Hi.  Welcome to this site.  I am a long-time high school sports coach, currently at Denver Christian High School in Denver, CO.

So what do I plan to write here?  Yeah, good question.  Having been around high school athletes as a coach for 18+  years now, I have a lot of data, stories, and situations to process and present.  But, when it comes to putting those items on “paper” – hmmm, where do I begin?

The purpose in part behind “trueathletes.org” is (as the tagline says) to have “freedom from flaws and error.”  Unfortunately, there are a lot of flaws and errors in the current sports culture.  Of course, flawed sports come from flawed participants, coaches, organizers, and observers.  Everyone who has “skin in the game” (or even just a little interest) brings a little bias, a little selfishness, a little desire for personal glory, a little competitive zeal, and a little hunger to conquer.  And while some of those elements are noble (if pointed in the right direction), the thrill and passion of sports tend to bring these elements to an over-spilling point, and the momentum can turn sour.

I am certainly one of those flaws.  It would be nice to say otherwise, but then I would be starting this whole “trueathletes.org” thing on a false premise – trying to lecture and direct as an outsider.  Nope, I am an insider.  I am pursuing and aligning with occasional setbacks and occasional moves forward.  I am enjoying the process.  Hopefully, in my small corner of the world, I am pointing athletes, coaches, organizers, and observers in a noble direction – to the redemptive power and Kingdom of Christ.

Yet, I am not content to sit here in my flaw and I hope you are not also.  Sports are a good thing.  Competition is a good thing.  We were created to be in motion.  We were created to accomplish and achieve – to reach our full design and potential.  However, it is as if a parasite has attached itself to this good thing called life (and thus, to sport) and this “hanger-on” is pulling the whole thing off course.  One of the drives behind “trueathletes.org” is that I want to pull it back.  I want to be on course.  I want to inspire athletes to be on this good course.  I want to see athletes, coaches, and all others pull it back.

I guess that is the start.  Some starts are not explosive or flashy, but they are starts, and they are what gets any kind of movement going.  Every great movement starts small – the twitch of a muscle, the word of encouragement, the tiny vibration of a sound which launches an avalanche.  Don’t be afraid to start small.  Just love one person in your sight right now.  Encourage him/her.  Speak a compliment to him/her from out of nowhere.  Tell them: “Keep going, I am WITH you and I am FOR you.”  Keep doing it.  Set the stage for an avalanche with your little vibration of sound.  That is what True Athletes is all about.  Let’s set this stage…and let’s develop this generation of student-athletes to change the world.