Win the Day!

Win The Day! All credit to this term belongs to Chip Kelly and his staff at the University of Oregon, but it is a term that struck home with me and I have adopted it for my teams. We used it last season in Finland and are emphasizing it here in France this year with the Flash! For me it is a simple reminder that we can not focus on the future but only on today. The only day we can win is today! These three simple words sum up so succinctly many of my personal beliefs on sport and life.
I was reminded of this today during my devotional time as I read Matthew 6: 33-34. This section of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has always been a powerful section for me. This was one of the first verses that I was challenged to memorize by my Younglife leader Keith Kessler way back in high school in Eugene, Oregon .

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6: 33-34

Offense on the move

Its funny how some lessons you have to re-learn many times. This is one that I have to remind myself of daily. Jesus had just given beautiful illustrations of how God clothes the flowers with beauty and feeds the birds, and reminds us that we are more valuable to God than they are. Then comes these verses where we are admonished to trust and seek God's Kingdom and his righteousness and he will take care of these things. This is not some prosperity gospel message, it is a simple message about living life one day at a time and winning that day. How do we win it? By seeking God's Kingdom and his righteousness. That sounds like a daunting task though, so how do we do it? By not worrying about tomorrow and focusing on today.
So often I get so caught up in tomorrow . . . or many tomorrows ahead that I forget to see what is here in front of me today. I then stumble . . . and fall. Anyone with me? Then I tend to give up because the road ahead looks so daunting.

In my reading today from The American Church in Paris's Lenten devotional, the writer highlights how the book of 1 Samuel is about four great men of God, Eli, Samuel, Saul and David all with flaws. Flawed family men and fathers, who committed crimes that we we would condemn in today's world with a media frenzy that would force them from any leadership position in the modern world. Yet God told Samuel:

"Do not look at his appearance or his height for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
 1 Samuel 16:7 

These men stumbled greatly but God saw their hearts and saw that they tried to seek him and his kingdom and righteousness and used them to change their world and save their people.  God looks at our hearts and not at our stumbling bumbling actions. As I look too far forward and trip, he reminds me to "Win the Day." To stop looking so far forward and get back up and focus on this moment, on the next step I need to take, on the next move for today!

Samyr making halftime adjustments

Today is a good day because it is a game day. It is easy to focus on an opponent who is clearly defined . Today we play the Spartiates from Amiens and though we don't know what they will bring to our stadium, as they have not played a game yet this season, we can focus on them as they enter our field and home turf. Winning and losing the day on game day is clearly defined  in many ways. As a football team one of our primary goals is to win games so we will know how that comes out when the final whistle blows.  But as a coach I know there is far more to today than the lights on the scoreboard. Winning the day will also be measured through how we play both technically and as a group of men. Did we play with class and respect for the game and one another? Did we play every play with the same intensity and purpose. Did we become better football players and men today. Did we learn how to love and serve one another through doing our job? These questions for me are far more important because those lessons are the ones that will impact those around us. Will we continue to pick ourselves up when we fail in life and take the next step forward. When  we face marital strife, rebellious children, serious illness, financial trouble, injustice and many other realities of life will we take the next step forward and dedicate ourselves to Win the Day? Not focusing on tomorrow but only on today because we can not control tomorrow. Only today!

vs.  Molosses

The non-game days are more challenging. The opponent is not as clearly defined. One of the things I have loved with the Flash has been coming to practice and as I walk on the practice field seeing guys working hard . . . before practice starts. DB's doing cone drills and working on breaks. linebackers working on reads and footwork, receivers working on ball catching drills and many other examples. These guys are winning the day! They are putting in extra work to make themselves better, it warms my heart! But I also know that sometimes these same players see others who stroll into practice late and do drills during practice at half speed and get so frustrated. I understand that frustration because I share it. I want to win a Eurobowl Championship this season.

However, I have realized that I can not focus on that goal because there are too many stumbling blocks in front of me before we get there. I have to focus on today and what I can control. Did I do everything in my power to make myself better and to encourage those around me today? If I did, I won the day and tomorrow I start again and must work to win that day. I believe that if we continue to win those days together then we will win the days ahead. But if we focus on tomorrow, today will slip by and we will not have won it and will be unprepared for the next day! What some of our players have not seen is the slow growth in turning things around. There are more players coming earlier, there is more focus and openness to new ideas from a few guys. Those are significant changes that I do see. Yes, it is hard to face the ones who have not made the switch yet, but patience and living for today will make those changes, not worrying about the future.

Mac and Jim Shelly

For me I need to seek God's kingdom and righteousness, accept his gifts that sustain me and trust him that he knows what I will face tomorrow and prepare me for that time by helping me to Win the Day! Go Flash!

The Fire that caused us to lose practice time last week!

