Jay Schultz, AAO staff member and the Razorback baseball chaplain, has utilized chapel time to communicate to the team about healthy, Godly leadership described in Scripture. During a recent chapel talk he challenged the team to avoid the pitfalls of misguided leadership. Several times in Scripture (one being at the Last Supper no less) the disciples argue with each other over which one was greatest. No doubt each one could make a case for greatness, but to do so at the tension-filled Last Supper indicated none were truly ready to lead.

Leadership with selfish motives in mind is the worst kind of leadership, especially in sports. Nothing destroys a team quicker than selfishness. For many, leadership is merely a tool to manipulate, to enrich and to control through power. In the office or the clubhouse this type of leadership is destructive to the team. Jesus recognized this pitfall and offered a solution: serve those you are in community with.

Jesus answered the disciple’s selfish debate by stating that true leadership is rooted in selfless service. He said the “leader should become like the servant.” We know from history this is just what happened. The disciples were transformed from selfish followers to selfless leaders. Great things can happen when a team, organization or family decides to follow Jesus’ example and serve one another. It appears the Razorback baseball team is doing just that by putting aside selfish ambition for the good of the team. Being a champion is more than standing tall in victory it is stooping low in service to those around you.

March Madness is here once again.  The 2009 version of the NCAA basketball tournament begins Thursday and, unfortunately for Razorback fans neither the men’s or women’s teams are in the Big Dance this year.  That said; let’s take the time to congratulate the Roger Mounties boys, 7A Championship game, Shiloh Christian girls, state champs and the Fayetteville High School Purple Dogs…men’s and women’s teams.  Both finished the year undefeated and are state champions!

It isn’t rare to see the boys and girl’s teams win state in the same year.  Occasionally, you will see a team go undefeated.  However, it is extraordinary to have the same school go undefeated and win state in the same year.  That is a remarkable accomplishment.

So how did it happen?  Why did it happen?  Better players?  Maybe. Better coaching?  Perhaps.  The teams outworked everyone else?  Who knows?  In some of the articles that followed the championships we are given some clues to what made these teams great.  Read some of the quotes:

“Everybody was committed to one goal.”

“The most talented team doesn’t always win. That attests to this team’s mental focus and willingness to prepare.”

“We played for each other.”

“There is love and support between the boys and girls teams that will stand out for years to some.”

“Players stuck around this season to practice AFTER practice. They were there at 6 a.m. to work on their shots and hone their offensive sets.”

They work hard individually-and sacrifice collectively-  anything that happens to them they deserve.”

To us, it shows a tremendous amount of character in the young men and women at Fayetteville High.  It is a testament to the parents, coaches, community organizations and everyone who played a hand in making these student-athletes the champions they are today.  It didn’t happen overnight.  It was a process.  At AAO, we are in to that process.  In the end, win or lose, doing it right, working hard, playing for something more than yourself is worth it.  It is what champions do.  Congratulations Purple Dogs!

And thanks once again to each of you for the support you give to AAO in helping us impact the next generation of athletes and coaches!

Rick Fires in his article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette states his belief that “Character and Team-first guys are back in style.”  He sites many examples from professional, college and high school sports programs that are starting to send the message to athletes that character, attitude, work ethic and team chemistry are just as important as talent. This is good news for fans, parents, coaches and the athletes who still play the game. At AAO, character and team have always been synonymous with sports. For many who receive this weekly update, you know AAO is about building champions for life and utilizing sports to make that happen. Selfishness and a me-first attitude cannot be found in a champion’s mettle.

We intentionally communicate to our athletes positive messages about healthy character beginning with athletes as young as 3rd grade and going all the way up to college age athletes. We tell them a CHAMP is all about the following:

C: Courage: the ability to rise up to a challenge without giving way to fear and doubt

H: Humility: rejecting an entitlement mentality and realizing our personal success is usually a result of someone else’s contribution and sacrifice

A: Attitude: a positive, hard working, team first attitude is what will produce long term success

M: Mental strength: the mental capacity to persevere through adversity without giving up or caving in

P: Purpose: learning to live and play with a sense of purpose

This is exactly the kind of attributes Coach Pelphry is trying to instill in his players. He is trying to develop strength of character in his young men that will give them an opportunity for success on and off the court. An athlete cannot be a champ if they are character deficient and consumed with themselves. The athletes involved with AAO understand this concept.  Do we play to win?  Absolutely.  We keep score, we coach hard, we train harder, but we do it with purpose and our purpose involves young men and women developing their full and God-given potential.  Winning is a by-product of our goal!  Can you be successful doing it this way?  According to a national high school survey of teams that had one a state championship, the number one answer given for their success was not talent but team chemistry!  Maybe Jerry Jones read that survey recently.

