treated by police and other authorities in the United States. He had enough of seeing unarmed black men gunned down in the streets of America by police officers and decided to take a knee in protest. Many other athletes have joined in on the protests and it has become a huge controversy with the NFL as many people claim that it is disrespectful of the flag and of service members in the military. While the President of the United States has stoked the controversy by calling Kaepernick and the players a ”son of a bi#@%” and claiming that they do not even know what they are protesting, the players have been crystal clear in their responses and explain clearly that the issue is not patriotism but racism.

            Nike today named Kaepernick one of the faces of their 30^th anniversary of the “Just Do It” Campaign with the tagline " Believe in Something, even if it means sacrificing everything. # Justdoit." In typical fashion, many on social media are threatening to throw away their Nike shoes and denouncing both the brand and Kaepernick, once again sowing the discord plaguing our nation. Kaepernick is following the decades-old tradition of African American athletes fighting racist discrimination which had its notable beginnings at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games when Tommy Smith and John Carlos stood on the gold medal platform and upheld their black-gloved hands to the heavens during the playing of the U.S. national anthem.

                This act infuriated officials who took away the Olympic athlete’s gold medals but, was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. Kaepernick’s gesture to kneel is a continuation of this protest and is interestingly seen as disrespectful. I say interestingly because kneeling is one of the humblest acts one could do in our culture. To kneel is to submit. The only thing which is more of a humble posture is to lay prostrate on the ground. For those who participate in religious services kneeling is a familiar position to take before one’s God. In monarchies kneeling was and can still be a standard position when coming before those in authority, the King or Queen. It is also a position often used when asking for the mercy or assistance of an authority. Men traditionally kneel before a woman when asking her to be his wife. It is a position of giving honor to another. So, I am dumbfounded when people are insulted at the act and claim that it is dishonoring to the flag and troops.

 

Even though people mix up the actions of these athletes stand against racism with some perceived protest of the flag and military, if one still wants to hold to this mistaken interpretation then they even have that wrong.  What these athletes are doing is showing honor to the flag and all who serve it by kneeling, an act of humility. What I see in this act is an unspoken request to those in power to help. A request for those of us seeing this protest to act against the racism that these athletes and their friends and family face every day. And those of us who are against racism should be responding not by criticizing them but by standing up to the racism we see exhibited whether it be by our leaders or the person next to you in line at the grocery store. There is no room for this disease in American culture. When we switch the subject on the discussion we are ignoring the pleas of our brothers and sisters who are Americans with a different skin pigment and are kneeling to ask us for help.

I am asking you to see this through a different lens. As a humble request with all honor given to those of us who can make a difference. Racism is a serious problem, one that has found solutions at times in the world of sport. So maybe instead of denouncing Nike, we acknowledge that they are doing what they can to address the issue. And maybe when we see someone kneel we see someone who is asking us earnestly and humbly for our help. Wouldn’t it be a powerful thing to see people in the stands humbly kneel in unison against racism instead of standing in judgment of those suffering from it?  

Jim Nendel  

Locker Room Talk

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's excuse for his vulgar and offensive comments recorded in the Access Hollywood tapes come down to this... it's ok because it was merely locker room talk, everybody does it. He is sorry not for what he said but for being caught. And for him, what was said is no big deal.
As someone who has spent most of my life in locker rooms as an athlete, coach and teacher I find this excuse ridiculous. But what is even more disturbing is the supposed acceptance of this stereotype that has existed for decades. The idea that in locker rooms guys sit around and talk about grabbing women's p...... is so far from the truth that I feel the need to speak out. I have been involved in locker rooms at all levels of sport both in the U.S. and internationally. Are locker rooms equivelant to church sanctuary's? No of course not. Do guys speak about women? Yes. But in all my years in locker rooms I have never heard the type of discussions that Trump engaged in with Billy Bush accepted in a locker room. Maybe he remembers discussions from his middle school sports years when kids have no filters and say things that are ridiculous or maybe he is recalling discussions from being at a bar when people are drunk. But in a locker room where athletes come together for a common mission, hardly.
Now I'm not saying that guys will not speak about if a woman is "hot" or such things. But when someone crosses the line and starts talking about anything approaching what Trump spoke about I have seen guys respond in two ways. One, they all ignore and shun the speaker because that person has proven that they are an idiot, or someone steps up and says something about respect for women and shuts them up.
Trump wants us to believe that conversations like his are common occurrences in locker rooms and that he should be excused for participating in a conversation that is a normal part of our sports culture. As such he wants us to just see him as "one of the guys."
Well, I object to that and want people to know that that is not the norm in locker rooms. He is not being "one of the guys," he is exhibiting abnormal behaviour that those of us living in the locker room day in and day out recognize as the words of a sleeze bag. Guys like that are blow hards, wanna be macho guys who think that conquering a woman makes them a man. While there are those rare individuals that is not a true and complete picture of a locker room environment.