From Suomi to France

Well here it is, 15 hours and counting to a new journey as I start this new season in a new city in a new country and in a new league with my new team. Thank God it is the same old game. After two wonderful years in Porvoo coaching the Butchers I have moved on to Paris, France where I am now the Head Coach for the Flash de La Courneuve. The parting in Finland is bittersweet in that I made so many wonderful friends and wish that I had the opportunity to finish what I felt we had begun. However life sometimes gets in the way of plans and the reality for the Butchers was that financial issues restricted their ability to resign me as the head coach. I wish all the players and management there my best and hope they know I will always hold Porvoo and the Butchers fondly in my heart!

Porvoo Butchers

But now I have a new adventure one that I never imagined six months ago or even two for that matter. When it became clear that the Butchers would not have the financial resources this season for me to come back they told me to look for other opportunities. I did and the Flash came calling. Cam Olson who led the Flash last season to the French National Championship called and in November he hired me as the Defensive Coordinator a position I was ready to attack. In Late December I learned that The Flash had released Cam and asked me if I wanted the position of Head Coach. In all honesty the firing left me stunned and I was unsure about what to do. I spoke with Cam who was more gracious than i probably ever could be and he encouraged me to think about it but to take the position because he wanted the team to continue on the path he had established. I decided to do it and I don't know if what I am doing is following in the paths that Cam blazed or not. Sometimes I am at a loss to understand what I have gotten myself into? However, I do want to see these men succeed and am trying to lead in the only way I know how . . . with a servant's heart!

Helmet Montage by Cameron Olson

I hope that this season The Flash and I will continue to blaze new paths as well on our way to a European Championship and that Cam's faith in me will be realized. But as I told the team that will only happen if we take each day and dedicate ourselves to winning that day. It is the only one we can control and live in now! So that is our focus! I often wonder what kind of an idiot I am to keep taking over teams that are defending National Champions. There is only ever one way to go . . . down! But I keep doing it. Why? Because there is more to football and life than just winning games. There is winning the day, winning with class, winning at life! And that is my goal to teach those things and when we are successful then we will have done more than just light up a scoreboard.

Flash Unit by Cameron Olson

I am truly excited to be a member of the Flash. The mission of this team dovetails nicely with where my heart is. I have wanted to use sport and play to bring hope to kids and families in impoverished places around the world. Through A Champions Heart, we have done that to an extent. But the Flash have been doing it since 1984 here in La Courneuve. For those unfamiliar to this area of France let me introduce you to my new home. La Courneuve is in one of the highest crime, highest poverty, high minority sections of France. It is known as the Neuf Trois and is infamous for being one of the roughest areas of France. For those of you in the U.S. think of the South Side of Chicago, Harlem or East LA. The Flash have dedicated themselves to providing opportunities for young men from this region to have something to fill their time with besides, drugs, gangs or crime. We have three levels of junior teams all with over 60 kids in each respective team. We have 2 adult teams a D-3 team and the Elite team and also participate in a flag football league as well. Almost all of the players on the elite team have come through these junior programs. So we have players who have been playing in the Flash organization for 15 or 20 years. Many of these home grown players were good enough that they had the opportunity to play professionally in the NFL Europe. In addition the Flash are now starting a new program whereby they are helping to sponsor five junior players a year to have the opportunity to study for a year in the United States on a foreign exchange program. They will be able to go to high school, improve their English and play football. If any of you out there would be interested in hosting a Flash junior please contact me and I will pass on your information to our wonderful intern who is handling all the complex issues involved in this type of program.

Paris at Night

So for me to join the Flash is a dream come true. We are seeing young men changed and the Flash provide a beacon of hope in some dark neighborhoods with their continued success. It has been an adjustment for me though, one I am continually struggling with. The language is a challenge. As opposed to Finland where most of our players spoke very good English that is not the case here. Translation is constantly needed and my assistant coaches who are French are amazing at helping with that. They are also amazing coaches in their own right and I am so blessed to have them. Being a minority in terms of race is also a very different situation than what I am used to. Don't get me wrong, the players, coaches and community have been more than welcoming but at times you do think . . . "one of these things is not like the others . . . and it is me!" Probably more my perception and self awareness than anything else but still it sits in the back of your mind.  also finding space to think and reflect. I am an outdoors type of person and it was so nice in a small town of 40,000 people like in Porvoo to escape to the woods on a run. In a city of 12 million people that becomes a bit more of a challenge. I have found some wonderful parks though, such as Georges Valbon in La Courneuve to escape and formulate my thoughts.

Georges Valbon Parc

So while I struggle with the newness of my life hear I am also excited. because in less than 14 hours now that familiar whistle will blow and we will be back in familiar territory! We may be in Paris, but we are playing American Football and we are seeing men grapple with success, failure, frustration and joy and come out better for the struggle! Blessings to all of you and thanks for your friendship, support and challenges in my life.  

Jim