For many years now, my
collaboration with Marla Butterworth (Williams) has been invaluable to my
service locally, and in service of others in the USA and around the globe.
Marla has served as a chaplain in the US Navy, in Athletics at Georgia Tech
University, at the US Air Force Academy, on temporary assignment with the USAF
in Greenland, and as the key to training of FCA Collegiate staff in the
Atlanta, Georgia area. Her influence is difficult to describe and even more
difficult to quantify.
One of the most valuable
contributions Marla has made to the sports chaplaincy and character coaching
community is the one page document below. It has been adapted from a document
used by the US Navy Chaplain Corps to outline how they serve those in command of
any particular Navy community. Marla adapted the Provide, Facilitate, Care,
Advise outline to the sporting world and I have adapted that document to
the Nations of Coaches ministry I now serve.
This one-pager is very
effective in describing the benefits a coach would experience by having a
character coach or sports chaplain serving his or her team. You may cut and
paste into a document under your letterhead (as in the photo below). Please
consider how this simple tool could open doors for you with the coaches you aim
to serve.
What can a _________________ Character Coach /
Sports Chaplain do for me?
Provide, Facilitate, Care, Advise in formal and
informal ways.
Provide (for those of the same faith)
- Pre-game chapel
- Team / small group / staff Bible Study
- Prayer
- Pray for, encourage, and exhort players, coaches, and
support staff.
- Facilitate any relationships desired with local
churches.
Facilitate (for others)
- Be available to help connect personnel with any needs.
Care (for all)
- Provide resources and assist in character development,
life management skills, a listening ear.
- Attend practice and/or games as well as periodic office
visits to facilitate this availability.
- Assist with and/or resource for Team Building
activities.
- Be a safe place- We don’t control playing time, job, or
scholarship and will maintain strict confidentiality with the exception of
someone doing harm to themselves or others.
- Be available and develop relationships that support
players, coaches, and support staff.
- Be available and equipped at all times to help in
crisis situations.
- Free Labor- an extra set of hands for menial tasks.
Advise (the coaching staff)
- Be an objective outsider who can hopefully have the
pulse of the program.
- Pray for and serve the coaching and support staff in
whatever way they need or desire.
- Alert the coach to critical issues that could affect
his program.
Above all
A Character Coach is focused on the development of young men: teaching them about not just winning and losing, but what it takes to be a leader and a man of integrity. It is a complete approach that is proven to transform lives and take athletic performance to the next level.
