After watching the movie, “Eddie the Eagle” I was reminded of my own journey in athletics. I was not considered much of an athlete, even by my father. In fact, I was more comfortable hanging around the house—than playing ball with the guys in the neighborhood. And while I was among the fastest kids in school, it was never applied toward organized sports.

My first foray into organized sports left much to be desired after I went out for baseball. The coach noted my lateness in joining the team and he assigned me to the sub-taxi squad. Although I didn’t immediately understand, I found that it meant that even in practice I didn’t play.

As a freshman I went out for football to follow up a threat to my father, insisting that I would go out for football and get maimed in this unknown and brutish sport. And that was proceeded by the coach running the summer sports program who assured me that I would never play at “that school”. “That school” referred to his competitive rival.

The first day of football camp I joined the crowd of kids as the coach organized us by position. When he came to me, I smartly asked him which positions were available (since I truly didn’t know football). The first that he shared was “guard” and so I became a third (or last) string guard.

By the third game of that inaugural season I was shifted to running back (I was still fast), after a couple of devastating injuries to other players. And for the next four years, I would lead my high school team as the star running back for the school.

I would go on to college based on academics—but continued my football career setting school records that are still intact. After graduation I was inducted into our college hall of fame both as a Defensive Back and a member of the school’s Centennial team.

Although I never believed that I would be great in sports, it was apparent that there was another plan for me. Injuries prevented me from playing at the next level—even though I was contacted by several pro-teams.

Today it is apparent that there are intangible skills that I developed playing sports that proved there were greater reasons for my success. These skills have allowed me to have greater success both in life and ministry.