This is Chase's 1st year of football. He did not play last year and regretted it all year long. He could not wait to play this year, his 8th grade year. This summer he and a few buddies even went up to the high school field house @ 8am to work out a few times a week. He could not wait for practice to begin the 1st day of school.
Chase wants to play as much as anyone would want to play. That is one of the reasons he sacrificed valuable sleep (and sacrificed my valuable sleep) this summer to go work out so he would be ready when practice started. He works so hard at practice. He is always there and always paying attention to the instructions he is given by the coach. You might say that even at practice, Chase has his head in the game.
Glenn and Chase have had many conversations about football since practice began. Sometimes I think it is so Glenn can travel down memory lane and remember his football days. I don't have alot of input on the subject since I am not a football expert. I know enough to follow the game but not all of the ins and outs, dos and don'ts. I have enjoyed hearing their conversations.
One thing I have heard Glenn tell Chase over and over again is that a coach would rather have someone less talented and with a heart for the game and that is coachable than to have someone with all of the talent that can't be coached or doesn't care to play. Talent doesn't make you a great players. Coachability makes you a great player. Talent just makes you talented. Some of the most talented players may never get in the game because they don't desire to play. They are not interested in being coached and therefore they are happy standing out of the game.
Glenn has told Chase several other things: be the first one dressed and ready to practice every day; make sure your locker is the neatest; be the first one on the bus; when told to do something, do it better than anyone else; always be your best. He has been told that the coaches will notice things like that. Chase has also always been told to be the first one out on the field during practice when they call for players for his position...if the coach doesn't need him he will send him back.....but he needs to be eager to play. Another little pointer he has told Chase is to always be close by the coach on the sidelines...that way when the coach needs him he will not have to look for him. He has been told to be by the coach and always watch the game.
Glenn went and watched a practice one day. The players were cutting up while the coach was talking and he sent them to run 200 yards. Chase was not one of the cut ups....he knew that, and the coaches knew that....but it was a team discipline. Chase ran his heart out. In fact he finished about 20 yards ahead of the next player. And true as it probably is, the ones that were cutting up, were the last to cross the finish line. But Chase exhibited a heart of discipline.
Well, the first game was here. Chase wasn't starting as he didn't expect to. After all the others had played last year. He stayed right by the coach the whole game. You never had to look for Chase...when you wanted him, just look by the coach. He was right by him the whole game. There were a couple of times the coach needed someone to go in and Chase's hand went right up in the coach's face, only to be told "not now Bickerdike". But he never moved away from the coach. He never took his head out of the game. Then, the coach called #80---Bickerdike. In he went. Well, it was only for 1 play and he didn't get the ball.
After the game I was afraid he would be discouraged. I asked him, "Well, what did you think"? He said with the biggest smile on his face, "I'm gonna work harder so I can play more".
And that he did. The next week he worked harder and harder, was faster and faster.
The next game came. Chase was starting at Corner Back, a defensive position. (he had played Receiver on offense last week). His hard work was paying off. He had 5 tackles, 1 being a single tackle that saved a touchdown, and then 1 interception. Yep, I was loud and proud. When Chase wasn't in the game (or at the water cooler) he was right under the coach. He played such a good game that the last quarter they stopped using plays on his side of the field. He had a great game. A BIG game.
God truly showed favor on him that evening. However, that game was now over. We had to start getting ready for next week. Glenn praised Chase and congratulated him over and over. Then, he broke the news..."son, you know you will have to work harder than you did last week to keep your starting position this week....you can never slack up if you want to be in the game". Chase knew that, but man...it was gonna be more work....more preparation...more coaching. But after all, he would be playing a different team and he had to be ready.
Now for the real question: Are you/I ready for the game? Are we ready to say, "put me in coach"? Are we sacrificing things we want to be prepared for the work God has for us like Chase sacrificed sleep this summer? Are we really working hard to be ready? Can team mates (other Christians) find us right next to the coach (God) with our head in the game waiting for our play? See as Christians we are on the field not in the stands. But how active are we in the game? Do we sit back and hope God calls someone else to get in the game? And after playing in the game, do we continue to be coachable so we will be ready for the next game?
True there are Christians will talents you don't have. There are some with your talent/gift that may be better. However, God isn't looking for the talented, He is looking for the eager to play~the coachable. There are many a Christian doing "Christian work" with all the talent in the world, but they have never let themselves be coached by the Coach. There are also those of us who get a little bit of coaching from God and think we have what it takes for everything in the future. Not so. We must constantly be in the shadow of the coach.
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