Lee Waldron
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In a 60-minutes interview with Tom Brady, he was asked to comment on his life purpose and here is what he said:
Tom Brady – “Why do I have four super bowl rings and still think there is something greater out there for me? I think, God, there has to be more than this.”
Reporter – What’s the answer?
Tom Brady – “I wish I knew. I wish I knew”
Lee – Mr. Brady, I know the answer.
Even the greatest accolades in the world of sports cannot bring fulfillment. And what holds true for each athlete that participates in a sport is that at some point the final whistle will blow and the game will end. So why are we not preparing our young athletes for what awaits them beyond the game? I hope to change that.
I have a deep love for athletics and I think it stems from the positive influence that they had on my life growing up. I found affirmation, encouragement, and reinforced values through my athletic experiences. I was very fortunate to have played for some exceptional coaches that instilled life lessons into their programs. These positive memories fueled my desire to want to stay involved in athletics as I grew older.
I was given an opportunity to coach high school football a few years ago and found that to be a wonderful opportunity to impact a life in the process. Many of my players had unique dynamics that they were brought up in and they were willing to express their stories to me as we developed our relationship throughout the season. This gave me direct access to impact and influence the direction they might go. This reaffirmed my thought that athletics could serve as avenue to do so much more than compete in games.
My love for Jesus and sports has developed over the years to the point where I have decided to take a shot at integrating the two. I believe that athletics can be used as a platform to effectively introduce athletes to the gospel, to build them up through discipleship, and to call them to go live out their stories by spreading the news to others.
This next fall I will have the opportunity to serve as a sports chaplain for a few sports on our college campus. My goal and vision is to focus on:
Building Relationships: Developing intentional relationships with the student-athletes by offering personal attention, consistent contact and sincere care throughout the sports season and school year.
Biblical Training: I will introduce biblical principles to the student-athletes that will set a model for right living and good character. It will create opportunities for student-athletes to encounter Jesus, which has the potential to be a life transforming experience that will hopefully lead to them becoming eternal followers of Christ, and ultimately better men, students, athletes, leaders, and maybe someday husbands and fathers. This element will include discipleship and accountability throughout the course of the season and year.
Resourcing Coaches: Coaches have the challenging dual task of both coaching their sport and implementing character and spiritual growth within their teams. A large roster and the intense demands of a season make this difficult to achieve. I want to assist the coaches in implementing a growth plan for their teams and also offer spiritual counsel and prayer for the team throughout the year.
God desires to use these athletes to do great things in the world and wants them to be their best version of themselves. I hope to be used to nudge someone in the right direction towards their eternal purpose in life. If you desire to connect with this vision in the future, you can contact with me via twitter @generalleedub or email me at leew@tabor.edu.