Who are you? Don’t pull out your ID; that’s just a name. Don’t tell me you’re a coach; that’s your occupation. Don’t tell me you’re an American; that’s your nationality. As coaches, realizing our identity is one of the hardest things to do because a lot of our self-esteem is based on what we do for a living, what our win-loss record is, or how long we have been coaching or playing our sport.

Historically, many last names came into being based on a person’s occupation, like Black or Smith for a blacksmith. Other names were based on whose son you were, like Johnson or Thomson. Based on how others view you, do you think they would give you a name based on what you do for a living, or based on the fact that God is your Father?

Kids often resemble their fathers and mothers, not only in looks, but also in actions. As Christian coaches, we need to remember that we are God’s children. He is proud of us no matter if our record is 100–1 or 1–100, as long as we are reflecting Him. Romans 8:16–17 says that we are His heirs. What an honor as well as a responsibility! Our athletes will someday be our heirs, not receiving our money, but heirs of our actions and attitudes. What are we leaving behind?

With our identity in perspective, we can enjoy coaching even more. I think God smiles when He sees us doing something that we enjoy, just like an earthly father does when he sees his child having fun.