I was reading an article on
govolsxtra.com this morning, (http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2013/jul/19/sec-coaches-weigh-talent-vs-potential-for/), about athletes in the SEC and the effort of the SEC
and their coaches to curtail the ongoing off the field problems that seem to be
constantly in the news. Several coaches
were interviewed at the SEC Media Days and gave their assessment of why young
student athletes continue to experience behavior problems. Coach Nick Saban at the University of Alabama (and I’m not a Saban or Bama fan at
all!), had this to say, “We can be the moral compass for our young people but
we cannot always drive the ship. We cannot always be there to drive the
ship."
From the article: Alabama dismissed four
players from school following their arrests stemming from two violent robberies
on campus barely a month after the Crimson Tide claimed its second straight
national title. Saban said, "With
events of today and the attention on some of the people who have been arrested
in sports in the last couple of weeks, it's even going to be more critical to
players' future that they make good choices and decisions. And they have to realize that."
Every school has some sort of program to
teach and hold each player accountable to his teammates, coaches, and
ultimately the university for which he plays, but obviously, there are still
breakdowns in behavior. What can be done
not only for athletes, but also for all our young people in the general
population? Below are a few keys that I
have found to steering all of us away from trouble.
(1)
Stick with the right
people.
Running with the wrong crowd will always cause you
grief. Your friends can make you or
break you. Choose your friends
carefully. You can’t fly like an eagle
when you’re surrounded by buzzards!
(2)
Avoid the wrong
places.
Frequenting places that promote things associated with
trouble will lead you into trouble.
Clubs, bars, places where known troublemakers hang out is to avoided at all
costs. Stay clear, it’s not worth it!
(3)
Have a clear cut
standard of what's acceptable and not.
If you don’t know what’s acceptable you’ll be easily
swayed by someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart. Those in positions of authority in your life
can help you whether they be parents, coaches, or other adults that care about
you. Settle it in your heart before the
temptation comes.
(4)
Consider the
consequences of your actions.
We may have to directly suffer the repercussions of
our own decisions. Ask yourself the
question; is it worth the risk to my reputation and my life going forward? .
Look before you leap, you make not like where you’re going to land.
(5)
Think of how you
impact others.
We have to realize that all our lives are interconnected. A few bad eggs in the basket will make the
rest smell bad. Commissioner Mike Slive
of the SEC called it "a crushing disappointment" when a current or
former SEC athlete runs afoul of the law. He said any perception outside the
league that coaches or schools don't police or discipline athletes, is
inaccurate.
"In
some ways, it's an inverse form of flattery," Slive said. "I mean, we
have about 1,800 football players. We can count on one hand the behavioral
issues, but they get the headlines and the disappointments." And I could add that what a few do stains the
reputation of their teammates, coaches, and schools.
(6)
Pray and ask God
to lead you daily.
Read His instruction manual and seek His wisdom. He’ll never steer you wrong. Stay close to people who follow Him and His
ways, they will keep you on the right path.
The young son of a
missionary friend of mine said this, “Stay on the right path, cause if you
don’t stay on the right path, you’ll end up on the wrong path.” Well spoken.
