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| Springboro head football coach Ryan Wilhite and SouthBrook Christian Church pastor Charlie McMahan "You have to perform as if you don't have scar tissue. If you hesitate, you're toast." |
IN LIFE AND IN football, progress comes from working hard.
In life and in football, success can be a matter of perspective.
In life and in football, when everything seems complicated, it might actually be rather simple.
Ryan Wilhite has won four conference championships in his seven years as Springboro's head football coach, so he knows a thing or two about gaining a competitive advantage.
But two months ago, on the day of the first game of this 2013 season, he found himself looking for an answer.
His Panthers were tense. They were worried they wouldn't measure up. They were confronted by the challenge of living up to the high expectations created by last year's undefeated team.
"We were nervous. It's something we battled all through camp. 'How can we live up to 10-0?' Or, 'If we don't go 10-0, does that mean we're no good?'" Coach Wilhite recalls. "By the day of the Mason game, those feelings were bigger than ever."
There was pressure. In life and in football, pressure comes from all directions.
At lunch on the day of the game, Coach Wilhite spoke briefly with Troy Holtrey, Springboro's former long-time basketball coach. He'd had some undefeated teams years ago, so he knew a thing or two about the pressure of such a situation.
After their discussion, it was agreed there was one other person Coach Wilhite should talk to -- Charlie McMahan.
Charlie is not a football coach, though he is a football nut when it comes to his Ohio State Buckeyes. But Charlie is very much a life coach. And he has counsel that applies to both.
It's impossible for me to refer to Charlie as anything but his first name. He is the senior pastor (or, in today's lingo, the lead catalyzer) at SouthBrook Christian Church, a non-denominational church which serves some 4,000 people each weekend in the South Dayton area. He is not known to anyone there as Pastor McMahan or the Reverend McMahan. Instead, he is known to all simply as 'Charlie.'
The Wilhites and the Holtrey are regular attendees at SouthBrook. So, by the way, are the Kirbys.
Coach Wilhite called Charlie for reasons that went beyond Biblical knowledge or spiritual formation, which he offers so well. To put it bluntly, Charlie is just a heck of an athlete. He averaged more than 40 points a game as a basketball player in college, carries a 2 handicap in golf today and is also regarded as a top-notch tennis player.
Moreover, Charlie teaches student-athletes on the mental aspect of tennis each Tuesday. "My mind is already on this (the psychological aspect of sports) all the time," he says. So, when Coach Wilhite called, there was no shifting gears in the middle of the work day.
In life and in football, success can be a matter of perspective.
In life and in football, when everything seems complicated, it might actually be rather simple.
Ryan Wilhite has won four conference championships in his seven years as Springboro's head football coach, so he knows a thing or two about gaining a competitive advantage.
But two months ago, on the day of the first game of this 2013 season, he found himself looking for an answer.
His Panthers were tense. They were worried they wouldn't measure up. They were confronted by the challenge of living up to the high expectations created by last year's undefeated team.
"We were nervous. It's something we battled all through camp. 'How can we live up to 10-0?' Or, 'If we don't go 10-0, does that mean we're no good?'" Coach Wilhite recalls. "By the day of the Mason game, those feelings were bigger than ever."
There was pressure. In life and in football, pressure comes from all directions.
At lunch on the day of the game, Coach Wilhite spoke briefly with Troy Holtrey, Springboro's former long-time basketball coach. He'd had some undefeated teams years ago, so he knew a thing or two about the pressure of such a situation.
After their discussion, it was agreed there was one other person Coach Wilhite should talk to -- Charlie McMahan.
Charlie is not a football coach, though he is a football nut when it comes to his Ohio State Buckeyes. But Charlie is very much a life coach. And he has counsel that applies to both.
It's impossible for me to refer to Charlie as anything but his first name. He is the senior pastor (or, in today's lingo, the lead catalyzer) at SouthBrook Christian Church, a non-denominational church which serves some 4,000 people each weekend in the South Dayton area. He is not known to anyone there as Pastor McMahan or the Reverend McMahan. Instead, he is known to all simply as 'Charlie.'
The Wilhites and the Holtrey are regular attendees at SouthBrook. So, by the way, are the Kirbys.
Coach Wilhite called Charlie for reasons that went beyond Biblical knowledge or spiritual formation, which he offers so well. To put it bluntly, Charlie is just a heck of an athlete. He averaged more than 40 points a game as a basketball player in college, carries a 2 handicap in golf today and is also regarded as a top-notch tennis player.
Moreover, Charlie teaches student-athletes on the mental aspect of tennis each Tuesday. "My mind is already on this (the psychological aspect of sports) all the time," he says. So, when Coach Wilhite called, there was no shifting gears in the middle of the work day.
IT IS COMMON FOR ATHLETES to struggle in the wake of high expectations. "How do I perform when I'm already expected to win?" Charlie said.
Naturally, the problem creates anxiety. Naturally, it causes apprehension. Naturally, neither is good. "It takes them away from process, which they can control, and instead puts the focus on outcome, which they can't," Charlie says.
Charlie's advice to Coach Wilhite and his team was to put the game in proper focus. As a collective unit, Springboro has a group of players who enjoy the experience of high school football and welcome the challenges that come with it, and thus have worked hard to accomplish their goal. So rather than worrying about winning (despite how important it is), they should instead focus on what they could actually control -- i.e., their attitude, their execution, and doing their best. Once done, let results take care of themselves.
