Coach's Corner
Warm-Up
“My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.”— John 15:8
Let’s play the game, “Fruit Salad.” Have the team circle up and sit on the ground. Then choose one player to stand in the center of the circle, leaving a gap in the circle. Everyone is labeled with three differant types of fruit: orange, apple and banana. The player in the middle calls out one of the fruits. When your fruit is called, stand up and move seats with the people with the same fruit. The player in the middle trys to get one of the empty seats. Whoever is left without a seat becomes in the person in the middle.
The player in the middle of the circle can also call out fruit salad then everyone must move.
- Was it easy or hard to be the player in the middle?
- Was it easy or hard to be the fruit?
Workout
It’s fun to be the winning fruit in the game, but Jesus wants to produce a different kind of fruit (result) that will last forever. Fruit means how we act on the outside shows how we think and feel on the inside. We all produce fruit, good and bad!
Look around at the group and think about what you know about how they play as an athlete. Then look again and think about their character or personality.
- Would you rather be judged on how you play or what kind of person you are?
- Why do you think it’s easier to see what’s on the outside instead of what’s on the inside of people?
Back in 1973, Tom Osborne took over as Nebraska’s head football coach and took full advantage of NCAA rules by having 180 players on the roster (compared to 105 players allowed today)—many of them walk-on, nonscholarship players.
When Jesus was traveling from town to town and teaching the truth about God, religious leaders were good at looking good on the outside. They wore the right clothes, said the right words and performed the right way. But God’s Word shows us we should look for different kinds of fruit in people’s lives.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.” — Galatians 5:22–23
For a competitor, here’s what that looks like:
Showing love (and respect) when you’re winning.
Having joy and peace when you’re losing.
Showing patience and kindness when a teammate is messing up.
Focusing on goodness when others are breaking the rules.
Choosing faithfulness when friends are giving up.
Showing gentleness when opponents are talking trash.
Using self-control when things don’t go your way.
- Which Fruit of the Spirit do you struggle with the most?
- How do you think having the Fruit of the Spirit inside you might change how you act during practice and game?
Wrap-Up
Staying connected to Jesus will allow Him to cultivate lasting, godly characteristics inside of you. Here are three kinds of greater fruit He wants to produce through your life:
- Fresh Fruit. Godly characteristics can be produced no matter the situation—good or bad.— James 1:2–3
- Healthy Fruit. Godly characteristics are for your benefit and the benefit of others.— Colossians 1:10
- Lasting Fruit. Godly characteristics can have a long-term impact on those around you.— Psalm 1:3
Close in prayer or ask an athlete to lead the team in prayer