Competitive Greatness

John Wooden, former UCLA basketball coach, was known for the phrase “competitive greatness”—striving to be the best we can.  Coach Wooden was not looking for the best, but for the best of each individual player.  Coach Wooden defined Competitive Greatness as “real love for hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at our best when our best is required.”

In his FCA Resources Devotion “Be the Best”, Dan Britton shared three concepts of competitive greatness:

1.       Be Prepared! Many have heard the story that Coach Wooden would spend 30 minutes teaching his players how to put on socks. Why?  Coach Wooden explained “I derived great satisfaction from identifying and perfecting those ‘trivial’ and often troublesome details, because I knew . . . that each one brought UCLA a bit closer to our goal: competitive greatness.”

2.       Be Disciplined! Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. Similar, Competitive Greatness is achieved by working hard when no one is watching.  

3.    Be Focused! Competitive Greatness seeks clear vision without being distracted by all things vying for your attention.

As officials, we should strive to be the best we can.  Sure, we look to other officials for advice and guidance, but we must as individual officials strive for Competitive Greatness.  Are we prepared before the season, during the season, and each game?  Are we disciplined to improve our officiating even if no one knows how or what we are doing to prepare?  Are we able to maintain our focus for the entire season—week-by-week and play-by-play.

"Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength." –Ephesians 6:10

Where does our best come from?  In Ephesians 6:10, Paul calls us to be faithful to Christ, entrusting in His power for all our needs in life.  Our strength comes from the Lord because of His “vast” strength.  As sinful humans, we operate in weakness.  But God demonstrates His power where human strength is lacking.

At the beginning of this football season, our first devotion was “Do What We Do”.  Most “things” officials do to prepare for games are unseen.  The “things” we do to be our best would probably be seen as trivial by those outside officiating. For example, is it really that important to take a weekly quiz, clean my shoes, or watch training videos?

Martin Luther wrote about things that seem trivial….“The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

 ****Having a passion to prepare will help us face the battle without fear.****