As a coach I follow in the footsteps of my coaches who taught me that women were to be honored and treated with respect in word and deed. That if we were not willing to say something in a womans presence then it is not appropriate to speak about her in derogatory ways in that sacred place. The locker room is home, it is a place to escape and prepare. Is there joking and laughter and crude humor? Sometimes. But there is still a code of conduct that we understand as athletes and men that must be followed. I try to teach my athletes what that line of demarcation is that we need to avoid crossing and that it begins with respect for women.
With all of the issues with domestic violence and sexual assault that surrounds sport these days that should be a major emphasis for all of us as coaches. If its not, then we deserve to be lumped together with the likes of Trump and condemned for our "locker room talk." But I for one will stand against that time and continue to condemn those who want to taint a place that is special for those of us involved in athletics.

A Great and Sad Day!

Last Friday November 13th was a momentous day for me. My high school football team the Northwest Christian Crusaders made school history as we won our first State playoff game ever. It was the first one we had ever played in, and this just in our third year of football.  In 2013, we played a varsity schedule and took our lumps. With 80% of the team having no football experience at any level we relied on a young skinny sophomore at quarterback named David Olds and a couple of great athletes to win one game in our first season. After improving to three wins last year the team came into this season with a goal to win a State Championship. That skinny quarterback is still leading us but has numerous weapons around him and an offensive line that has gained experience, tenacity and size.

David Olds and Myself

Defensively we went from a team that would rather run out of bounds than get in front of a big running back to a team that physically attacks offenses and has developed a physicality that is needed in this game. But with these changes we have maintained an attitude of playing with sportsmanship and love. We stress that our guys help other players up after they hit them and that we tell the other team when they have made a great play. We want to play this game with honor and respect for the other team as we all have spent numerous hours training and practicing so that we can try to make ourselves better players each day.

The honor, camaraderie, and character development is what makes this game so wonderful.  It teaches so many things and is a living classroom. So when we were able to go to Warden, Washington to play the Cougars it was an exciting night. Our kids played well and were able to come away with a 34-18 victory to move on to the next round of the State tournament. We celebrated and as we left Warden for the two hour journey home it seemed to be a magical evening. As I was calling in our score to the local television stations and newspapers I happened to see notices about attacks in Paris. Immediately, my past was alive in my present. My joy and excitement turned to concern and dismay.

Seeing the photos from familiar sites in Paris which had been turned into killing fields by terrorists was shocking.  It soured the happiness of our victory as I worried about friends and wondered if they were safe. The last couple of days have been strange as I hear from friends who are safe and from those who lost loved ones and friends in the attacks. Reading and listening to the news and opinions concerning the attacks brought back my life in Paris and the wonderful experiences I had there. While the pain and fears of my friends is palatable, I remember the wonderful times I had in the city.

In fact I lived and worked in an area which had the highest Muslim and immigrant population in France. We loved going to the local kebab shop and found the people there so friendly. It was a gathering place for Syrian immigrants and many would frequent it to watch soccer matches or the news from home. And yet they became our friends. The guys who worked there learned our names and what we liked to order and when we would enter the shop they welcomed us warmly. They would usher us to a table and give us a fantastic sweet tea and make sure we were comfortable while we waited for our food~which by the way was wonderful and makes me salivate thinking about it! These immigrants worked hard and battled discrimination and yet were some of the friendliest people I met in France. It saddens me to know that because of the acts of cowardly people perverting Islam they will face more pain and questioning. Many of my former players also are fearful of the future they face there and are hoping that rather than a response of hatred and fear that these attacks will bring people together. They hope for a response which will be based out of a sense of love and compassion for victims, and that governments will honor their memory and not denigrate it with indiscriminate violence.

As I prepare my team for the quarterfinal game this week against Asotin, we will face a similar challenge. To live out our football lives with honor and play for a love of the game and one another. Not taking cheap shots on other players or letting our anger get the best of us but harnessing our feelings and tempering them with love and respect for the game and others. We try to honor Christ in all we do and part of that is to model his compassion. The tragedy of last week and the attacks in Paris will continue to be on my mind and heart as I hate to see that beautiful city and its people under siege, but just as Parisians will move forward and defeat the cowardly Daesh with their joy for life, I will challenge my players to learn through this game how to overcome adversity and unexpected loss and humbly love those around them. Peace! Je Suis Paris!

