Recently, I received an email from a former student-athlete of mine. Here are some excerpts:

“I went through a lot of personal stuff during high school…and carrying that everyday really made things hard…teachers like you really reached out and dug deep to give me a chance…I just want to thank you for being the teacher and mentor I needed at that time in my life…seeing the impact this makes years down the line is just something I am forever thankful for. I do believe God placed you in my life for a reason at that time…”

The irony of those words is that I was actually a burnt out high school strength and conditioning coach at the time I worked with that student-athlete. You see, over time, I had lost sight of why I got into coaching and had fallen into the classic trap of “producing” athletes and winning state championships.

Yet, Jesus still redeemed the work I was doing and used me to influence kids at a deeper level even if I didn’t know it. I learned that while, yes, we should want to win and push our student-athletes farther than they think they can go, there are more important things to focus on. We know this, but it can still be hard to live out. It’s not too late, though. You can change.