How to Coach with Purpose

In the 2023 Women’s College World Series, the Oklahoma Sooners won their 7^th National Championship, but that is not what the world was talking about after everything was said and done. Although a few million people watched the Sooners play softball, over 28 million people watched their post-game press conference. It started with an ESPN reporter asking, “How do you handle the pressure and keep the joy when anxiety can easily set in?”

Captain and All-American short stop Grace Lyons opened with the statement, “The only way you can have a joy that doesn’t fade away is from the Lord.” Fan favorite and center fielder Jayda Coleman followed with, “When we won the World Series as a freshman, I didn’t feel joy. I didn’t feel fulfilled. I had to find Christ to have the joy I was looking for.” And then the third base star Alyssa Brito finished with adding, “We are fixing our eyes on Christ—we can’t find our fulfillment in an outcome, good or bad.”

That is what the world saw and was encouraged by, but what people did not see was the reporter’s follow-up with Coach Patty Gasso. When asked if she would like to say something, she replied, “I cannot add anything to that. They said it all.”

This wasn’t surprising to Coach Gasso. Why? Because this is what she lives and teaches, and this is the culture she has created in the program. Before the big stage, before the season even started, she took every player out to eat for some one-on-one time. She tries to connect with their hearts before she pushes them as athletes. I have served this team as their chaplain for 19 years and have a front row seat to a coach who learned and lives her purpose along the way.

What can we learn from one of the greatest coaches of all time when it comes to coaching with purpose? The same things we can learn from Nehemiah, who also built something great with purpose. 

Know Your Why

After the Babylonians had destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its walls, the Israelites were under the rule of the Persians. Nehemiah was the King of Persia’s cup holder. As Nehemiah heard reports of his ruined city, he was blessed with a burden. “When I heard this, I wept. In fact, for days, I fasted, mourned, and prayed to the God in heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4).

How could a cup holder have a purpose? How could God use a simple position? Instead of Nehemiah asking how, it led him to Who. After Nehemiah prayed, fasted, and mourned, God showed him his why. God showed him that his place as the king’s cup holder put him in a position of favor with the king; he had the opportunity to rebuild the wall around his beloved city of Jerusalem.

"…the king asked me, ‘Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.’” Then I was terrified, but I replied, ‘Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.’ The king asked, ‘Well, how can I help you?’” –Nehemiah 2:2-4

Nehemiah knew his why as the king’s cup holder: To use his position to help rebuild his ancestor’s city with the help of God, for the glory of God. Coach Bill Wash said, “If your why is strong enough, you will figure out how.”

As coaches, you have been put in a position of power and influence, but if your “why” is simply to win games, you might miss out on building something great. 

Make Your Game Plan

Every coach has a game plan to get the best out of their athletes and a game plan against every opponent they play. Coaching with purpose needs a game plan too. And honestly, we could benefit from Nehemiah’s game plan. 

1) Learn to pray under pressure.

Coaching brings a lot of pressure from school, parents, boosters, etc. Some coaches will panic under pressure. Some coaches will overthink under pressure. But coaches with purpose who know they are building something great learn to pray under pressure.

“With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, ‘If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.’” –Nehemiah 2:4b

What if we prayed before we replied to the angry parent’s email or addressing the team? What if we prayed before coaches’ meetings? Praying under pressure should always be the first step in our game plan. 

2) Building something great always takes a team.

Coaching can be a lonely profession. It can feel like it is all on our shoulders, all the time, and it can be overwhelming. Nehemiah had a game plan: build it with a team.

“Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house.” (Nehemiah 3:28)

EVERYONE BUILT. The priests built. The perfume makers built. Fathers and daughters built. Merchants built. If they looked at the task at hand of building the whole wall, it would have seemed be too much, too hard, too overwhelming.  But they each focused on what needed to be done right in front of them. Coaches who coach with purpose see everyone on their team has a purpose.

3) Don’t get distracted from the work by the opposition to the work.

People were trying to discourage, intimidate and distract them from the work. But Nehemiah knew the job was not going to get finished if he focused on them.

“I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?...They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.”  –Nehemiah 6:3,9

As coaches who have been called to build something great for God’s Kingdom, you better believe there will be naysayers on social media, negative comments in your inbox, and discouragement from the stands. But we, like Nehemiah, “continue the work with even greater determination.”

Nehemiah and his team finished the amazing task of building the wall in just 52 days. And what they realized was Who had enabled them to do their job well.

When we live out our purpose as coaches, obedience will always be up to us, but the outcome will always be up to God. To Him be the glory! 

LIVE IT OUT

Theme Verse: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13

Quarter Verse: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” –Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV

Question: What can we learn from the lessons of Nehemiah? What will it take for you to live out your God-given purpose?

Challenge: Pick two main points of your work and commit to them, focusing on doing them well and doing them with the Lord.

CTA: There’s a deeper purpose to your coaching when you let God lead. It transforms your mindset, approach and interaction with your players. Get engrossed with the E3 Discipleship method: https://university.fca.org/courses/e3/

*If you read this article and aren’t in relationship with Christ yet but would like to know more, we invite you to go through FCA’s The FOUR that explains how an everlasting and fulfilling life with God is possible.