3rd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity - booking is open!

Booking is now open for the 3rd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity will be hosted by Ridley Hall Cambridge, UK between 18th and 21st August 2022.





We look forward to welcoming delegates in person to this on-site event, with presentations from keynote speakers and contributors taking place on the 19th, 20th and 21st August. Arrival will be followed by a Gala Dinner on the evening of the 18th August and there will be ample opportunity for delegates to explore the historic city of Cambridge and beyond during the Congress.

Roger Lipe, Character Coach Director for Nations of Coaches and sports chaplaincy blog author, who has attended both the previous Sports Congresses, warmly recommended it to his readers, saying, “Please make plans for this event if you can. I know of no other event that gathers both practitioners of sports chaplaincy and the academic community for conversation and collaboration like this one.”

Further details, including speakers and delegate fees, will be confirmed in due course. To receive updates on congress speakers and schedule direct to your inbox as they are released, sign up for the 3GCSC mailing list. We hope to see you there next summer!

https://www.ridley.cam.ac.uk/news/3gcsc

Questions to Ask Coaches and Players

Here’s an update from a 2016 note regarding asking questions of people in sport. It is now tailored to serve my Character Coach Teammates in Nations of Coaches as we serve college basketball coaches and players. A number of suggested questions are below the general notes about levels of questions to ask. One of the most effective tools I regularly employ in my service of sportspeople is to simply ask questions. I ask questions to draw them into conversation, and then to probe more deeply toward their hearts. Sneaky, huh?

I tend to ask three levels of questions:
1. Questions that solicit facts. I ask the player or coach’s name, home town, position, uniform number, etc… Mostly facts. Usually anyone will offer these details freely.
2. Questions that awaken passion. I ask about the player or coach’s basketball experiences and I’m looking for expressions of their love for basketball. I am leading them to tell me stories that excite their passion for basketball, their team, competition, their coaches, etc…
3. Questions that probe their hearts. I ask about the matters at the core of who they are: values, faith, relationships, events, and other matters that shape their lives from the center.

Please consider this brief list as a place to start with those whom you serve (they are in no particular order). I hope they serve you well. Always ask process questions, not results questions. Fans and media only ask questions about results.

1. How well is your team developing? Is the teamwork good?
2. How pleased are you with your....? (training, practice, rehab, etc...)
3. How pleased are you with preparations for your next game?
4. Who among your teammates is doing very well?
5. What are some challenges you have presently?
6. What sorts of situations in basketball bring out the best of your abilities?
7. How well is your team connecting with the coaching staff?
8. When your playing days are over, what do you think you will miss most about basketball?
9. What are some situations in basketball that are most difficult for you?
10. Who are your most trusted teammates?
11. When and where are you most fully the person you want to be?
12. What elements of your life in basketball are most rewarding to you?
13. What is there about your life in basketball that will still be important to you 10 years from now?
14. When you are on the floor, do you feel that God is near you or distant from you? Why?
15. When you are on the floor, does God seem engaged or disinterested? Why?
16. When you are on the floor, do you sense God is pleased or disgusted with you? Why?


Note – I wrote the first draft of these questions while riding in a car, in the early morning hours of 9 June, 2016 between Kutsaisi and Tblisi, in the Republic of Georgia.

Ministry Points of Emphasis from the McCown Sport in Ministry Map

In years past I have written about the value of insights gained from use of the McCown Sport in Ministry Map, developed by Lowrie McCown. It has been my most valuable tool for both design and evaluation of sports ministry initiatives.

In recent days I have been using the map as a part of my training of Character Coaches for Nations of Coaches. Most recently I have sought a way of condensing the information for the trainees in a way that equipped them with the information, but required less explanation. To that end, I designed the chart shown below. I hope this simple way of contrasting the mindsets of spectators and recreational oriented sportspeople from that of elite and high profile people of sport is helpful to your service.

Preseason Interview Forms

One of our colleagues with Nations of Coaches is Rob Ely at Marshall University in West Virginia (USA). He is serving several teams on that campus and he recently shared one resource he uses in preseason preparations with Marshall Softball. It is a set of questions he uses in one on one meetings with each player (about 30 minutes each) at a local Dunkin Donuts shop.

Also below is another form used by our colleague, John Ryberg with Men's Basketball at the University of Alabama at Huntsville (Chargers). He also uses it in preseason to build relationships for himself, the coaching staff, and the other players.

