All-american recreation BIBLICAL LESSONS

All-american recreation BIBLICAL LESSONS 1

Weekly Memory verses Evaluations week His master replied Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master s happiness. Matthew 25: 21 Team Practice 1 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 Team Practice 2 Many are the plans in a man s heart, but it is the Lord s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 Team Practice 3 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Romans 12:11 Team Practice 4 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 Team Practice 5 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God s grace in its various forms. Ephesians 4:10 Team Practice 6 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 Team Practice 7 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance and to perseverance, godliness. 2 Pet. 5:5-6 Team Practice 8 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 Team Practice 9 Parents Week Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Philippians 4:6 - REVIEW Team Practice 10 (1-2 grade only) His master replied Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master s happiness. Matthew 25: 21 2

Outreach resources Bibles We have NIV New Testament Bibles available for you to give to any player you see fit. If there is a player on your team who either makes a decision for Christ, or shows interest in spiritual things, but does not own a Bible, please feel free to give one away to that child. Bibles are available in the equipment cage attached to the gymnasium. Postcards Every child should receive at least 1 postcard during the season as a means of follow up. Please feel free to send cards as often as you like to encourage players and to have more touches on their lives throughout the season. Many times, receiving a postcard from their coach is one of the most memorable moments of the entire season for a player! Postcards are available in the equipment cage attached to the gymnasium. Addresses will be provided during the season to all coaches, but if you need one prior to that time, please ask an AAR staff member and we will be happy to get those for you. Please address these postcards yourself and then give them to an AAR staff member to be stamped and mailed. 3

Curriculum OverView Information taken from: Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna (pages 61-64) Playing with a Purpose In our national research, we find that almost half of all adults say they are still seeking meaning and purpose in life. Among teenagers, 2 out of 3 are still seeking that sense of direction. Not surprisingly, the figures are highest among adolescents. We see this kind of confusion all around us, every day-people who meander through life, aimless and lethargic, capable but unproductive, comfortable but unfulfilled. That s a sure sign that even if they claim Jesus Christ as their Savior and acknowledge their existence as a gift from God, they do not understand why God created them. Meaning and purpose in life are gained by developing spiritual understanding. Meaning and purpose are not all about occupational choices, educational degrees, marital status, financial security, personal achievement or leisure and recreational pursuits. It is about knowing God so intimately that you can discern His calling upon your life. Establishing an unwavering commitment to God s calling should trump your devotion to realizing your personal desires every time (although when you consistently live for God, His desires eventually become indistinguishable form your desires). For instance, I ve interviewed hundreds of people who have devoted themselves to trying to lead people, lonely to discover that they are unsuccessful and frustrated in their efforts. The reason for their ineffectiveness, though, is no that people are bad at taking direction but that perhaps the leader lacks the resources to fulfill the people s plans. In their words, the individual decided to be a leader even though God did not call him or her to be one. When you try to be something that God did not make you to be, you can count on a life of frustration, dissatisfaction and failure. When you listen to the voice of God to discern what He has called you to be, then you are in line for the blessings that enable you to succeed in the ventures for which He created you. How, then, can we help young people begin to focus on God s purposes for their lives as early as possible? Vision As believers our life mission is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. More specific than this, God has a vision for each individual about how they can use their gifts, passions, and talents to further the kingdom. Grasping Purpose As a believer you want to grasp God s purpose for your life so that you can move from survival and salvation to sustainable significance in Christ. Exploding with Passion One way to know if we have truly ascertained God s vision for our lives is to evaluate our passion for that calling. Because the vision optimizes what God has invested in us, and because it is the opportunity to pursue something significant to God and His kingdom while simultaneously maximizing our personal resources, it should ignite tremendous excitement and energy. Strengthening Perseverance There is no chance that we can accomplish this life purpose without relying on God to work in us. We must deepen our reliance on God to meet our own potential. Finding Power God s vision for our life exceeds our capabilities so we must submit to his calling and allow him to work in and through us. 4 Experiencing Pleasure Serving God is not undertaken without suffering and struggle, but when we are doing His will in His way for His purposes, we will find a level of fulfillment unlike any we could otherwise experience in life.

Lesson: EVALUATION WEEK WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3RD This session will be taught by the master coach to the whole group at once. The emphasis will be on introducing the Pyramid of Success. Word Focus for the Practice Session = Success Read Pyramid for Success Introduction pg. 13- John Wooden and Jay Carty Play Book: (God s Word) read the scripture below with the players Parable of the Talents Read Matthew 25: 14-30 Parable of the talents. Success is our goal: Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming. You did everything you could to bring glory to God with your life. Practice: Introduce to the players that at each practice they will be practicing drills that will help them understand the different steps to help them achieve ultimate success. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (Matthew 25:14-30) Did the first two servants try to do their best? Did the third servant try to do his best? What did the third servant do? Do I strive to be the best that God wants me to be or do I just try to get by like the third servant? Read God s word: Book of John or Galatians 5 His master replied Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master s happiness. Matthew 25: 21 5

