“David replied to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’” (1 Samuel 17:45)

When I was a sophomore in high school, my wrestling coach introduced me to a quote from the legendary coach Dan Gable: “It’s a psychological thing. They fear it, but they know they can do it.” Coach Harris used this quote to prepare us for the challenges of “Red Flag Days” and “PTA” Drills (short for Pain, Torture, Agony). I’ve used these words often as a head coach, and I feel that it’s one of the best quotes a coach can use to help inspire his or her athletes.

“It’s a psychological thing” applies to so many aspects of athletics, and every year, I find a way to apply it to something my athletes are facing. Whether it’s a wrestler facing a returning state champion or a team facing the #1 ranked team in the state, I find it to be 100% accurate that it truly is a psychological thing.

So many situations in sports can be much like the story of David from the Bible. David faced off against the Philistines’ champion, a gargantuan man called Goliath. Imagine the deep and resounding voice of the giant as it booms among the silent armies. Visualize the sheer size of the man, combined with his reputation and the fear inspired by his name. David had no social media or internet to learn of the hype surrounding this foe. It was legend that had been passed by word of mouth, told by folks across the land. Do you remember the old “telephone game” from when you were a kid? A message is repeated from one person to the next, and by the time it reaches its terminus, it’s become warped and exaggerated. The same thing happened with the oral tradition, and fear was surely struck into the hearts of the Israelites, and even in some of the Philistines, as the showdown commenced.

Yet, we must consider the courage and confidence shown by the young David. He knew that he would find victory. His assured expectation of success was the victory ascribed to the Lord alone. David had refused the armor offered by Saul, and he faced a foe armed with the best weapons and clad in the best armor. He bore only a staff and a sling, and through discipline, skill, and faith, he slew the giant Goliath.

When I consider the story of David versus Goliath, it’s not that I feel that my team or my wrestler is directly favored by God and that the opponent stands in contempt of the Lord. Rather, it’s the similar conditions and circumstances that I apply to our situations. Just as David remembered his past struggles against lions and bears and how the Lord rescued him and brought him victory, we must remember our past victories and what made them possible.

While discipline, repetition, and dedication are vital, the chief thing that ensures our best chance of victory is the matter of faith. In sports, we often face opponents who bring a great reputation, who have remarkable past accomplishments, or who have been ranked or seeded higher than us. We must avoid the “fan mentality” and focus on what needs to be done to achieve victory. We know what we must do, but we fear the things beyond our control.

David greats Goliath by essentially saying, “You have these great fancy tools of war compared to me, but I have something greater.” We need to remember that greater something that is always with us. We know that it’s there: the love of God and the ability to rise above our own human limitations and fears.

No matter the foe that stands in your way, remember to impart with your athletes the understanding that they can follow in the footsteps of David. They may fear (at some level) the opposition, but with the boldness derived from God’s strength, they can grow beyond “I can’t do it.” It’s a simple progression, but with discipline and focus, we can get our athletes to evolve along these lines:

• I think I might be able to do this
• I think I can do this
• I might be able to do this
• I can do this
• I will do this
• I am doing this

The end result is, “It is through God that I have done this.”

Moment of Kaizen:

• How do you respond when your athletes fear that they may get crushed in a competition or when their body language shows little focus or confidence?
• How can you shift the mindset from one of defeat and fear to one of excitement and courage?
• What do you do to train your athletes to stay true to the game plan, especially in the face of adversity or when fear (underdog mentality) sets in?

Related Passage: “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reason and to destroy false arguments.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

Keep sight of what truly are the weapons of our warfare—God’s mighty weapons—chief of which is faith and trust. Faith in God and his love, and trust in the process. God wants us to overcome the fears and doubts created by the devil, and through the guidance of the Lord, our athletes can learn the championship lessons of how this can translate and carry over to real life beyond the mat, court, or field.

October 17, 2021

This article is a part of a series of Coaches Devotionals that I will be writing over the course of the next year. Please click here if you would like to receive email notifications when a new devotional is published.