12.9.19
Quote/Thought of the Week
Listen to Chris Beard as he talks to the media about “the process,” and how important it is to keep focus.
HBCA/FCA Tournament Scheduled
February 22–23 in Washington County
Many more details will be forthcoming in the next couple of weeks about the upcoming HBCA/FCA basketball tournament for boys and girls in grades 2-8. The tournament will be called the Southern Indiana Championships and will be hosted by Salem, West Washington, and Eastern Pekin High Schools in Washington County, smack dab in the middle of the HBCA. The event will raise money for the HBCA scholarship foundation and FCA ministries in southern Indiana. Mark the dates and share information with all coaches in your feeder programs.
One of the best things about the tournament is that we will have a Sunday morning devotional at Salem HS prior to games getting started. Because teams, coaches and families will be away from home we are going to give them this time to come in and have some prayer, devotional, and message time with members of the FCA staff.
Coaches Insider Drills and Videos
2-on-2 Reaction Defense with G.P. Gromacki
Watch as Coach discusses and players demonstrate this reaction defense drill that focuses on defensive fundamentals and developing your players’ basketball IQ..
Dr. Dish Drills of the Week
Gator Split Cut Action
This drill from the Florida Gators gets a lot of shots up; but also allows you to get your kids to read different options off of split cuts.
Message from Coach Thompson
The Process
This past week, Texas Tech Men’s Basketball Coach, Chris Beard addressed the media following his team’s early season three loss skid to Iowa, Creighton, and DePaul. Beard handled the question with class and insisted that what his team is going through right now is only part of the process. He asserted that teams usually face adversity and in no way shape or form will these losses keep his coaching staff from staying the course and take away focus from the process of how they are building their team. (Listen to his comments from April on “the process” at the link at the beginning of this newsletter.)
We are going to have wins and losses in basketball and in life. We are going to have moments where we move forward and those that set us back. What is important, as Coach Beard noted, is to continue to build through the process, not seek quick or immediate results if it means making concessions. Even if we suffer defeat it shouldn’t hinder us in our coaching or in our faith.
Psalm 56:3 tells us, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” And, much like a season, when we face setbacks or adversity, we need to put our trust in Him and remember that our faith and service is a part of the process and plan that He has for us.
This week, Coach Beard’s Red Raiders will play #1 Louisville. Win or lose, I’m sure that Coach Beard will keep his team and his coaching staff focused on the process. For us and our teams, no matter the direction of our season, we need to stay focussed on the process on the basketball court, but also in our service to Him.
FCA Message from Jason Brand & Billy Holder
Reputation vs. Character
Ready
"Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” – Galatians 1:10
Set
Throughout history, there have been a proliferation of sports scandals at the amateur and professional levels. In most, if not all of the situations, there was a key moment of decision when the allegations surfaced. The choice was between character and reputation.
Ideally, each of us would like to have both – strong character and a good reputation. However, circumstances often force us to choose one or the other. If I choose character, then my integrity will lead me to do the right thing, perhaps even at the expense of the reputation of my organization, family or myself. If I allow the most important issue to be how something will look to others, then I will immediately go into damage control and take actions to limit any news getting out. This can easily lead to a delay or absence of proper accountability.
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” --Coach John Wooden
The apostle Paul states clearly in Galatians that he is not striving to please people, but God. He played for an Audience of One. Shortly after I accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, my FCA Huddle Coach, Coach Myers, took me to my first Christian concert. Petra sang “Godpleaser” which includes these lyrics: I just want my life to glorify His Son, To Make my Father proud that I’m His child before I’m done. No need to pat me on the back or stop to shake my hand, I just want to hear my Father say, “Well done, well done." Don’t wanna be a manpleaser, I wanna be a Godpleaser. (Written by Bob Hartman)
You will have opportunities throughout your life to uphold both your reputation and your character. Sometimes you might have to choose one. May you always desire to please God and make the choice that honors Him.
Go
What matters more to you: the opinion of others or the opinion of God?
When you do wrong, are you more focused on the wrongdoing or on getting caught?
Could you be satisfied if God were pleased with you but everyone in the world was displeased?
What if everyone in the world was pleased with you, but God was displeased?
Workout
1 Timothy 2:4 Colossians 3:23 1 Samuel 16:7 Hebrews 4:12-13
Overtime
Lord, I am tempted to point the finger and judge others. Help me to look into my own heart. I want to play and live for you and seek to please you. Give me the strength to right the wrongs in my life, even when it may make me look bad in the eyes of others.
This devotional comes from FCA Resources.
Contact Us
Coach Thompson - coachthompson44@gmail.com - @coachthompson44
Luke Zeller - lukezeller@distinxion.org - @lukezeller40 and @distinxion
Patrick Kohan - patrick@coachesinsider.com
Nick Bartlett - nick@drdishbasketball.com
Jason Brand - jbrand@fca.org