Lesson: Team practice 1 WEEK OF NOVEMBER 9th EGYPTIAN RULE IN EFFECT Word Focus for the Practice Session = Industriousness Hard Work Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 1 (Part One) - Industriousness (Hard Work) - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Slide and Sprint (pg 5) - Stress proper technique on slides (if they cross legs use as an example of taking a shortcut) (2) Suicides (pg 16) at the end of practice a little Hard Work conditioning. Make sure they touch each line and don t take shortcuts. Play Book: Hard Work is our goal: There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning. Timeout Debrief: Larry Bird was not a natural athlete or basketball player. He just had determination and he worked hard every day to become a better basketball player. He is one of the best to play in the NBA. I work hard because I want to be better than everybody else (True or False)? Do I look for the easiest way to complete my chores? (Do I stuff my clothes under the bed or the closet instead of in the drawer?) Wouldn t it be better to just put it in the drawer before your parents tell you to do so? Do I strive to be the best that my parents want me to be or do I just try to get by? Are there other areas in your life that need some hard work? What are they? Make a plan this week to work on those areas of your life that need hard work. 6

Lesson: Team practice 2 WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16th EGYPTIAN RULE IN EFFECT Word Focus for the Practice Session = Industriousness Planning Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 1 (Part Two) - Industriousness (Planning) - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Give and Go s (pg 13) - Stress to the players the planning of the pass to the basket, leading with the ball is proper planning (2) Knockout (pg 9) What is the strategy to protect their ball but make the others lose their ball? Play Book: Planning is our goal: There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning. Timeout Debrief: Are you real organized and do you plan out all that you will do during the day (get them to raise hands)? Do you think a successful person is organized or just let s things just happen? Do you plan out your day before it gets started? Do you make a plan when you have to get your schoolwork done? When your house was built, do you think the builder used a plan to build it? Are successful basketball teams disciplined and organized or do they just show up and play the game? Do they practice and have a game plan? Discuss what a game plan is to the players. Try to go out and plan how you can make your mom or dad happy this week... 7

Lesson: Team practice 3 WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30th EGYPTIAN RULE IN EFFECT Word Focus for the Practice Session = Enthusiasm Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 2 - Enthusiasm - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Gotcha (pg 7) - Hopefully the players will get excited in the competition and show some enthusiasm (2) On the Move Dribbling (pg 9) a competition and make sure each team is cheering for their teammates. Play Book: Enthusiasm is our goal: Brushes off with those with whom you come in contact. You must truly enjoy what you are doing. Timeout Debrief: Do you enjoy everything that you do? Do you enjoy doing the chores that your parents ask you to do? What are the three things you most enjoy doing (have them list them)? What are three things you really do not enjoy doing? Do you have a favorite sports team that you are enthusiastic about? How can you become more enthusiastic about the things you do not enjoy doing? Does your teachers want you to be enthusiastic in all you do at school? How can your enthusiasm rub off on those around you this week? 8

Lesson: Team practice 4 WEEK OF DECEMBER 7th EGYPTIAN RULE NO LONGER IN EFFECT Word Focus for the Practice Session = Friendship Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 3 - Friendship - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Slide Passing (pg 10) - Sharing the ball back and forth between teammate/friend (2) Pick and Roll (pg 14) helping a teammate get a clear path to the basket by setting a pick (helping the friend score the goal for the good of the team). Play Book: (God s Word) review the bold verse with your team Eccles. 4:12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Friendship is our goal: Comes from mutual esteem, respect and devotion. Like marriage, it must not be taken for granted but requires a joint effort. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (Prov. 17:17) Do you know what a friend is? Do you have friends? Do friends look out for each other? Share an experience of how a friend really helped you out or you helped a friend. How can we show friendship on the basketball court? Are friends only thinking of themselves or do they pass the ball to wide open teammates? How would Christ want us to show our friendship on the basketball court? A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 9

Lesson: Team practice 5 WEEK OF DECEMBER 14th Word Focus for the Practice Session = Cooperation Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 4 - Cooperation - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Three Man Weave (pg 15) - Stress that you must work together (cooperate) to make this drill work (2) Give and Gos (pg 13) This drill will not work unless the work together. Help them understand the concept of cooperation. Play Book: (God s Word) review the bold verses with your team Eccles. 4:9 Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. Cooperation is our goal: With all levels of your coworkers (co players), Listen if you want to be heard. Be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (Eph. 4:10) Do you yell at brothers/sisters or your friends when they are not cooperating with your requests? Do you try to find the best way to get something done or just your way? Are you a good team player or are you more interested in your own game? Give a few examples of teams with less talent but had great cooperation and teamwork (US Hockey 1980 Olympics, Atlanta Braves 1991 worst to first) Can you make your family better this week by cooperating with brothers/sisters/mom/dad and try to build a team> Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God s grace in its various forms. Ephesians 4:10 10

