Blog Layout

The Top 3 Reasons Why Sports Can Make or Break Your Community

Nov 13, 2019
The story lines, the skill, the drama, the endurance, the mental toughness, and the risks taken are what make sports one of the most entertaining things I can imagine. 

I love sports! During every season and just about any sport has the potential of grabbing my attention. Heck I even watched professional arm wrestling the other day.  

My life involves swimming in the sports culture year round. I’ve found that sports can be a powerful vehicle to transform lives in a good way and also an avenue to wreak havoc on the next generation. Why? Here are 3 reasons...

1. Sports are Prevalent

The first reason is that sports are everywhere. They also start early. Katelyn and I were talking to some new friends a few weeks ago who had their first week of t-ball practice coming up...for their 3 year old. 

There’s school-based teams and a slew of club/select/church/travel/AAU teams just about anywhere you go. 

Even when a kid isn’t playing a sport it seems it’s almost inevitable that they will be around sports. 

Games are a great excuse for social time. Just about any parent is totally cool with their kids going to them. 

Another example...

“So you’re in marching band, that’s cool! I’d love to come watch some time.”

“Sweet! Our next performance will be at half-time of the football game on friday night.”

AND, Let’s be honest, there’s really only two types of cable packages. One with ESPN channels and the one without. 

Sports are prevalent in our culture. 


2. Sports are Powerful

Athletics have incredible influence. A Coach is one of the most influential positions in our entire culture. One coach’s life can literally have a ripple effect on an entire community. 

We’ve already seen this happen in Altus, OK: WATCH VIDEO 

When Katelyn is setting up the schedule of games, practices, tournaments, meetings, and other events for her high school volleyball team...guess who else is affected? Every family connected to the team. 

A coach also has a powerful voice in the life of an athlete. I can still vividly remember specific statements from coaches YEARS ago. Anywhere from, “What are you thinking?!!!? DO YOUR JOB!” to “OUTSTANDING!! That’s how it’s done fellas!!”

Coach’s voices are just as powerful if not more so today...

A voice that can give life and break hearts. 
A voice that can inspire, motivate, and get the best out of a player. 
A voice that can speak identity, truth, or lies into the mind and heart.
A voice that can change a kid, a team, a family, and yes a community. 
Aside from that, consider the passion and emotion it brings out of people. 

I mean there are few things that will motivate an obese man to go shirtless with body paint in front of thousands of people...sports are that powerful. It happens every NFL Sunday. 

Sports are a powerful force...if used for good it’s one of the best ways to invest the next generation...if not, it can mess people up for decades. Life after your last official game is tough. If your performance is all you’ve been living for then it’s a tough reality to face. 



3. Sports are Perpetual

Sports have been around since the Bible times. The Apostle Paul uses multiple illustrations that pertain to athletics (Philippians 4:13 isn’t really one of them but that’s for another time). 

Sports aren’t going anywhere either. I’m glad too! 

I love watching games. Athletes have trained hard, are figuring out how to work together, facing adversity, and the suspense of watching something that comes down to the wire gets my adrenaline pumping every time. 

Sports are perpetual...there’s a 24 hours news cycle just for them. Many sports at least train if not compete year round. 

Just ask Ella Mae Colbert if sports stop being relevant too. She set a record time for the 100 m dash for her age...at a 100 years old! 


Take this away

Finally, I simply encourage you to observe, reflect, and be aware of this powerful behemoth called sports. Be intentional about seeing to it that they are life giving to you and your family.

The influence of sport is sort of like money. Money is neutral. It’s not automatically good or bad. It’s the way that they people use it as a tool that makes the difference. 

Athletics are no different. Proceed wisely. The future of your community depends on it. 

