There is an ethic that influences Mike Matheny and there is a faith that drives his ethic.
Below is an excerpt from “The Matheny Manifesto.” You can read more on this blog throughout this week or go to the Mike’s web site and read it all now (web address given below). I discovered it through a great article in are recent issue of the official magazine of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), The Heart and Soul in Sports.
“I always said that the only team that I would coach would be a team of orphans, and now here we are. The reason for me saying this is that I have found the biggest problem with youth sports has been the parents. I think that it is best to nip this in the bud right off the bat. I think the concept that I am asking all of you to grab is that this experience is ALL about the boys. If there is anything about it that includes you, we need to make a change of plans. My main goals are as follows: (1) to teach these young men how to play the game of baseball the right way, (2) to be a positive impact on them as young men, and (3) do all of this with class. We may not win every game, but we will be the classiest coaches, players, and parents in every game we play. The boys are going to play with a respect for their teammates, opposition, and the umpires no matter what.” The first paragraph of The Matheny Manifesto. http://mikematheny.com/sites/default/files/docs/MathenyManifesto.pdf
God refines our character, not to make us nice losers, but to make us Godly winners. The dark times and hard experiences (referred to in recent posts) cultivate a character that lives with noble conduct. His Spirit gives us the spiritual muscle to live that conduct so we make a Godly impact on the world.
Read Paul’s pep talk to Timothy in II Timothy 2:4-6. Then read onto the 3rd chapter and see the times where this toughness pays off.