Sports Spectrum Magazine - Fall 2021 by Sports Spectrum

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During his 13 years at the helm of the Clemson football program, head coach Dabo Swinney has established the Tigers as one of the preeminent programs in the nation. He’s done it by leading with faith that “just oozes out of him.”

AP Photo/Chris Seward

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16 — Living Inside-Out

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22 — Humble Amid Hype

Liberty’s Malik Willis broke out as one of the nation’s elite dual-threat quarterbacks last year in his first season as a collegiate starter. Now among the top QBs projected to go in the first round of next year’s NFL draft, he’s listening to God instead of the hype.

COVER • PHOTO CREDITS:

Dabo Swinney (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

“Heart of a Coach” and “Heart of an Athlete” are registered trademarks of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and used with permission.

PUBLISHER Sports Spectrum Media PRESIDENT Steve Stenstrom

VP OF MINISTRY OPERATIONS Howard Haworth

30 — Faith Up His Sleeves

Broncos offensive lineman Dalton Risner is living the dream playing for his lifelong favorite team, and he’s using any chance he gets to spread the Gospel. Sometimes that means talking about his dozens of tattoos, most of which are favorite Bible verses.

DIRECTOR OF MEDIA Jason Romano MANAGING EDITOR Jon Ackerman, jon@sportsspectrum.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Dean Sauer, aaron@sportsspectrum.com STAFF WRITER Becky York DIGITAL MEDIA & CONTENT MANAGER Leah Stauffer BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS MANAGER Tricia Hudson MARKETING INTEGRATION MANAGER Jacob House COPY EDITORS Shannon Ackerman, Lori Stenstrom CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cole Claybourn, Kevin Mercer, Jimmy Page, Reza Zadeh

Sports Spectrum Global is a multimedia ministry with the purpose to impact people by connecting faith and sports in a relevant way, ultimately directing people, with resources for discipleship, toward a personal, loving God who demands Christ-centered lives. Printed in USA. Copyright © 2021 by Sports Spectrum Media. Bible quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPORTS SPECTRUM, 640 Plaza Dr., Ste 110, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

38 — For Such a Time As This

In response to the worldwide pandemic, numerous pro athletes teamed up with Compassion International to support 70,000 children in crisis through the “Fill the Stadium” initiative.

42 — Summer In The Spotlight

Softball star Nicole Mendes capped her collegiate career at Oklahoma in June with a second national championship, then suited up for Mexico in July at the Tokyo Olympics. No matter where she’s at, her growing faith in the Lord is shining through.

49 — The Increase Devotionals Messages from professional athletes and team chaplains. 62 — The Pursuit The Abundance Mindset

By Jimmy Page

63 — Victory Beyond Competition A New Thing By Reza Zadeh

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4 - By the Numbers | 6 - Around the Spectrum | 8 - SportsSpectrum.com | 10 - Heart of an Athlete & Coach | 64 - Gospel Message

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BY THE NUMBERS

Points scored by Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, which clinched Milwaukee’s first title in 50 years.

SS PP OO RR TT SS SS PP EE CC TT RR UU MM

257

Total number of U.S. athletes across 28 sports who left the Olympics as a medalist.

Percentage of sports fans who would take a day off from work without pay to watch the final game of the NBA Finals, according to TheLines.com.

TT OO SS UU BB SS CC RR II BB EE :: CC AA LL LL 88 66 66 -- 88 22 11 -- 22 99 77 11

AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, Gregory Bull, Paul Sancya, Matt York,

113

Total medals earned by the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics, tops among all nations and the 7th straight Games the U.S. won the most overall medals. The U.S. also led each medal category: gold (39), silver (41) and bronze (33).

Points scored in the NHL playoffs for Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, joining Mario Lemieux as the only players to lead postseason scoring two years in a row.

1st

AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, Jack Dempsey, David Richard, Facundo Arrizabalaga

The L.A. Angels’ Shohei Ohtani became the first two-way All-Star in MLB history, as he was the American League’s leadoff hitter and starting pitcher.

28 30mil

Players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year — 8 for 2021 and 20 from the canceled 2020 ceremony, a larger class than normal because it was celebrating the NFL’s 100th year. www.sportsspectrum.com

Viewers in the U.K. for the England-Italy UEFA Euro 2020 final, the most-viewed U.K. TV event since the 1997 funeral of Princess Diana. Italy won in a shootout.

SPORTS SPECTRUM

AROUND THE SPECTRUM OLYMPIAN WOMEN

With the women’s volleyball team’s first-ever Olympic title, which came on the final day of the Tokyo Games, Team USA clinched its 39th gold medal, one better than China. The U.S. success was thanks in large part to the dominance of Katie Ledecky (swimming), Sunisa Lee (gymnastics), Allyson Felix (track) and many other women who accounted for 66 of the United States’ 113 total medals. Said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland to USA Today, “Fundamentally, access to women’s sport in our country is catching up to the elite levels, and we’re blessed that we’ve seen progress.”

