Traveling the Rock Road

There was a time I was privileged to head up a youth football program. It was quite a learning experience and I loved being around the kids. They were great to work with. A few of the parents? Well, that could be an experience also; a trying one at that. Seems there were some that took what we were doing too seriously with a win at all cost attitude. Our league was set upon two principles; fun and fundamentals. Teach these young players the basics of the game; instill in them an understanding of what their job was on the field. And for goodness sakes, make it fun! If a kid isn’t enjoying the learning process, or if they’re spending more time watching from the sidelines than playing, you can pretty well bet they won’t stay with the game. So, we expected our coaches to take a personal involvement with the players, get to know the kids on the team, plan a fun activity with them, and mostly, make sure everyone gets to play at least half a game. If I might brag a bit, it was that philosophy that made us one of the biggest and most popular leagues of its kind in the state.

There was a certain team and coach that drew my attention one season. They had numerous talented and athletic kids on the roster, and the coach was a fitness buff and former standout in sports during his school years. So, I couldn’t understand why they hadn’t won a game in five attempts. Going to the coach, I asked him if there was anything the board could do to help him. Rather exasperated, he informed me that the kids just couldn’t catch on to the game and he didn’t know what to do. Watching them, it did seemed like they were rather unorganized when they were on the field. I urged him to keep trying and I was sure they’d come together. He gave me a look that said “Who are you kidding?”

It was a day later that the coach was in a serious but not life threating car accident. He would make a full recovery, but was going to be laid up for some time. Being short handed of personnel and with only one game left in the season, I said I would take the team. I went to see the coach in the hospital and he gave me his play book. The blessed thing was nearly as thick as an old Sear’s Christmas catalog! No wonder the kids were having a tough time understanding; I couldn’t wrap my head around half the plays. Needless to say, at my first practice with the boys, I left the playbook in the car and we spent the entire time working on two fundamentals–blocking and tackling. The next session we did the same being sure they understood proper execution. On the day of the game we met an hour ahead of time to work on offensive plays. Three! We ran over those plays so much the boys started getting bored. That is until game time. On defense, they held their opponent to under 20 yards with no first downs. And on offense, we scored five times! Parents, the opposing team and even the kids themselves couldn’t believe what was happening. I could, thanks to using a technique a veteran coach had taught me. K.I.B.B.

All of us know what K.I.S.S. stands for: “Keep It Simple Stupid.” But I chose to use my friend’s system. “Keep It Basic Brother.” They’re almost the same with the exception being to work on the fundamentals long and hard to where they become a part of you. You know exactly how you are to execute. And friend, when you get that point, you’re hard to beat. Rob Lytle who I featured two weeks ago played at Michigan University and the Denver Broncos used to say “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect!”

There was a time I tried to use every bit of my theological training to tell someone of Christ. And the many times I would do nothing more than confuse the individual on what I was trying to say. But by using the K.I.B.B. process, I was able to get across the message of the Gospel.  That can be summed up tonight in two verses.

John 3:16,17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Now just like learning the basics of football, you add more plays as your understanding grows. In Christ, there’s so much to know of what He has planned for you. But first, lets learn the basics. His love for us is so immense that He gave the ultimate sacrifice, that we may be with Him someday in heaven. That’s the basics, those are the fundamental. Then grow in faith, hope and strength.

2 Timothy 1:12 “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

As we all “Travel the Rock Road,” we meet with challenges, even defeats that at times make us want to stop, give up. For me I’ve stumbled often. But I always go back to the basics. God loves me, He never leaves me, and when my days are over, He’s there waiting for me to finish perhaps with these words. “Well done, Good and Faithful Servant.” I knew you could make it. You kept with the basics.

See ya next time.