Lesson: Team practice 6 WEEK OF JANUARY 4th Word Focus for the Practice Session = Loyalty Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 5 - Loyalty - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Three on Two (pg 15) - Stress that the two defenders have to remain loyal to each other to accomplish defending the goal (2) Free Throw Penalties (pg 16) at the end of practice a little conditioning. The players have to be loyal to each other buy practicing their free throws during the week otherwise the whole team is penalized for one of the players not. Play Book: (God s Word) review the bold verses with your team 2 Thes. 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. Loyalty is our goal: To yourself and to all those depending upon you. Keep your self-respect. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (James 1:17) Have the players tell you what they think loyalty is. Are you loyal to your friends when you are caught in a tough position? Give examples, your friend is caught taking a cookie out of the cookie jar when they were not supposed to and you took one too but were not caught. Do you confess or let you friend take all the punishment? Are you loyal to God? Do you fight for what you know what God would want? Are you loyal to your parents and do what they would want even though you are at school? Do you work your hardest at practice and in a game to show your loyalty to your teammates? How can you be more loyal to your teammates this week? Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 11

Lesson: Team practice 7 WEEK OF JANUARY 11th Word Focus for the Practice Session = Self-Control Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 6 - Self-Control - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drill into Your Practice Session : (1) Line Shooting (pg 8) - Even though they need to hurry to win the contest they must practice self control in their shooting (proper technique-beef) otherwise they are not going to make it and waste time and hurt their team. Play Book: (God s Word) review the bold verses with your team 2 Pet. 5:6 Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Self-control is our goal: Practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgment and common sense are essential. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (2 Pet 1:5-11) Does anyone know the story of Joseph and Potipher s house. Share the story of how Joseph showed self control with his difficult situation at Potipher s home and with prison. Are you showing self-control when your brother/sister hits you and you hit them back? What areas of your life do you have the most difficulty with showing self-control. On the basketball court, what is the best reaction when another player elbows you in the side? Should you rub it in when you are annihilating another team? Is that showing self-control? How can you show self-control this week at home? For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance and to perseverance, godliness. 2 Pet. 5:5-6 12

Lesson: Team practice 8 WEEK OF JANUARY 18th Word Focus for the Practice Session = Alertness Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 7 - Alertness - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Partner Zig Zags (pg 11) - Emphasize the fact that the defensive player must always be alert and be able to defend the offensive players moves (2) Shell Drill (pg 11) When on defense the player must be alert as to where their player is, where the ball is and where the basket is. Play Book: (God s Word) review the bold verses with your team I Thes. 5:6 So let s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let s keep our eyes open and be smart. Alertness is our goal: Be observing constantly. Stay open minded. Be eager to learn and improve. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (Col. 4:2) Are you alert to God talking to you (your heart)? Do you pay attention to your parents/teachers/those in authority when they are speaking to you? Do you listen well to others or do you tune people out? Are you alert to sin in your life? Do you know what sin is? Do you know how you can be cleansed from your sin? Are you alert on the basketball court? Are you paying attention to what your teammates are doing? Are you paying attention to what your opponent is doing? To be a good teammate, you must be alert? To get closer to God, you must be alert to the sin in your life and seek to have God guide you. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 13

Lesson: Team practice 9 WEEK OF JANUARY 25th Word Focus for the Practice Session = Initiative Read Pyramid for Success Building Block 8 - Initiative - John Wooden and Jay Carty Practice: Integrate These Drills into Your Practice Session : (1) Setting Up (pg 13) - The players must take initiative by going to their correct spot. The point guard must take initiative by setting the play in motion. (2) Setting Picks or Screens (pg 14) Sometimes a player takes the initiative to come set a pick to get another player an open lane to the basket. Play Book: (God s Word) review the bold verses with your team Luke 22:44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. Initiative is our goal: Cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone. Do not be afraid of failure, but learn from it. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory (Phil. 4:4-9) Are you frightened sometimes when you are going to a new place or doing something you have never done before? Do you not do something because you are convinced you will fail at it if you try? Do you learn from mistakes you make or do you just continue to make the same mistakes? Did you know that God knows everything that is going on in the world today? (Matt 6:25-34) If God knows and cares about even the lilies in the field, don t you think he will provide for all your needs? God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. Do you know how to have a relationship with God? (Share the gospel and give the plan of salvation)/ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Philippians 4:6 14

Lesson: YEAR-END REVIEW WEEK OF FEBRUARY 19th This session will be a review of the concept of success. The emphasis will be on reviewing the Pyramid of Success. Word Focus for the Practice Session = Success Read Pyramid for Success Introduction pg. 13- John Wooden and Jay Carty Play Book: (God s Word) read the scripture below with the players Parable of the Talents Read Matthew 25: 14-30 Parable of the talents. Success is our goal: Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming. You did everything you could to bring glory to God with your life. Practice: Review with the players some of the drills they practiced and how the drills tied into concepts taught in the building blocks of success. Timeout Debrief: Developing Doing all to God s Glory Ask them if they remember and can define the concept of each of these building blocks: Hard Work Planning Friendship Loyalty Cooperation Enthusiasm Self-Control Alertness Initiative Can they claim the verse below as theirs? Have they accomplished doing everything this basketball season to God s glory? His master replied Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master s happiness. Matthew 25: 21 15