As an athlete your body is your livelihood. It is vital to care for it like precious and valuable cargo. It is crucial that each part of you is working properly to play at your peak level. Modern medicine is showing how a small injury to one part of the body can cause a big injury somewhere else. This is exactly how the Devil breaks into your heart. He attacks us in form that seems innocent and small, almost an afterthought. Next thing we know we find ourselves doing the wrong things. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

Small injuries can plague a player during the course of the year, it is important to stay on top of even small tweaks or strains. In the same way it is important to handle small forms of temptation and sin. Cut the source of sin that is creeping into your life and it will wither and die out.

It is important that you are disciplined to caring for your whole body. A part of the body sometimes forgotten to care for is the mind. Athletes will run themselves into the ground lifting, conditioning, stretching, and recovering. Are you putting that much effort into strengthening your mind? Mentally preparing for battle or contest is just as important as the physical preparation. Prepare your mind for battle with some scripture reading. It is a great witness to your teammates when you have a bible open in the locker room. You will find strength and comfort prior to competition, and hopefully be a positive influence on a teammate.