Guest: Coach Jeff Clarkson

Guys, who were the most influential coaches in your life? What character qualities do you admire the most about them and their influence?

Coach Clarkson - it’s often said that sports builds character, but they also reveal character!

How do you walk the line between the competitiveness of athletics and the walk of the Christian to “think of others as better than yourself” (Phil. 2:3). The issue here is identity - do you find your identity primarily as an athlete or a follower of Jesus? Your identity will shape your attitude.

A great rivalry on the court/field and great respect for each other off is the goal of athletic competition.

If your identity is as a follower of Christ, remember that you take that with you on the court - you never put your identity on hold. What you do reveals your identity. In athletics, most of what is measured has nothing to do with a person’s character. You’re going to improve in the things that you measure - remember that! If you become a better basketball player and a worse person, that’s a bad trade-off in life!

There are things that happen in sports…and life…that are not “fair.” The question is what are you going to do with those things - they can either defeat/deflate you or you can learn from them and move forward. Coach Clarkson - it’s not the mistake, it’s what you’re going to do after - “What’s next?!”

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.