"Fear cannot co-exist with love and gratitude," Charlie said. "If you find yourself afraid, instead tell yourself, 'I love this, I love this.' You're sending a message to your brain."
In life, it means focusing on the positive instead of the negative. For a football player, it means trusting skills and competitive instincts instead of fretting over the final score. When the brain is relaxed and confident, the play is better, and when play is at it's best, the results will come.
"'Perfect love casts out fear,' 1 John 4:18 -- it's one of my lifers," Charlie said. "You have to perform as if you don't have scar-tissue. If you hesitate, you're toast."
Coach Wilhite took notes during his phone conversation with Charlie that day. "It's like my pre-game speech was writing itself," he says.
It was the reminder he was looking for.
Naturally, the problem creates anxiety. Naturally, it causes apprehension. Naturally, neither is good. "It takes them away from process, which they can control, and instead puts the focus on outcome, which they can't," Charlie says.
Charlie's advice to Coach Wilhite and his team was to put the game in proper focus. As a collective unit, Springboro has a group of players who enjoy the experience of high school football and welcome the challenges that come with it, and thus have worked hard to accomplish their goal. So rather than worrying about winning (despite how important it is), they should instead focus on what they could actually control -- i.e., their attitude, their execution, and doing their best. Once done, let results take care of themselves.
"Fear cannot co-exist with love and gratitude," Charlie said. "If you find yourself afraid, instead tell yourself, 'I love this, I love this.' You're sending a message to your brain."
In life, it means focusing on the positive instead of the negative. For a football player, it means trusting skills and competitive instincts instead of fretting over the final score. When the brain is relaxed and confident, the play is better, and when play is at it's best, the results will come.
"'Perfect love casts out fear,' 1 John 4:18 -- it's one of my lifers," Charlie said. "You have to perform as if you don't have scar-tissue. If you hesitate, you're toast."
Coach Wilhite took notes during his phone conversation with Charlie that day. "It's like my pre-game speech was writing itself," he says.
It was the reminder he was looking for.
"We have what it takes. Trust it.
Embrace the challenge."
AS GAME TIME APPROACHED, Coach Wilhite and his staff felt more comfortable, more relaxed. The Panthers would focus on their game plan and the skills they had practiced so long and hard to achieve it. Because Coach Wilhite was more confident, his team took on that energy.
After a decent first half that still left questions about the team's ability to win, the Panthers poured it on in the third quarter. The defense slammed the door on a pretty good Mason team, then the offense engineering a lengthy, sustained and powerful drive to break the game open.
The Panthers knew the game belonged them right then and there. They won handily, 34-21.
Afterward, there was an enormous celebration, much the way a student feels when she aces her first test and parents feel when their first-born graduates from college.
The collective sentiment was this: "We have what it takes. Trust it. Embrace the challenge."
Now, as the Panthers march into Miamisburg Friday night in what promises to be an outstanding night of high school football, the Panthers are 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the GWOC South (the same as Miamisburg). Offensively, they've averaged 50 points a game over the last five contests. Defensively, they have been tenacious and stingy.
The process is working, and the results have shown it thus far. Coach Wilhite has been proud of his football team.
After a decent first half that still left questions about the team's ability to win, the Panthers poured it on in the third quarter. The defense slammed the door on a pretty good Mason team, then the offense engineering a lengthy, sustained and powerful drive to break the game open.
The Panthers knew the game belonged them right then and there. They won handily, 34-21.
Afterward, there was an enormous celebration, much the way a student feels when she aces her first test and parents feel when their first-born graduates from college.
The collective sentiment was this: "We have what it takes. Trust it. Embrace the challenge."
Now, as the Panthers march into Miamisburg Friday night in what promises to be an outstanding night of high school football, the Panthers are 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the GWOC South (the same as Miamisburg). Offensively, they've averaged 50 points a game over the last five contests. Defensively, they have been tenacious and stingy.
The process is working, and the results have shown it thus far. Coach Wilhite has been proud of his football team.
Boro's hope is for that to continue. Tomorrow night will be another huge test. (Boro won, 24-17).
Each Friday night, Coach Wilhite wears a headset so he can talk with his assistant coaches upstairs in the coach's box. From higher ground, they often see something that he, the other coaches and the players on the field can't. He's a better coach because of what they have to offer.
Charlie McMahan wears a headset, too, only his is in the figurative sense. It allows him to talk to The Coach upstairs who can see things we can't. We're better people if we embrace what He has to offer.
Perfect love. No fear.
A good, good life, wearing our true colors.
In life and in football, true colors shine in the wake of competition.
For Coach Wilhite, those true colors bleed blue and white. For Charlie, they bleed red, (Ohio State red) for the hearts and souls of all of God's children...from Springboro, Miamisburg, Centerville and everywhere else.
Even those from Michigan...maybe.
Charlie McMahan wears a headset, too, only his is in the figurative sense. It allows him to talk to The Coach upstairs who can see things we can't. We're better people if we embrace what He has to offer.
Perfect love. No fear.
A good, good life, wearing our true colors.
In life and in football, true colors shine in the wake of competition.
For Coach Wilhite, those true colors bleed blue and white. For Charlie, they bleed red, (Ohio State red) for the hearts and souls of all of God's children...from Springboro, Miamisburg, Centerville and everywhere else.
Even those from Michigan...maybe.
