As most of you reading know, the last seven months I have built an incredible friendship with my squadmate Kelsey Pelletier. Part of growing close to Kels has allowed me to get to know a few of her best friends from home, all of who are soccer players at Columbus State University in Georgia.
Throughout their season, I’ve kept up with how the Lady Cougars have played, especially Chelsea Person, a redshirt senior who I’d say is an all star on the soccer field and in her friendship with Kels.
On December 6, around 1:00 am local time in Danang, Vietnam, I watched Chelsea’s last 90 minutes as a collegiate athlete. For the first time in program history, the Lady Cougars played in the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer National Championship against the Grand Valley State Lakers in Pensacola, Florida.
Chelsea played hard, outrunning most of the girls on the field throughout the entirety of the game. I could tell her heart was out there leading her — her love for the game outweighed the exhaustion her body felt and the pain she experienced when she got elbowed in the face near halftime. She desired to walk off the field a champion.
But when the clock counted down from 10 seconds, the Lakers rushed the field in celebration of securing the title of National Champions for the third year in a row.
The cameras didn’t show Columbus State, but I imagine as Grand Valley was hurrying to put on their championship gear, the Lady Cougars were in tears.
Ya see, I, too, was once a collegiate athlete. And though I didn’t go out quite the same way, I believe at some point, we’ve shared the same struggle that’s to come after it ends: answering the question of who am I now?
Who am I without softballl?
Who am I without soccer?
When the sport you’ve identified yourself with for at least half of your life suddenly ends, you’re confused about where your identity lies. For the first time since middle school, you aren’t a student-athlete.
You wonder how to introduce yourself now, where you belong and what to do with all of your free time.
Over the last year, I’ve come to realize just how detrimental being an athlete can be to one’s understanding of their value in the eyes of Christ. Growing up, athletes take pride in constantly being active, being in shape, being a winner — we label ourselves without even trying to, and our parents do it to us, too, totally unaware, of course. As soon as we receive accolades or scholarships, we’re spoken of as if we are of higher value.
We don’t always notice it while it’s happening, but we set standards during our youth that we must meet throughout our future in order to be worth anything to ourselves. If we don’t receive a scholarship or as much playing time as we’d like or end our career as record holders or with championship rings, we aren’t good enough.
Comparison is deadly.
God created us to be unique. He didn’t create us all to win a national championship, and that’s okay, because what’s even better is what I witnessed Chelsea Person do throughout the entire season, and that’s glorify the Lord.
She led her team and the nation in assists, set records, had an unprecedented season with 22-wins and a first time appearance in the final four, played for a National Championship and was named to the 2015 NCAA All-Tournament Team — all while lifting high the name of Jesus.
She didn’t walk off the soccer field for the last time as a national champion but she walked off as something greater — as a daughter of God who would choose relationship with her Father over a championship ring any day, any time, any place. I know this to be true because I know she plays to give God glory and not to bring glory to her own name.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
As I watched Grand Valley State pull National Championship t-shirts over their jerseys, I watched them cover the name of their mascot and their numbers printed on each of their backs — the same name and numbers they’ve found their identities in since joining the roster.
We are so quick to switch our identity for one we believe is better, I thought as I watched. And we’re all guilty. Who wouldn’t want to be able to call themselves a national champion?
But none of those identities give us a lasting fulfillment. Why? Because we were created to reflect the glory of God and, since the main goal in seeking an identity outside of Christ is to bring glory to ourselves, we will never find lasting fulfillment apart from him.
When we meet Jesus, it’s not going to matter how many sports we’ve played, how many games we’ve won, how many trophies are sitting on our shelves or how many times we’ve been called a champion.
What’s going to matter is how much glory we’ve given our Creator who gave us the skills to accomplish all of those things.
Way too often, we identify ourselves by the sports we play, hobbies we enjoy, careers we invest in, people we love. We yearn for titles, plaques with our names on them and ribbons around our necks. But we forget where our identities lie — which if you don’t know, my friend, is in the hands of Jesus.
“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the word and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans 14:5-8
Since September, I watched Chelsea exemplify her identity in Christ. It was obvious she didn’t seek it from a leadership position, the stat book or a national championship. She played in honor of the Lord, giving Him thanks for the incredible skills He blessed her with.
To all of you athletes out there, if you’re reading this, know sports do not define you. You are and always have been a daughter of the one, true King — a daughter who has the opportunity to use your love and passion for what you do to glorify His name on High. You are not without purpose once your athletic career comes to an end. You are FULL of purpose rooted in His plans for you.
And to Chelsea, I admire you. I’ve seen very few athletes glorify God to the same extent He shines through them. You are His light and He is going to use you to lead so many others to receive a reward far greater than a championship title.
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“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
*Disclaimer: This blog is in no way meant to put down the celebration of winning, rather I’ve chosen to use winning a title as an example of confusing our identity.