Hey, we want to thank Rick Fires though for pointing out what we got at AAO 18 years ago…CHARACTER COUNTS!

Dear Friends,

If you are ever wondering what’s good for kids these days let us give you a hint:  SPORTS! Yes, good, clean, healthy competition is great for kids.  It’s even better when the child is a member of a team.  Can you imagine the impact upon a young person when the coach of the team is guided by something deeper than just winning and losing?  Sounds almost too good to be true.  It’s not.  This is what we are about at AAO.

A recent study by the American College of Sports Medicine found that youth who engaged in “vigorous” activity three times per week scored better in every category they studied.  So which kids engaged in “vigorous” activity three times per week for at least 20 minutes?  You guessed it…kids who played sports.

You may believe that this kind of information is not significant.  Well, it is!  I recently read a player profile on a local high school basketball player and they asked him who had been the person most influential in his life. He told the reporter his two youth basketball coaches. During those formative years of this young man’s life those coaches invested in his development as a player and a person. Those coaches made a positive difference in his life. That’s what happens when people in positions of power and influence have a greater purpose than just training athletes to win games. That’s the power of sports!

There are many barriers to a child playing a sport.  It could be the coach, an over aggressive parent, finances, lack of facilities …the list goes on and on.  At AAO we are trying to knock down those barriers left and right.  Our desire is to make playing sports one of the most influential and transformational experiences for a young athlete. We do this through teaching skills, training coaches, providing competition, showcasing positive role models, developing character and strengthening faith in every young athlete. Sport fields and courts are some of the greatest educational classrooms in our community. At AAO we are about mentoring young men and women through the influence of sports. Instilling in them the core values, character traits and leadership skills they will need to be a success in life! We call it being a Champion for Life.  The only thing that limits us is our capacity.

We are just finishing up our competitive basketball club season in Fayetteville and will be starting a basketball development program in Rogers this spring.  Needless to say it is being received with open arms and tons of interest.  What parent doesn’t want the best for their children?  That is what we want too.  I hope you will continue to stand with us and support us as we make these and other opportunities available for young student athletes across NW Arkansas.  Thanks again for all your support!

]]> http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/3609-aao-update/feed/ 0 aaoblog http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/aao-update-3309/ http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/aao-update-3309/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:34:01 +0000 aaoblog http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/?p=161 ]]>

Dear Friends,

Our friend Roger Lipe, a sport chaplain with FCA in Southern Illinois, commented that sports squeeze participants revealing the character of those competing.  This is something we all know.  He is stating the obvious.  However, Roger goes on to note that it is the pressure that creates opportunity for ministry and action.

In last week’s update we mentioned that Alex Rodriguez should come to Fayetteville and hang out with our athletes, especially the athletes on our club basketball teams.  Alex could learn a great deal from the messages we teach.  When ARod was squeezed what emerged was not an attractive quality.  He decided to cheat when faced with an opportunity to do right.

Had Alex participated in our club basketball program his weaknesses would have been identified and we would have instantly begun to build up the areas where he was weak.  He then would have been in a position where adults would constantly feed him with positive messages about competition and life.

One real world example of how AAO speaks into the lives of its athletes is our recognition of how sports and life converge.  Two areas we focus on in our youth basketball club is maximum effort and fighting through adversity.  The combination of the two is what builds perseverance.  Is that not relevant to life?  Of course it is.  Success in life requires those two basic elements:  maximum effort and fighting through adversity…great messages for athletes of all ages.

This may not be rocket science, but it is sport ministry.  That is what we are about at Arkansas Athlete’s Outreach.  Thanks for participating with AAO as we build the next generation of champions.

For more information please visit our AAO blog at http://www.aaoblog.wordpress.com and also take a moment to read Roger Lipe’s information, as well.  You can find it here… http://sportchaplainsportmentor.blogspot.com .

Well the ice has melted, the power has been restored and the AAO office is up and running. Sorry for the delay in keeping you updated but I am sure you can understand given the circumstances of last week. It’s good to be back! AAO has been gripped with a sobering statement by one of our country’s leaders in integrating faith into our culture, Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life. Warren stated “that if you want to influence culture you have to start early with music, entertainment and sports”. At AAO we want to have a transformational impact on the next generation of athletes and coaches!

AAO has a history of being at the forefront of ministry to athletes.  We see a need and we meet the need.  In the process of meeting the need we develop something unique and interesting.  This is how we do what we do. Our definition of “athlete” is no longer exclusively identified with Razorback athletes.  Athletes are all around us.  Third grade basketball players are athletes, high school football players are athletes, and Division II basketball players are athletes as well.  We have seen a need in the community and, like in times past, we have met the need. One example of our evolving outreach is our “developmental basketball clubs’.  It is designed to mix exceptional skill development with positive coaching for kids in grades 3 – 7.  This “club” has struck a nerve in the community.  Currently, we have developed club teams in Fayetteville and will soon do the same in Rogers.  Below are some of the emails we have gotten from parents in our Fayetteville program:

“It is frustrating that the opportunities for kids to get good basketball instruction and coaching are very limited. There are many boys that have some decent athleticism, but do not have the opportunity to play under an intentional and prepared coach. I understand your vision for the AAO development teams and I appreciate your dedication to this.”

