LESSON 9: ENTHUSIASM

Ready

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24).

Set

Over the years, I’ve been asked by parents of select and high school players one question more than any other: What does it take for my kid to play college ball?

In having these discussions, it’s obvious what they’re getting at: What one thing can my kid (or I as a parent) do to ensure that my kid is good enough to play college ball.

Is it talent? Sure, there is a minimal talent level necessary to play a college sport. But I’ve seen players with average talent play a college sport, and I’ve seen players with unbelievable talent never make it.

Is it money for lessons, one-on-one position coaches, and camps? Hardly. If it’s not talent or money for instruction, what is it?

To every parent who’s asked, I give the same answer: passion.

A player’s passion for the game—a genuine enthusiasm to play out of pure love for the game—is a better indicator of a player’s advancement beyond high school ball than any other.

Why does a player’s enthusiasm for the game matter so much?

Because players playing for the right reasons—a genuine love of the game—work and play harder and have a better perspective.

First, they work and play harder. Proverbs 15:13 says, “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.” When they play with a glad heart, they genuinely enjoy playing. They have fun on the field. Even practice doesn’t seem like work when they love playing. In contrast, a sorrowful heart crushes the spirit. When they don’t play for love of the game, it shows.

Second, they play with a more grounded perspective. They don’t treat sports as life and death. They treat them as a sport. Colossians 3:23–24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

When you play for God, you have nothing to worry about. Yes, you’ll work hard (working heartily at whatever we do), but trust the results to God. Don’t stress about who’s watching, who’s yelling, or the outcome. Simply work and play hard—for the sheer enjoyment of the game.

Go

1. What are some motivations for some players playing, other than passion/enthusiasm? What are the problems with some of these motivations?

2. How do we balance passion for playing with those days when we simply have to practice even though we may not be in the mood or feel like it (think about other controllables we’ve already studied)?

3. Read Colossians 3:23–24 again. Why does playing for God take the pressure off of us? How does playing for God allow us to enjoy the game more?