"Stuff Happens"

What is wrong with us as Americans? Once again we mourn as a gunman kills multiple victims. This time in Roseburg, Oregon just an hour or so from where I grew up in Eugene. So it again hits home but even more so when I read about each individual murdered.  I was struck that these are not just numbers but as Justin Zoradi's non-profit organization's name clearly says "These numbers have faces." (http://thesenumbers.org/mission) 

While Zoradi's wonderful mission has other goals not dealing with gun violence the truth is that even these numbers do have faces. And the faces have stories behind them and people who loved them whose own lives are devastated by this senseless violence. As President Obama noted we have seemingly become numb to this type of tragedy and almost accept it as collateral damage. In fact, Presidential hopeful Jeb Bush even responded to the tragedy by simply stating that"stuff happens." Really? Really? Stuff happens? Peoples lives are destroyed and all we can say is stuff happens? 
Some of my friends on facebook are once again going to the defense of guns noting that "guns don't kill, people do."  Some even claim that if we took away guns then people would commit these atrocities with whatever is available including pencils, forks and other nonsensical implements. If this is true then I have to ask a deeper question. What is wrong with us as Americans. If guns don't kill people, but people do then what does that say about us as a people? 
The statistics are staggering. Since 1997 the United States has experienced 51 mass shooting involving events that kill 4 or more people. In that same time two other countries have had multiple events. Germany and Switzerland each with 3. The United Kingdom had one while Australia and Japan have not experienced one. (http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/03/us/gun-deaths-united-states/) Australia is interesting as they had experienced many prior to 1997 but changed gun laws and since then have seen an incredible decrease in gun deaths. Australia now has 30 deaths by homicide annually. (http://mic.com/articles/123049/19-years-after-passing-strict-gun-control-laws-here-s-what-happened-in-australia) Compared to the U.S. which has 11, 208 in 2013 that is a drop in the bucket. 
So that begs the question. What is wrong with us? If it is not the guns but the people that must make us one of histories most disturbed, bloodthirsty, and violent cultures ever, which in many ways is more frightening. What is it that makes us as a people kill people at such a high rate compared to countries around the world that are similar to us? And yet we claim to be the greatest nation on earth fighting for life, liberty. and the pursuit of happiness. Well maybe we should get rid of the life part since we obviously do not truly value life, other than our own. And while we are at it we may want to rethink the liberty part as well since our incarceration rates dwarf those of other civilized countries. While we make up 5% of the worlds population we have 25% of the worlds prisoners. Peter Wagner of the Prison Policy Initiative noted that 

"The U.S. prison population rate is highest in the world, at 716 per 100,000 of the national population, according to the International Centre for Prison Studies. Russia’s is 475 prisoners per 100,000 of the national population, and China’s is 121 per 100,000 population, which is below the world’s median rate, More than half of countries and territories have rates below 150 per 100,000 population." (http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/dec/16/matthew-cooke/us-prison-population-big-russia-china-and-north-ko/)"

So again what makes us as a people so in need of imprisoning our fellow citizens? Are we that much more prone to evil than other nations?  I know that there is a sense of always looking to gain the system in us. That was proven clearly to me when I moved to Finland. One of the Finnish players took us Americans, who were new, to the grocery store to show us how to shop. Believe me it is different in every country, to the point that one of our players was so frustrated with the process in one country that he decided to just eat out and not deal with the frustration. While at the store we were in the produce section where you select your fruits and vegetable and then weigh them, enter a code and a printer spits out a label that you put on the bag to tell the cashier how much is in the bag. No, they do not weigh them at the checkout counter they trust that you have put in the correct product number and that the scale is accurate. To my disgrace I have to admit that all sorts of things were going through my mind and I finally asked, "what would stop you from weighing it, getting the tag and then adding more fruit to the bag?" My host looked at me completely puzzled and responded, "why would you do that?" 

I instantly realized that my moral compass was much more deviant than my European counterparts. There is a trust in basic human goodness there. Interestingly every American in every country I have coached who we initially take to the grocery store and showed the system asked the exact same question, so I didn't feel so bad. There were others who had the same distorted view of life. But it was not a proud moment to realize that my culture has taught me to see opportunities to take advantage of situations and let the buyer, or seller, beware. Maybe it is that way of thinking that has led to our need for huge prisons, I suspect it is more, but nevertheless it brings into question whether we are really all that interested in liberty especially when we look deeper and see the disparity of minorities and the poor imprisoned in our systems.  
At least we do unquestionably value the pursuit of happiness. There is no doubt that we have become the most narcissistic people on the face of the earth. We do not act with a sense of justice, or right versus wrong, but only with regard to what is right for me.  It is not the pursuit of happiness for the community or the good of the people of our country,  it is the pure pursuit of personal happiness no matter how much despair and destruction that causes others. So it is much more important that we retain the rights of gun owners for the happiness that shooting their guns gives them than it is to protect and stop the slaughter of students and staff at Sandy Hook, Columbine, Thurston, and now Umpqua Community College. The pursuit of happiness trumps life and liberty once again. And that is all ok- because "Stuff Happens,"