“Your hour and a half try out was the best instruction our son has had in five years of playing basketball. We so badly want him to have the same instructional advantage as your teams will provide leading up to Junior High”.

As you can see, we have sensed something was missing in the community and developed a program to fill the gap.  We have done this throughout our history at AAO.  For example, our Camp of Champs provides an exciting all sports recreational experience for kids in June.  AAO’s Top 25 (basketball and volleyball) program gives many high school athletes in the state of Arkansas opportunities for college exposure they would not normally get.  To date, 75 athletes that have attended our Top 25 camps have received college scholarships.

For AAO, we are taking seriously the responsibility of influencing our community by developing the next generation of athletes and coaches.  Yes, we will continue to reach out to Razorback athletes.  We must because it is in our DNA.  However, given our position in the community and the need all around us we are opening up our ministry to include athletes at every age.  This is exciting and we are looking forward to including you in our plans.  Thank you for your continued involvement with AAO.  We will be updating you on exciting new initiatives and opportunities for participation.  Please know how valuable your support is to us. You are helping us make a difference!

]]> http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/aao-update-2609/feed/ 0 aaoblog http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/aao-update-12109/ http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/aao-update-12109/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:52:49 +0000 aaoblog http://aaoblog.wordpress.com/?p=138 ]]> The sporting world took a hit last week.  Tony Dungy stepped down as Head Coach of the Indianapolis Colts.  Dungy is universally appreciated for his approach to coaching.  Article after article praises Dungy for his impact on the men he leads.  Of course, without accomplishments much of that praise can be said about lots of coaches.  What makes Dungy unique is he reached the pinnacle of his profession and maintained to avoid the contamination of success.

Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg Times had the following to say in an article on Dungy’s retirement:

“As Dungy walks away from a coaching career at age 53, his legacy is less that of a coach than that of a man. And perhaps no finer compliment can be given to anyone. For all of the moments he had as a coach, it was his simple human qualities that set Dungy apart. Those are the moments that will be missed; those are the moments that should be cherished.

His footprints were deep. His shadow was long. And the hole he left in a league was gaping. He was an excellent football coach. He was a better person. Along the way, he touched people.”

Tony Dungy was all about being a football coach.  He was obviously one of the best…ever!  Yet he did not allow football to define who he was.  He saw no need to scream, holler, degrade or humiliate those he served.  His deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ demanded more.  He was called to something much higher.  His calling was to impact men…not just coach a game.  Well, he did just that and did it quite well.

At AAO, we have been banging on the same drum as Dungy.  Sports should not be an end unto itself.  It should be a means to an end.  Sports is a wonderful place to impact lives and influence young men and women for a much larger purpose.  That is what we are about at AAO.  We work with athletes to develop a purpose that extends beyond the here and now.  We train coaches at various levels to develop a “Dungy-like” vision for leadership.  We give children opportunities to experience the joy of competition minus the fear of humiliation.  That’s what we are about AAO and Coach Dungy only confirms the “rightness” of it.

Roughly 85 children assembled at Locomotion Fun Park to receive a gift or two from AAO.  Those gifts included time spent with a Razorback athlete and a toy of some sort.  Like all events of this nature lots of people benefited.  AAO benefited because we got to spend time with athletes and coaches outside the locker room.  Athletes benefited by stepping outside of their cocoon and gave of themselves to the kids in the community.  The children benefited because they got to be kids.  That is what I call a win/win/win.

“Razorbacks for Christmas” is a reminder to us all that the term “It is more blessed to give than receive” is more than a cliché.  It means something.  In tough times it means even more.  As a non-profit we recognize and appreciate the giving that takes place on our behalf.  It is individuals like you that make events like this a reality.  We thank you and we are truly grateful.  You are making an impact and it was felt last night by 85 children brought to us from Lifesource, Potter’s House and Farmington schools.

Please remember us in your prayers and if possible in your year end giving. From all of us here at AAO we wish you and your family a most blessed Christmas.

Yes, we do have a website, but it’s very out of date and with the current economy AAO is simply unable to afford a site overhaul (unless, of course, a web donor surfaces).  So until AAO is able to invest in having an adequate website, we are blogging!

The AAO Team is actually very excited about our blog.  It will allow us to constantly keep our special friends, sponsors and donors updated on the latest AAO news and developments.

We hope that all who visit our blog, finds it both interesting and captivating.

ENJOY!