Never Flinch

This summer I coached a young man who wanted to be in the hunt for the starting quarterback position at a Division I school. He wasn’t sure if the coaches would even give him a look after another quarterback transferred in from a bigger school. He knew he had to work hard to be considered for the open job, but was still very unsure. He conditioned himself all summer long, working on his football skills, focus, and mind-set. We constantly talked about “never flinching” or never backing down when faced with a challenge. I would tell him that he had the DNA of God pumping through his veins. Coaches don’t decide who plays; players do by how they perform and what kind of leadership characteristics they display.

All these things came to fruition when two-a-days arrived and the competition began to heat up. The daily grind of meetings and practice was looked upon differently this time. Finally, the coaches posted the starting roster for the season opener, and his name was penciled in as the starting quarterback. Knowing that he could do all things with Christ, not some, but all, gave him the confidence he needed; and he “never flinched.”