For a look at how others around the world view us on this subject check this out! 

http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/10/06/heres-what-the-world-thinks-about-the-american-response-to-the-oregon-massacre/

Peace!

Merry Christmas?

Merry Christmas!
These two words should bring a welcoming feeling when spoken. However, here in the United States this greeting has become divisive and even worse, a political tool.  For those of you who oppose Christmas and its celebration there is nothing in particular that I have to say regarding your stance other than that for some of you your dominant position is one of tolerance for all things and yet I find it amusing that to promote tolerance you become intolerant of Christmas, but that is your issue and I choose to laugh rather than fight against it. I am not in your camp so I have little understanding of the incoherencies of your stance as compared to your foundational beliefs.

I am however, in the camp of those who do celebrate and embrace Christmas and so this post is an open letter and apology to those who have been offended by "our side." While many would argue, and with some accuracy that I am not in a position to write such an apology I am endeavoring to do so anyone. It is true I am not a pastor or in a position of spiritual authority. I am merely a brother in Christ and I have to admit that yesterday while driving around Spokane I felt assaulted by signs and messages by my fellow Christians. I can't tell you how many signs I drove past telling me to "Keep Christ in Christmas" and that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." While I agree in part with the sentiments and see the danger in the rampant commercialization of Christmas, I could not help but feel that I was being bombarded by a marketing campaign with more behind it than a catchy slogan. Maybe its because I have seen t-shirts lately stating that "Happy Holidays is what Liberals say" and have heard a growing chorus of political leaders bemoaning the "assault on Christmas" this year as political capital.

Really?

Driving around on Christmas Eve and finishing up my errands I was enjoying the festive spirit but the signs felt out of place and attacking rather than encouraging and kind.
So it made me wonder what would it look like to have Christ in Christmas?  I venture to say that my interpretation of what that would look like compared with those behind the campaign would differ greatly. I could be wrong but what I have been hearing from those wanting to keep "Christ in Christmas" is that they have a political agenda that includes prayer in schools, allowing for nativity scenes on public property and open expressions of religious speech during the Christmas season so that acknowledgment of what the holiday is about is overtly understood. While I don't disagree with many of those ideas, they are not what I  think of when I consider keeping Christ in Christmas.

First of all Jesus did not come with a political agenda, in fact he told us to "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God." (Mark 12:17)  I am not saying that we should not be involved in the political process as Christians, quite the contrary, I believe that we are to work within our governmental structures to fight for justice and peace. But I find we often become small minded in our issues and that in turn brings the focus back onto ourselves and our issues rather than bringing glory to God. I find it sad that people may associate the Church and Christmas by the slogans they see on signs such as those above, rather than "Peace on earth", Joy to the World", and "goodwill toward men." I apologize that what we present as followers of Christ is not much different from what you experience in your Christmas season other than our going to a Christmas eve service and reading the story of the birth of Christ at home along with our other Christmas stories.

I am sorry if you feel yelled at by us as we try to shout our way out of the Christmas hoopla to make sure you hear us say hey look at us we are important and should be given equal time. But mostly I apologize for not being the light of the world that pierces the darkness and brings hope and love through our actions in the name of the precious baby that we ask you to not forget.

As Christians we are as complicent as anyone for the excess in commercialism surrounding "our" holiday. We love to buy and get gifts and spend time and feast with our family and friends as much as everyone and as a result we get caught in our own traps. But what if instead of trying to be louder in our voices we took the St. Francis of Assisi approach to Christmas and put away our signs as we attempted to"preach constantly and when necessary, use words?"

What if we as Christians made such an impact in our communities that others couldn't help but see the benefits and our light of love. What if instead of just enjoying the beautiful view of candles lit in our service on Christmas eve we could enjoy the trans formative joy of a community who has had that light reaching the dark places in our lives. What if we took our energy that we spend trying to get the right to have nativity scenes in the Capitol or other issues and spent it on something that represents Jesus such as eradicating poverty, transforming environmental law so that we can call ourselves good stewards of what God has called us to take care of, or fighting for justice for the oppressed including those enslaved in jobs that pay wages which are below the poverty line. What if one Christmas we as a church transformed our communities with acts of service and kindness so overwhelming that it was literally earth shaking? Would we need to remind others to keep Christ in Christmas or would people we never expected to, say "I just saw Jesus at work in my life and my town, now I know what this holiday is all about"?

