I have loved sports from a young age. Except for that one time at a University of Oklahoma football game when I asked my mom, “What’s the point of football?” To be fair, this was during the era when we celebrated first downs like they were touchdowns. Then came 2001: the year the winning Nebraska team came to Norman, and we beat them. In our celebration, my mom looked at me and said, “That’s the point of football!”
From that moment on, I was hooked. When I began my ordination process, I dreamt of being a chaplain for a football team — or any sports team for that matter. Something about that world intrigued me.
I achieved my dream when I became a college chaplain. As a spiritual advisor to student-athletes, I have the honor of praying before our football games. Each game day, I stand in the press box and pray for the safety of our students. I pray for them to practice all they have learned about themselves and the sport they love. I often end the prayer, “When we win, give us humility. When we lose, give us patience. In all that we do on the field and in life, may we honor you.”
This is a hard thing to put into practice. You have to think about your actions. You have to shift how you play and pay attention to your emotions and impact.
My students have come to appreciate my pre-game prayers. This season, they particularly resonate with the lines about humility and patience. The football team began the season on top of the world, but they quickly realized that having the right people on the team doesn’t mean it will result in a win. And so, they are faced with a hard question: What do you do when you meet a loss week after week? I see the question weighing on them.
I also see hope. The athletes still put on their uniforms. They still go to practice. They still look out for one another on the field. They still celebrate the small wins. And through it, they band together.
These young men have faced a hard season. As a spiritual parent, it is hard for me to watch at times. But when I sit with these students each week, I also witness how they care for one another. From congratulating a teammate on getting an interception to tutoring one another for exams to celebrating birthdays and other life milestones. These young people, bonded by sport, have found a community of support for all they face off the field. To me, that is the greatest gift of being an athlete.
The game they love might fall short of their expectations this season, but these student-athletes have discovered true community. It brings my heart joy knowing they support one another on and off the field, and that this community will last a lifetime.
Winning may be fun, but being a team goes beyond wins. It is about building a program that supports and models how to be in relationship with one another, to care for one another in the wins and losses.
As I type these words, my students are 1-5 on the season. We might go 1-9. Only time will tell. But for me, I know that no matter the final win-loss record is for our season, these students have found a support network to help them through all the things they may face in life — and that is the real win to me.
The Presbyterian Outlook is committed to fostering faithful conversations by publishing a diversity of voices. The opinions expressed are the author’s and may or may not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Outlook’s editorial staff or the Presbyterian Outlook Foundation. With every submission, we consider clarity, accuracy and respect. We also consider if the position adds additional perspectives to the discussion. You join the conversation here.