NKY FCA Blog

By Marty Mayer 27 Mar, 2024
At 7'4" and 300 pounds, Purdue center Zach Edey is "the man in the middle." He occupies a lot of space for rebounds and scoring. Purdue's hopes for winning a national championship are weighing heavily on Zach Edey's shoulders. Long ago another "man in the middle" was nailed to a cross on a hillside outside Jerusalem. He was jeered at, taunted, spit on, and reviled by those passing by and even by those who were crucified on either side of Him. For six hours Jesus hung on the cross. Jesus Christ is "the man in the middle". The hope of the world was pinned on Him. He was dying for the salvation of the entire world. "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (I Peter 3:18) This Easter, Jesus Christ, "the man in the middle," wants to get in the middle of your heart. He wants you to accept His payment for your sins. You can receive that payment by saying something like this: "Lord, thank You for being the "the man in the middle", for dying for my sins on the cross. Thank you for your payment for my sins. Get in the middle of my heart and change me from the inside out. Amen For more infomation go to: https://thefour.fca.org/
By Marty Mayer 24 Jan, 2023
In the NFL draft, the final pick is tagged with the label "Mr. Irrelevant". Irrelevant. "Unnecessary. Not meaningful. Serving no purpose. Of no significance. Having no bearing on the matter at hand." In 2022 Brock Purdy was the final pick of the NFL draft. He was Mr. Irrelevant. Yesterday, Brock Purdy, was far from being "irrelevant". As the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, he led his team to a convincing win over the Dallas Cowboys and sent them into the NFL conference championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Brock Purdy was not "irrelevant". He is not who the NFL draft says he was. And yet with all his relevance to the success of his team, there is another level of relevance for us all. Not what the success or lack of success of our teams tells us who we are, but who God says we are. And God says, "You are relevant. You matter. I see you. You make a difference." The cross of Jesus Christ spells out our relevance. Jesus says to you, "You are worth dying for. You are worth 6 hours on a cross with nails in my hands and feet. You are worth it." Coach, take your relevance as a gift from God. He gives that to you. Relevant because God says you are. A relevance of being, not of doing. Lord, help us remember to take our relevance from who we are in relationship to You and that is one of a beloved son or daughter. No matter how good it gets or how bad it gets. Even if we feel irrelevant. Marty Mayer Northern Kentucky FCA
By Nate Sallee 13 Dec, 2022
Sign up for the Coach and Spouse Getaway: nkyfca.org/getaway "Taking your marriage from stagnant and complacent to active and creative" - Brad Rhoads Coaching can be tough, and so can marriage...the two together can put even the best relationships to the test. This is why Brad Rhoads with Grace Marriage jumps on the podcast. Website: https://www.gracemarriage.com/ He shares his journey from a college tennis player to a lawyer, to a switch to full-time marriage ministry. He and his wife presented back-to-back years at our KY FCA Coach and Spouse Getaway and crushed it! Walk away with some great insights and tips on how to have a marriage that is full of life and fun Support the show Instagram: @nkyfca
By Marty Mayer 13 Dec, 2022
It's been around longer than you think!
By Nate Sallee 03 Oct, 2022
Coach Bill Curry gives us what Jeremy Sheetinger calls "audio gold" on this episode! Some of the topics include: - Stories from playing for Vince Lombardi and with guys like Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas. - Coaching stops at Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia State. - "6 Characteristics of a Champion" - "Power of the Huddle" - Reflections on navigating coaching and personal life Follow Bill on Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachbillcurry Bill's Website: http://billcurry.net/ ----- NKY FCA Website: https://nkyfca.org/
By Nate Sallee 01 Oct, 2022
By Nate Sallee 02 Sep, 2022
Podcast episode with Rusty Parks.
FCA Challenge App - coaches challege, college athlete challenge, athletes challenge
By Nate Sallee 26 Jan, 2022
Information about the new app that the Fellowship of Christian Athletes developed.
By Nate Sallee 17 Nov, 2021
Episode Info Sign up for the FCA Coaches Challenge Here: https://fcacoacheschallenge.org Join hundreds of coaches as they study through the New Testament of the Bible together in 2021. A weekly reading plan, optional daily text reminders, and the power of knowing you're not alone in the journey! Sign up today! This is a unique episode where we hear from Mo Isom-Aiken as she shares with a group of local High School athletes here in NKY. Mo has an incredible athletic pedigree: LSU All-American Goalkeeper Sportscenter Top 10 Play for scoring a 90-yard goal SEC All-Freshman Team Trained as a placekicker for the football team LSU's all-time school record in women's soccer with 35 victories and 25 shutouts. Her family and faith are top priorities in life and it has led her to become an author of 3 books as well as fulfilling speaking engagements around the country. More info on her books and other resources can be found on: https://www.moisom.com/ The goal of this episode is to give a fly-on-the-wall perspective of Mo's story but also an increased awareness of a day in the life of an athlete living in 2021. We hope it's encouraging, inspirational, and eye-opening...and that it ultimately helps you grow as a coach!
By Nate Sallee 08 Nov, 2021
College Athletes Challenge - 2 Timothy 4
More Posts
Share by: