The teams gathered at center field for prayer and the game began. Arrowhead Christian scored two goals- in the first two minutes!  The dejection started to set in the team’s faces until Coach Orellana yelled, “Keep your head up! Play your game!” The home crowd cheered and the team looked more determined than ever. For 80 minutes they battled. With a full team on the field, there were no substitutes and all 11 played the whole game!

A slide tackle here, a steal there, and even a body check once or twice. These Lions were not going away, they were not going to just lay down and quit! They played with intensity and a lot of heart. Six times the Lions had a shot on the goal and six times they missed. But on the seventh shot, as Aaron McClure came streaking down the middle, GBA scored their first goal of the game at the 74th minute. Watching them celebrate that well-deserved, hard-earned goal was worth it all!

I am proud of our team for this reason: when Arrowhead had scored so many goals that people on the sidelines started to lose count, it would have been easy to quit. Yet, the team kept on grinding, running, kicking, and yes, even at times, screaming! They never quit! And this quality they’ve learned on one Tuesday afternoon in October will be a characteristic that will serve them well beyond their sport-playing days.

Can you imagine what God can do with Christians who will simply refuse to quit? If they don’t quit their Bible reading, their praying, their giving, their soul winning, their church attending. Imagine what can be done for the kingdom of God! Imagine what the next generation would be like.

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Ephesians 3:20

Today was a historic day for Gateway Baptist Academy as our school played its first interscholastic game. The soccer match was held at Freestone Park and was attended by a good crowd from our church, as well as the visiting team- Valley Baptist.

Valley struck first, scoring two goals in the first half. After regrouping, the GBA Lions came back with more aggressiveness and energy. With crisp passing, midfielder Aaron McClure slashed through the middle and scored GBA’s first ever goal during the 61st minute of the game. However, that was the last goal the Lions would score as the game ended in a 2-1 score.

Despite the loss, the team demonstrated a great spirit and maintained a godly testimony. It was a joy to see the two teams meet at centerfield and kneel for prayer after the game and I thought to myself, “This is what the sports program is about- instilling in our young men Christ-like characteristics. Learning to win and lose while keeping Christ in focus for He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.”

As a principal, I am proud of my students for the effort and character they displayed. I told them this morning that someday, we’ll get old and talk about the memories they made today. And at that time, the energy to play soccer or any other sport will be gone as well. But what we will possess are the biblical principles and precepts we have learned, even in the arena of sports. And if God chooses, as He has laid upon our hearts, to teach our student athletes godly character through sports, then we would have accomplished more than what most school sports programs would offer.