Many of us struggle with the constant pressure to be perfect within athletics. We get caught up seeking unreliable affirmation through our performance, so when things don't go our way many times we feel discouraged.

Tryouts are a great example. We work day in and day out to prove we ARE worthy of a spot. Summers we run sprints in the heat, nights we lift in the weight room and it feels like every second is spent honing our skills.

All that work leads to the moment tryouts finish and we run to the gym door to see if our name is one of the few listed on the final roster. Usually making the cut is a long process that requires hard work, focus and countless hours of training. To win a spot on the roster YOU have to earn it.

Athletes must know their purpose on the team. For example, the purpose of an offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback and create space for the running back. The purpose of a pitcher is to prevent a batter from getting a hit. On the soccer field a goalkeeper’s purpose is to keep the ball from landing in the net.

Just as athletes have a purpose, each coach has a specific purpose as well. An assistant coach may be in charge of one aspect of the team, such as serving as an offensive coordinator. Perhaps his job is to lead the team in prepractice stretches. Head coaches have a responsibility beyond atheletic training; they are called upon to mold and shape the lives of young people.

1. Pray. We would not let even one day go by without discussing strategies, plays, tips for improvement, or game plans with our players and staff. We must adopt the same attitude toward our prayer life and not approach any decision, day, or activity without first seeking God.

2. Read the Bible. Coaches expect players to be prepared for any situation that may confront them during the game. God expects the same of us. He wants us to read our “playbooks” daily so that we are equipped to play the game of life.

It has been proven that even identical twins have different DNAs. If that is the case, what is God telling us about our uniqueness? I believe He is telling us to be different, not to conform to the world’s standards, to be in the world but not of the world. I know this is hard and seems to be a paradox, especially in a world where we are told to be a team player—not an individual—or to play, coach, or live for our own agendas.

This past December I attended a high school basketball game—not an unusual event for the month. But what was unique about this game wasn’t what took place on the court, but what I witnessed on the bench. One of the players who had started in the previous game wasn’t starting this night. As a matter of fact, he only played about a minute in each half. The player was obviously disappointed when he came out of the game after only being in for a minute. He even politely asked the coach, “What did I do?” I could read the coach’s lips as he replied, “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Disappointed, the player took his spot on the bench.

Everyone wants to win. As coaches, we are probably more conscious of winning than most. After all, many times our livelihood rides on winning and losing. But we must be careful that our desire to win does not become our only emphasis with our athletes. We cannot push our players to win “at all costs.” The great coach John Wooden once said, “I don’t know whether always winning is good. It breeds envy and distrust in others and overconfidence and lack of appreciation very often in those who enjoy it.” How important it is for coaches to walk that fine line between wanting their teams to succeed, and acting as though winning is the only thing.