 What if we really strove to bring peace on earth and goodwill to mankind? All mankind? Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist, men, women, young, old, black, white, yellow, red, rich, poor, etc.. What if we demonstrated that this baby we worship in the manger came not to bring a sword but peace? That he is not for gun rights, capitalism, socialism, right to anything, or American values but is about loving people where they are and transforming their lives. Maybe then people could look one another with confidence and say Merry Christmas not with a voice of hope but knowing that God had and does change lives. So here is to next year when maybe that can be a reality and we can all live a Merry Christmas. Until then lets all "preach constantly."

Simplicity

View From Schweitzer Mountain Resort

"Simplicity is the keynote of My Kingdom. Choose Simple things always, love and reverence the humble and the simple.
Have only simple things here. Your standard must never be the worlds standard."  God Calling

In the world of sport and football being simple is not the norm. It flies in the face of sport culture as complexity is admired, and adulated. The simplicity of following Christ lies in seeing the joy and love that he has and not in seeking to build our own kingdom. The difficulty of it is that it places ego, pride, self fulfillment and our competitive nature at his feet~right at the base of the cross. We see this battle in the arms race of professional, collegiate and even high school sports. So many coaches try to build up their own kingdoms and monuments to attest to their hard work.

One of the struggles I have at times is the development of a "program mentality." We talk about what is best for the program, what the program needs. We hear it on sports radio and in clinics and are encouraged and challenged to build a strong program. While the idea of a stable program is something that we can and should strive for at times I have seen it develop into a life of its own and become bigger than the sport and our players. the complexity overshadows what we are called to do as coaches and teachers. Programs are not human just as corporations are not people, sorry Citizens United but I firmly reject that notion. While we build strong programs we have to realize as coaches that our programs are nothing more than a community of people; coaches, players, and support staff who  work together to create the values that we want to have reflected in each other. Far too often we see those community members sacrificed for the good of the program and with it the values that we share as individuals. The program needs to win so we sacrifice integrity and change grades for failing students rather than make them understand that they have a  responsibility to take care of all areas of their lives for the good of one another. Rather than teaching players that they need to take care of things on and off the field and that the rest of the team is counting on them to do those things, we bend rules, and our standards, and teach them instead that they and the program are above others and that winning at all costs is the only standard. As a result the integrity of the very game we love is impugned. We treat our players as if they are merely a means to an end and are expendable.

Porvoo Butchers

I honestly believe, and tell my players often, that football is better for them than they are for the game of football, a lesson I learned from my good friend and mentor Craig Walker, the very successful former head coach at Bend High School in Oregon. They  need to understand that the game will continue with or without their contributions, but it is not that they are not important to me or the team.  I communicate this to them so that they understand that to be part of the team is a privilege that  carries with it responsibility to the rest of us involved. Which brings me back to the simplicity of  loving God and loving people. I often go walking through beautiful neighborhoods and see palatial houses. Houses that I long for, with wonderful views and incredible amenities. However, those houses are just that, houses, without the love of family. They are doomed to crumble. I realize that my focus needs to be on the eternal-the simple gifts God has blessed me with.  In the same way a program will eventually crumble, but not the relationships that are forged and the character that is developed. All programs have ups and downs in terms of success but if it is merely built to win then there is no substance to it.

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

As a coach I have a unique opportunity to build His Kingdom, if I will forego my own kingdom building and learn to enjoy the simple things that he provides as I love and serve him  and those he has led to me. I realized this during the winter as  I have been so blessed to be able to smile and love every little kid that I got to teach to ski at Schweitzer Mountain resort in Idaho. I also recognize that over the years I have had the joyous opportunity to laugh and work with players in many countries-what a blessing!

Joys of coahhing!

And as a result I have come to understand that God's Kingdom does not look like earthly kingdoms-it is far more simple. It exists in the incredible strength of flowers blooming and pushing out of the ground after a brutal winter, and in the sun setting on the Selkirk mountains creating an alpenglow in its wake. It is clearly evidenced in a young athletes smile as he scores his first touchdown or in the look of satisfaction on players faces when they understand that they have accomplished something difficult. It does not exist in statues and trophies that fade in their glory, but in the glow of hearts that appreciate the simple joy, hope and love of life. Focus on the simple, it is much richer.

Mahalo!