BUCKING TRENDS

AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Aaron Gash, Phelan M. Ebenhack, Sue Ogrocki, Rebecca S. Gratz, Paul Ellis

Milwaukee Bucks fans had to wait 50 years, but superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. finally delivered the franchise’s second NBA title when they stopped the Phoenix Suns in six games. Prior to the season, Antetokounmpo signed a contract extension to remain in Milwaukee despite losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019 and 2020. His decision to stay helped bring in Jrue Holiday, who added shooting, defense and toughness to the roster, helping the Bucks break through. During the NBA Finals trophy presentation, Holiday praised his Lord and Savior: “This is such a blessing, man. This is only God.”

CHAMPA BAY

Championship parades are becoming commonplace in Tampa Bay, or “Champa Bay” to some. In addition to the Buccaneers’ victory in Super Bowl LV (held in Tampa, no less), the Lightning hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in a calendar year after dominating the Montreal Canadiens in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy didn’t allow a goal in the closeout game, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs, and stating a case for best goalie in the NHL. Last September, Tampa bested the Dallas Stars in the Finals to conclude the pandemic-delayed 2020 season. 6

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SOONERS 4 HIM

The Oklahoma softball team completed a 56-4 season by once again capturing the Women’s College World Series — the fifth title in program history and third in the last five tournaments. At the head of the Sooners’ dynasty is coach Patty Gasso, an outspoken follower of Christ. During OU’s run to the title, they often held up four fingers to remember to boast in the Lord. “4 Him means we are playing for something larger and more than ourselves,” senior pitcher Shannon Saile told Sports Spectrum. “We play for God’s glory and for Him to spread into people’s lives.”

BULLDOG BREAKTHROUGH The Mississippi State Bulldogs made history in securing the 2021 Men’s College World Series title over conference foe Vanderbilt. Not only was it the first national championship for the baseball program, it was the first-ever NCAA title for the school in any sport. Crucial to the win was the performance of sophomore pitcher Will Bednar, who threw six hitless innings on three days’ rest in the deciding game. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the World Series, and then was selected 14th overall by the San Francisco Giants in the MLB draft only a couple of weeks later.

ITALIAN HISTORY

For the first time since 1968, Italy won the European Championship with a thrilling 3-2 penalty shootout win over England. That broke the hearts of 67,000 raucous English fans at London’s Wembley Stadium, who could almost smell victory after their side took an early lead in the nation’s first soccer final since winning the 1966 World Cup. But a 67th-minute Italian goal tied the score, and Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma became a national hero when he saved two crucial penalty shots in the shootout. It marked the first Euro final decided on penalties since 1976. www.sportsspectrum.com

SPORTS SPECTRUM

.COM

GOLD MEDALIST

SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN:

‘WHAT I HAVE IN CHRIST IS FAR GREATER’ THAN ANYTHING ELSE BY KEVIN MERCER

PUBLISHED AUGUST 6, 2021

Gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin of the United States, Aug. 4, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

U.S. TRACK STAR SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN had been silent on social media during the Tokyo Olympics, at which she won gold in the 400-meter hurdles, broke her own world record and set the Internet abuzz. On Aug. 5, she broke that silence with a lengthy Instagram post glorifying God. “Let me start off by saying, what an honor it is to be able to represent not only my country, but also the kingdom of God,” she wrote. “What I have in Christ is far greater than what I have or don’t have in life. I pray my journey may be a clear depiction of submission and obedience to God. Even when it doesn’t make sense, even when it doesn’t seem possible, He will make a way out of no way. Not for my own gratification, but for His glory.

“I have never seen God fail in my life. In anyone’s life for that matter. Just because I may not win every race, or receive every one of my heart’s desires, does not mean God had failed. His will is PERFECT. And He has

on the competition in front of her, the 21-year-old’s second Olympic Games (she turned 22 on Aug. 7, the day of her second gold medal in the women’s 4x400m relay). “I think when you have a lot

prepared me for a moment such as this. That I may use the gifts He has given me to point all the attention back to Him. “2x Olympian, Olympic Champion, World Record Holder. Thank. You. God.” McLaughlin made the decision to limit her time on social media to help her focus

of outside voices coming in, it can definitely alter what you have going on internally,” she told The New York Times. “The more I can distance myself from that, the more I can stay as calm and as relaxed as possible.” Her self-discipline paid off in a big way Aug. 4. Only a little more than a month after setting

the world record in the 400m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials, McLaughlin set it again in an epic race with fellow American Dalilah Muhammad. McLaughlin’s world-record time of 51.46 seconds and Muhammad’s time of 51.58 are the two fastest times in the history of the event. McLaughlin has more than 1 million followers and counting on Instagram, where her bio says, “Jesus saved me.” She posts often about her faith there and on Twitter, where her profile picture says “Saved by grace.” Last November, she posted a video of her getting baptized in the ocean at a beach in L.A., and said, “For twentyone years I was running from the greatest gift I could ever receive. And by His grace, I have been saved. I no longer live, but Christ in me. My past has been made clean because of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

