From the Touchline

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, a large grassy park in central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 8:

When a player catches the ball directly from the foot, he may kick it as he can without running with it. In no other case may the ball be touched with the hands, except to stop it.

Rule #8 — this one’s a little bit more difficult to understand when you think about the modern game. There is no touching of the ball with the hands except for the goalkeeper and except within a certain area of the field. In today’s podcast though, I talk about why this rule might be there and what it represents from the aspect of having to compromise. You’ll have to listen to learn more.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, a large grassy park in central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 7:

Goal is when the ball is kicked through the flag-posts and under the string.

Rule #7 — we finally get to the good part: goals! Goals are about finishing; goals are about getting past the line in the determined area — and not only in football, but in faith and in life. Sometimes its hard because we cannot see the outline of where we need to be or where we need to go as clear as the goalmouth on the other end of the pitch. I look more at the similarities and this week’s Rule of 1848 on the podcast.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, a large grassy park in central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 6:

When the ball is behind it shall be brought forward at the place where it left the ground, not more than ten paces, and kicked off.

Rule #6 carries with it a pathway towards restoration. When the ball goes out of play, there is a way to kick it back in to restart play. In life, we need pathways and processes toward restoration and I believe that this Cambridge Rule of 1848 does well in illustrating this for us. For example, to bring the ball back in where it went out or to give some relief from the boundary line — these are all helpful ways of getting back where we need to be. This helps us when things get “behind” the goal, as it were. Listen as I extrapolate this more in today’s podcast.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, a large grassy park in central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 5:

The ball is behind when it has passed the goal on either side of it.

Rule #5 sets out another boundary line for the game. Last week, we talked about the value of boundary lines in soccer and in life. This week, we look at some distinctions that occur in God’s commands for us that are similar to the differences between the touchlines and end lines of the Beautiful Game. Specifically, in the 10 Commandments, we see that there are commands that have to do with our relationship specifically with God and commands that have to do specifically with our relationship with others.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, a large grassy park in central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 4, which states:

The ball is out when it has passed the line of the flag-posts on either side of the ground, in which case it shall be thrown in straight.

Rule #4 is is where we begin to mark out the boundaries for the game. Boundary lines are good — not only in the Beautiful Game, but in life. Sometimes we struggle when constraints are placed on us, we don’t like rules, but this Cambridge Rule of 1848 sets out solid lines which help the game. God has given us some solid rules for life — for our preservation and protection

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, what is today a large grassy park in the heart of central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 3, which states:

After a goal, the losing side shall kick off; the sides changing goals, unless a previous arrangement be made to the contrary.

At the heart of rule #3 is a sense of fairness to the game. Even when two teams may not be equal (in skill, strength, or some other tangible way), there is a degree in which the rule is designed to give a losing team a chance. Today, I reflect on this Cambridge Rule of 1848 and look at some commands of God in scripture which help give advantage to those who are disadvantaged.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, what is today a large grassy park in the heart of central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 2, which states:

At the commencement of the play, the ball shall be kicked off from the middle of the ground:

after every goal there shall be a kick-off in the same way.

The start and restarts of the game take place in a particular and appointed place. Could the same be true of life? Whether you go through an injury or after a season, are there reset points where we can “begin again?” Today, I reflect on this Cambridge Rule of 1848 and a reference points where Jesus would get to a “middle ground” to pray, refocus, regroup, and rest.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football (or, what we Yanks call soccer) happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, what is today a large grassy park in the heart of central Cambridge.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I take a look at Rule 1, which states:

This club shall be called the University Foot Ball Club.

Why take up a whole rule to name the club? What is in a name? I’ve talked on other episodes and in other places about the power to name something, but today, I reflect on this Cambridge Rule of 1848 and a key moment in scripture when God and man set out to the task of naming things.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

My interview with Chattanooga FC Head Coach Rod Underwood comes to a close today in part 4 of 4. Today, we get to hear Rod sharing about his personal life mission statement and how that impacts the decisions he makes — as husband, father, coach, and man. Rod shares about how his life was impacted after coaching with the Cleveland City Stars and how that led him to craft and develop a mission statement that has helped guide him as coach ever since.

In addition, today, Rod plays “Crosses with Rev” on the From the Touchline podcast, as we find a fun way to wrap up the interview series.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

As Head Coach of Chattanooga FC (NISA), Rod Underwood, has had quite a journey in coming to lead the team this past year. Last week’s podcast we learned about some of the ups and downs of being in football, including being out of the professional coaching side of the game from few years and really searching for that next opportunity.

Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline, in part three of our four part series, Rod shares about the culmination of his playing and coaching and how that comes to bear on the locker room that he currently leads with CFC. More than just formation and tactics, Rod is concerned with building and shaping culture — and he shares this experience with listeners today on the pod.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.