“Champions are made in the summer.” ~Jim Linhares
“Champions are everywhere. All you have to do is train them properly.” ~Arthur Lydiard
But what is a champion?
I like to ask my athletes (and myself) hard questions. Once or twice a season, I give my athletes a written assignment to thoroughly flesh out their beliefs on a topic. Lately, I have been asking athletes, “Are you a champion?” I like to challenge my athletes in this way. It is a fertilizer-catalyst for their own personal character development despite how uncomfortable it is to think introspectively.
Answers I have received so far: yes, no, not yet, I think so, and yes depending on your definition of “champion.” So, how do we define champion, and how should we define champion? The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, defines champion as:
- One that wins first place or first prize in a competition.
- One that is clearly superior or has the attributes of a winner.
- An ardent defender or supporter of a cause or another person.
Satan’s counterfeits are embedded in the world’s understanding of champion. As American Heritage Dictionary states, a champion is first, but the truth is, they are only first by putting themselves last. They put the team’s needs above their own. I have seen young athletes selflessly put their teammates first. These are champions.
A champion is a passionate defender of anyone who cannot defend themselves. This is the opposite of a bully. We have seen athletes stand up for those being bullied even when the victim was not a core part of the team. The ones willing to put their reputation on the line and stand up for others are champions. I would go beyond the dictionary to say that a champion maintains an inclusive atmosphere rather than getting stuck in cliques. A champion loves others. In a large group, it is easiest to fall back on buddies that you know, but a champion uses team time to invest in relationships that have room for growth. They look for the athlete on the fringes and seek to bring them into the core group rather than playing it safe with friends they already have.
A champion loves and follows God and understands that their identity comes from God. When they walk against the prevailing culture, they are not surprised that people lash out in rage. They do not feel the pressure to conform for the sake of popularity.
A champion is self-disciplined. They know that it takes consistency in the little things day after day to truly be their best self over time. They do the right thing when no one is looking just because it is right. They push when it is time to push and hold back when it is time to hold back. They are not driven to frantic, aimless striving by fear of being less than. Yet, they do succeed in their goals. They trust their coach, have confidence in the long-term plan, and can stick with it. They do not get sidetracked by what other teams are doing or online training fads.
A champion has special abilities. Actually, we all have special abilities, but a champion recognizes theirs and uses them to love, include, and serve others rather than for their own selfish ambitions. Even within the realm of distance running, some kids’ special ability is their ability to run at a pace forever, some have the ability to run fast, some have an ability to dig a little deeper and push beyond their limits at the end, some recover quickly from workouts and races, and some have a mental toughness that gives them an edge. A good coach can identify and work with any of those special abilities. A champion knows how to leverage the special abilities they have to bring the team together.
A champion keeps a good attitude. It is easy to have a good attitude when things are going your way. Adversity is the test of your true character and attitude. A champion can maintain joy and positivity in the mundane tasks, in the wins, and in the loses. A champion purposefully seeks out challenging competition. They are not bound by fear. True champions are not undefeated because they have sought out greater challenges and have learned through loss.
Most readers will agree wholeheartedly with the definition of champion that I have laid out, yet at times we still behave as if we subscribe to the world’s meaning of champion. We affirm the wrong kind of champion when we push our children and their coaches to win at all costs, when we inordinately celebrate medals and ribbons, and when we turn a blind eye to the bad behaviors of “talented” kids. What is in the well comes out in the bucket. The parent and coach behaviors described frequently result when we use our child’s athletic experience to validate ourselves. Although no one else knows, a parent may recognize that they are secretly disappointed when they see the underdogs on the team start moving up because of their hard work, discipline, and trust in the coaches.
Let me stop right now and say that I am not pinpointing any one parent on any of my teams. We have a higher proportion of involved parents than any team around. You have held my arms up through some of the most difficult years of my life, and you have backed me in setting a team culture that pleases God. The prevalent, unhealthy culture that has overtaken sports in the last 50 years or so is the only thing I have in the cross hairs. We can change the culture at large, and it can start with something as insignificant as a homeschool cross country team in west Texas. We must live as if we believe that a champion is kind, generous, follows God, works hard, loves deeply, puts team before self and all of the other things.
Good news for parents: 1. You do not have to be validated through your child’s sport experience. In fact, parent, there is nothing better you can do for your kiddo than to have a sport or hobby of your own. Obviously, your child needs to know that you love and support them, but when they see that you have your own goals and dreams, they are inspired by you! They are released from feeling like they have to accomplish something for you, and you are released from feeling pressured by their successes or failures. This opens you up to love and support them with their best interest in mind through all of it. And when you miss a meet or a game every once in a while to pursue some of your own goals, you are teaching your child that they are not the center of the family. This is a good thing. If you are a homeschooling parent, you have already sacrificed a career (in many cases) or certainly time and money to provide your child with a top-notch education. It is ok and healthy to also pursue your own passions even if just on a recreational basis. Those things are the door that connect you in relationships to people that you can love on and invest in. This is where you become a champion and use the interests, gifts, and talents God has given you to serve in His kingdom.
2. Your child was made to be a champion and drawing your child into who they were meant to be is what we specialize in as coaches. I have seen this over and over again. I am always going to give every athlete my best, regardless of their ability level, because that is my coaching philosophy (which is not common in west Texas sports). Some athletes respond with trust and they commit themselves wholly to the process. When the parent is also supportive (meaning they also trust the coaching process and do not become jealous of the relationship), God has never failed to bless the athlete with success in their sport and fulfillment in what it truly means to be a champion. I have seen kids who run like a giraffe with a peg leg go on to compete beautifully with strength and confidence because of this process. This can be your child, too.
Here is a great conversation starter for your next family devotional night: “are you a champion?” I talked to each child privately because I wanted their honest feedback and assessment. If they said “no” or “not yet,” I asked “What is holding you back?” Then, I gave a broad question: “What does it mean to be a champion?” You will be impressed with the level of insight even your young children have. When I encountered a child that mentioned medals and winning, I didn’t correct them at that time but just let them express their thoughts. It was also helpful to ask a narrower follow up question such as “Name the character traits of a champion.” And, lastly, “Name a champion (besides Jesus).” Have this conversation to get a pulse on what your children believe. If they are a little older, you may have to also look at their behaviors to determine if they are just giving you what they perceive is the “correct answer.” Then, as a family, dig into the scriptures to learn from Jesus’ example. He is our ultimate champion.
In the meantime, if you want to chat more about champions or anything else on your mind, contact me!
~Coach Doss
