Is Faith the New Secret Weapon in Sports?
A look at the Ohio State Buckeyes National Championship Season
Recently, my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes won the college football championship! Every championship is special, especially if you’re from Ohio, this one was particularly different because of what took place on the main stage. After the game is over, usually after championships or big games, fans typically watch hours of analyst gush and debate over what they just watched. The conversations revolve around who had the most impressive stats or who out-coached who. This time, the topic of faith took center stage.
For those who may not know, college football has gone through a sort of “revival” over the past few years, with players becoming followers of Jesus Christ. Sports, especially football in the United States, has always had an interesting relationship with faith. From saying the Lord’s Prayer before games to thanking God after wins, it is nearly impossible to watch an entire broadcast without faith having some kind of presence.
What is obvious is that this Ohio State team was sincere about their faith. This is not to pass judgment on others, and how to show their faith publicly, but when a large number of athletes decide to start the season off with baptisms, you can’t help but to notice that something is different.
It begs the question, going forward, of whether faith is the secret sauce to making teams more successful.
I’ll start by skipping to the good part and answering- no. I don’t think that faith will somehow give your team the edge over other teams. I do, however, believe that faith can have more benefits than what the scoreboard can offer. Staying on topic with the Ohio State football team this year. It was obvious that the players felt more connected to each other. Perhaps (and likely), it was faith that helped them bond together even closer. One of the more impressive moments this season to me is when running back TreVeyon Henderson, in frustration, punched another player during one of the games in the college football playoffs. The impressive part is his willingness to publically repent just as fast as when he threw the punch. His ability to take accountability and turn to Christ is something that not many people can do yet; we are called to show repentance as Christians.
When I was in college, I was allowed to travel to New Zealand and play with an organization called Athletes in Action. The purpose of this trip was to share our faith through the platform of sports. This was unique to me as I had never done anything like that before. On the trip, my coach taught me different ways to share the gospel through basketball. From that moment, I gained a new respect for genuinely sharing the gospel on public platforms.
The Ohio State football team this year was so special to me, not because of the scoreboard but because of how unabashed the players were about sharing their faith. Even in losses, the players were eager to talk about Jesus.
Platforms, as easily gained as they are, can be lost. When an opportunity presents itself, it is a good reminder to be bold in sharing the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Was this another chance for me to share how proud I am of this team? Yes, very much so. But this year’s Ohio State team will be my favorite because of their relentless commitment to Christ. My prayer is that the legacy that the players leave will leave a mark on teams for years to come.
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