WWCA Coaches Convention

I was recently asked to speak at the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association Fall Coaches Convention. I was honored because my good friend Mark Hull was the one who asked. Mark is the regional director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and this year FCA will be hosting a break-out session on Saturday morning at the Coaches Convention in Green Bay. Every year, FCA holds a breakfast banquet at the NCAA Division 1 National Championships and it's very well attended, so my guess is many of the coaches are familiar with the idea. There could be hundreds of coaches in attendance.

I had originally planned on not going to the Coaches Convention this year. I was scheduled to be in Vancouver, CAN for an international wrestling tournament, but it all changed. It's clear to me that God wanted me in Green Bay speaking to my peers.

If I'm honest, I'm a little nervous on how I'll be received by the coaches. I'm a young, 31 year old coach who hasn't been around the block like some of the grandfathers of the sport. Many of them could wonder what I could possibly offer them, spiritually speaking. Wisdom comes with age and, frankly, I don't have the years of experience like many others. It's alright; I understand. I am confident, though, that God has blessed me and uniquely positioned me to have an impact in the lives of other coaches, regardless of age.

If I trust God in this moment, this could actually be one of the most important days of my life. As an athlete, I pointed my success towards Him. I wanted to make God's name known through my athletic accomplishments. I knew that my name was not going to last very long while God's will last for an eternity. I wanted my career to be about His name, not mine. Now, as a coach, the focus is the same: make God's name the main idea of my story. This is an opportunity to point everything toward God. My name will be on the brochure and program, but God is going to get the credit.

If you're the praying type, I ask that you would pray that I will boldly and confidently represent Christ in a way that is unique to my own personality as a coach and that I would be a catalyst in a move of God that will change the entire wrestling culture for the glory of God. If you're not the praying type, that's alright, but I want you to know that I just prayed for you to embrace God like you've never done before. :)