You can obviously adapt the questions to your team and sport, but the brilliance in this is that it asks questions on multiple levels and gets to the players’ hearts. It equips the character coach and the coaching staff with some great information they won’t normally uncover otherwise. I hope it is of value to you.

Marshall University Softball: Pre-Season Interview 2021

Name: Year:

Home: Major:

Who is your “thunder buddy?” (accountability partner)

Why do you play softball?

Tell me about your family:

Where are you most at peace?

What causes you the most stress?

How do I know when you are stressed?

What can others do to help you with stress?

How can I specifically help you?

What does success look like for you?

Introduction activity: Pick a card that had 4 descriptions on it: Parents, Best Friend, Roommate, High School Coach. If that person was sitting here, how would they introduce you to me?

How do you handle conflict?

Not a specific person, but what causes the most conflict with you?

Complete this statement…”If you really knew me, you would know….”

What is your perfect day?

What is challenge you would like to overcome?



Charger Profile for: _________________________________ Date: ______
Nick Name:_______________________ Date of Birth:_______________
Campus Address:
Home Address:
Cell Phone Number:
College Major: Master’s Degree Study:
Parent or Guardian:
Basketball: Righty Lefty Both
Most developed skill: Skill I want to develop:
How do you feel about the game of basketball?
It is better than frisbee. It is paying for my education. I like it and I am willing. I love it and I am eager. I can’t get enough. Give me the grind. What else is there?
What is your favorite part of being a Charger Basketball Player?
What is your least favorite part of being a Charger Basketball Player?
Best Coach before UAH: Why?
Best teammate ever: Why?
Favorites:
Food: Beverage: Candy:
Music Genre: Musical Artist:
Color: Movie:
Most recent injury: Recurring or nagging injury:
Describe your personality in three adjectives:

How have you been sleeping the last two weeks? Poorly Okay Very Well
How many hours of sleep are you getting on average each night?
What time do you usually: Go to sleep? Get out of bed?
What is your current stress level on a scale of 1 to 10?
Circle your answer? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How do you feel about academics?
Help! What are academics? I have to go to class. At least there are attractive students in some of my classes. I am willing, I like learning. I am eager, I live to study. I put the Student in student athlete.

Describe your biggest goal/life dream in two sentences:

Briefly describe your spiritual life:

I _________________________ give permission for this information to be shared with the team only. Signature: _____________________________

Zoominar - Take Care of Yourself

Marla Butterworth of FCA and I recently hosted a Zoominar titled, “Take Care of Yourself.” The focus was on how sports chaplains and character coaches can take care of their own mental health while caring for others, especially when our normal ways are disrupted by lockdowns, etc. It was quite good and is now available as video on YouTube or audio only as a podcast. Links to both are just below. Our guests were: Aaron Fuller (Chaplain with extensive research and work in resiliency/self-care) and Ross Georgiou (Global Sports Chaplaincy and Major Sports Events Chaplaincy) help us understand how to better care for ourselves while caring for others.

We pray these resources are valuable to you and all you serve.

YouTube recording - https://youtu.be/_UeoCv7X4PM

Podcast recording - https://serviceinsport.buzzsprout.com/1844792/9362442-take-care-of-yourself-self-care-for-sports-chaplains-and-character-coaches





This outline was contributed by Ross Georgiou. BEST TEAM – You, God, Others

Be generous: Love others and show your acts of kindness. John 15:12

Exercise and get the endorphins flowing. Sweat. (Me and mountain biking)

Show yourself grace – you have a gracious God. 1 John 1:9 … he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins…

Talk and share with others, but maintain confidences.



Time: Reduce time from long term to the here and now. Take each day at a time and celebrate victories.

Engage: Connect with friends, families and support networks including other chaplains, coaches, counsellors, (Luke 10- going out in twos, reporting back).

Ask for Help: From God, from Others (Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you).

Manage your thoughts. Don’t give fuel to negative thoughts. Limit bad news – newspaper, social media. Fill yourself with HIS thoughts – Psalms etc.

