Statement of Faith

Statement of Faith

I believe in the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day and it is only in his saving grace that we can go to heaven.

As I write down my statement of faith and philosophy for the position of football coach, I feel that the word coach can be misleading and single-minded. The word “coach" in the context of which it was originally intended could be replaced with the words of mentor, teacher, father figure, tutor, trainer or friend. You hear many people state that “sports" showed them how to be leaders, competitors or winners in their communities. That statement is simply wrong- the specific skills that we teach of sports have absolutely nothing to do with the leadership skills or integrity of the athletes. Just because I teach an offensive lineman how to scoop block or a wide receiver the footwork to run a route doesn’t mean they have learned how to be a better Christian, better husband or a better person.

We have to instill those skills through our own integrity and we must “walk the talk" and lead by example. We, as coaches, must provide the settings and then challenge our athletes to be the best they can be. Our true job as a coach is to push and help the individual to reach levels he or she thought couldn’t be reached on and off the field. If the athlete can reach those levels without help, then they don’t need a coach.

Athletics are the front porch of any school. It’s not as important as the living room (academics), but it is usually the first thing others notice and a big portion of how others perceive the institution. With that in mind, I believe that for the school a coach is more that a coach, he must be a great ambassador of the institution, again he must “walk the talk." At our school, I feel that means that we must carry ourselves in a way that leaves no doubt about our Christian Faith and that we are all children of God. We must take an active role with our athletes and administration within the local community to help and serve. One of the best things an athletic program can do is mentor to the children in the local elementary and middle schools and provide them with positive role models.

Again, the name “coach" can be misleading and stereotypical, it is so much more than just a “coach." I believe that my faith and personal beliefs about the expectations of a coach and the expectations that the University has for a coach are very similar and I am excited about the opportunity to help mold young minds and flourish under the nurture provided by TKA.