Embracing Today

Pat Estepp, head coach of the Cedarville men’s basketball team, admits feeling like a turtle on a fencepost: How did I get here? But Pat has learned not to linger on questions like that, but to enjoy God’s blessings for the days that He has given. 

The Lord has given Pat much to enjoy in his 13 years at Cedarville: six 20-win seasons over 13 years; five national tournament appearances; and two National Christian College Athletic Association championships, the most recent in 2019.

Pat’s connection to Cedarville started with legendary men’s basketball coach Don Callan, who encouraged Pat to come play for him. He finally did that after one year studying at the University of Kentucky. His time as a student at Cedarville included a life-transforming trip to the Philippines with Coach Callan and some of his teammates, several of whom he now counts among his best friends.

Pat knows that with the Lord it’s OK to dream big, even during a season marked by uncertainty because of a global pandemic. He has high hopes for this season, but ultimately, he has learned to enjoy the Lord’s blessings in the here and now.

“Just embrace the day, the people and the journey you’re on with them, and don’t get caught up in what’s coming down the road. Whether or not we’re going to have a basketball season, or if we’re going to get quarantined — those things can’t dominate our thoughts. Let’s enjoy this moment we have with 15 guys, or with my wife and kids, that I may not have again. Embrace that, enjoy that day, and live in the hope that God’s got all this.”

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Pat is one of two NCAA Division II coaches serving on the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Board of Directors.