Resources utilized by Aaron or Ross:

Books:

Sports Chaplaincy: Trends, Issues, and Debates, Andrew Parker, (Editor)

Chosen Suffering: Becoming Elite In Life and Leadership by Tom Ryan

Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People who no longer need a God by Andrew Root

Podcasts:

The Daily Stoic with Ryan Holiday

New Time Religious with Andrew Root

Wrestling Changed my Life Podcast

Unlocking Us with Brene Brown

Apps:

Provider Resilience (Defense Health Agency)

ACT Coach (Dept of VA)

Mindfulness Coach (Dept of VA)

Other:

Whoop (www.whoop.com),

Oura Ring (www.ouraring.com)

Article: The Importance of Self Care Planning During Coronavirus (attached)

Pyramid of Success Discussions

You may be aware of Coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success (pictured below). It is a graduated set of values Coach Wooden developed and taught across his long and storied career coaching college basketball in the USA. His remarkable success across many years wins his ideas a hearing among coaches, Christian or not. Coach Wooden was a highly committed believer as well, and we can certainly see Biblical values in the Pyramid.

In past seasons I have used the Pyramid and its values as topics for discussion with players, and I am now leading a series of discussions with our college Men’s Basketball coaching staff. Below are a sampling of the questions I ask to facilitate discussion. Each session lasts about twenty minutes and is concluded by my praying with them. This is simple, easy, and effective. I hope it’s of value to you and those you serve.

 

To begin the series of discussions, I will acquaint everyone with Coach Wooden’s coaching record. I don’t just mention the championships because the path to that series of great teams is also important. This is especially important for the youngest coaches in the room, as they are not likely aware of coaches from beyond 5 years ago.

Head coaching record

College basketball

Statistics overview
Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Indiana State Sycamores (Indiana Intercollegiate Conference) (1946–1948)
1946–47	Indiana State	17–8	5–2	1st	NAIA invitation declined
1947–48	Indiana State	27–7	7–0	1st	NAIA Runner-up
Indiana State:		44–15 (.746)	12–2 (.857)
UCLA Bruins[30] (Pacific Coast Conference) (1948–1959)
1948–49	UCLA	22–7	10–2	1st (South)
1949–50	UCLA	24–7	10–2	1st (South)	NCAA Regional Fourth Place
1950–51	UCLA	19–10	9–4	T–1st (South)
1951–52	UCLA	19–12	8–4	1st (South)	NCAA Regional Fourth Place
1952–53	UCLA	16–8	6–6	3rd (South)
1953–54	UCLA	18–7	7–5	2nd (South)
1954–55	UCLA	21–5	11–1	1st (South)
1955–56	UCLA	22–6	16–0	1st	NCAA Regional Third Place
1956–57	UCLA	22–4	13–3	T–2nd
1957–58	UCLA	16–10	10–6	3rd
1958–59	UCLA	16–9	10–6	T–3rd
UCLA Bruins[30] (Pacific-8 Conference) (1959–1975)
1959–60	UCLA	14–12	7–5	2nd
1960–61	UCLA	18–8	7–5	2nd
1961–62	UCLA	18–11	10–2	1st	NCAA University Division Fourth Place
1962–63	UCLA	20–9	8–5	T–1st	NCAA University Division Regional Fourth Place
1963–64	UCLA	30–0	15–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1964–65	UCLA	28–2	14–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1965–66	UCLA	18–8	10–4	2nd
1966–67	UCLA	30–0	14–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1967–68	UCLA	29–1	14–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1968–69	UCLA	29–1	13–1	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1969–70	UCLA	28–2	12–2	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1970–71	UCLA	29–1	14–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1971–72	UCLA	30–0	14–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1972–73	UCLA	30–0	14–0	1st	NCAA University Division Champion
1973–74	UCLA	26–4	12–2	1st	NCAA Division I Third Place
1974–75	UCLA	28–3	12–2	1st	NCAA Division I Champion
UCLA:		620–147[3] (.808)	300–67 (.817)
Total:		664–162 (.804)

 

For each session I will introduce the block being discussed (starting across the bottom row and methodically moving up row by row), and emphasizing the text below the block’s title. I will ask questions like these:

• With whom have you played or coached who was a great example of this?
• Why would Coach Wooden find this so important?
• What attitudes and behaviors build this characteristic?
• What attitudes and behaviors tear it down?
• How do you coach so as to develop this trait in your players?
• Who among your present players is a good model of this? How and when would we see it?
• How can you build this characteristic into your coaching?
• How do you build this into your relationships with coaching colleagues, support staff, and family?

Invariably, coaches will ask follow up questions, prompting a reply from me, and I’ll ask more follow up questions. Once the discussion is going, we only need steer it. As relationships of trust grow and develop, one may feel emboldened to interject truth along the same path from scripture and his or her own experience.

I hope Coach Wooden’s Pyramid leads you to success with your coaching staff, builds relationships, and opens hearts to our Savior.