To read more, search “Sydney McLaughlin” on SportsSpectrum.com — your home for daily sports and faith content such as news, podcasts and devotionals. 8

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HEART ATHLETE OF AN

HIGH SCHOOL

KENNEDY YOUNG

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH IMPACTED THE WAY YOU PLAY YOUR SPORT? My faith has given me a higher purpose when I practice and compete because I know my body’s health and ability to compete is a gift. It helps me to realize I need to give it my all in competition and care for my body when not competing. HOW HAS YOUR FAITH BEEN CHALLENGED AT SCHOOL? Having been in Christian education the majority of my life, I found myself growing numb to the truth of Jesus and complacent in my relationship with God. I realized I had to intentionally commit to my faith outside of school and not just rely on my Bible classes. Even surrounded by Christians, I found it hard to find close friends who could hold me accountable in my faith. Throughout high school, God has pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and develop more meaningful relationships with my peers at school. HOW HAS GOD REVEALED HIMSELF TO YOU? As I said, I struggled to find solid Christian friends, so I prayed for them. God not only answered my prayer, but showed me how He can use tiny details in my life for incredible change. Within a few months of praying for more Godly relationships, I was invited to a Christian summer camp called EQUIP Boot Camp. It was there that I developed some of my closest and most vulnerable friendships. I learned that God answers prayers and works beyond any expectations I wil ever have. The relationships that began to form afterward could have only been orchestrated by God.

Kennedy Young graduated in May from Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, N.C., where she played volleyball and ran track. She is her school’s 400-meter record holder and was a part of three school record-breaking relays. She will attend the University of Southern California this fall. 10

SPORTS SPECTRUM

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VERSE AND WHY? I always turn to Romans 5:3-4 (see above). After watching Colby battle cancer, I constantly asked God how He was going to use Colby’s story. This verse gives me peace and hope, knowing God has and will continue to make me a better person through whatever suffering I endure. Even if it is hard to see in the moment, I trust that God will use this journey and any hard time ahead to make me stronger.

Photos courtesy of Kennedy Young

HOW HAS YOUR FAMILY BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU? My older brother, Colby, was always one of my biggest cheerleaders. He had a long battle with brain cancer before passing away, and I remember him telling me one day that he wished his pain was from a good workout. Now, everything I do on the court and track is for him. Running the last stretch of the 400 is always the most painful, but I embrace the pain because I know Colby would have wanted to experience it. Even if he is not here physically to cheer me on, he has always been my greatest source of encouragement.

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HEART COACH HIGH SCHOOL

OF A

COACH

MATT MCINTOSH HOW HAS YOUR FAITH BEEN CHALLENGED AS A COACH? When I started coaching, I placed an undue emphasis on winning. At times, I let outscoring our opponents crowd out the most important aspect of varsity athletics, which I believe to be character formation. When character formation is the priority — becoming better men and women — winning tends to follow. When winning is the priority, character formation is more difficult and less likely to occur. HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE CHRISTLIKE LEADERSHIP ON YOUR TEAM? It’s servant leadership, leading by example, when our walk and talk agree. I try, though imperfectly, to lead this way, and to name captains who embody this kind of leadership. I try to point out successes of Christlike leadership, on both sides of the ball. Like a parent’s influence on a child, the athletes we coach imitate us, for better or worse. So I think of coaching as apprenticing young people in how to conduct oneself and to applaud the right things. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR YOUNG ATHLETES TODAY? Character is often lacking in those competing at the highest levels. Pro athletes are treated as products or marketing brands, and are awarded massive amounts of money to separate themselves from their teammates. While this is certainly not always the case, it is true often enough. So there is a difficulty in asking a young athlete to strive to attain the skills they see in pro athletes while not losing sight of more important things: teamwork, self-control, work ethic, etc.

Photos courtesy of Matt McIntosh

WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR PLAYERS REMEMBER ABOUT YOU? I hope they remember that I prioritized the right things, treated them with respect, and did what I could in practice and games to prepare them and place them in situations where they could be successful. Also, I hope they remember that mistakes made are opportunities for learning. Finally, the greatest accomplishment we can achieve is to play in such a way that we bring glory to God. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE VERSE AND WHY? Isaiah 40:30-31 (see above). It serves as a constant reminder that our physical strength and stamina are limited, even though we may think otherwise when we are young. Alternatively, God’s provisions are endless. So when we trust in the Lord, in His guidance and direction, we can know that we will have all the resources we need to do what He has called us to do.

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Matt McIntosh is in his first year as dean of students at Whitefield Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, but also in his 22nd year teaching and coaching girls and boys soccer at the school. His teams have placed first in league four times, been league tournament champions six times, and he’s coached five all-league MVPs and one runner-up. He is told regularly by other coaches and referees that they love the way his teams play — with tenacity and respect. SPORTS SPECTRUM SPORTS SPECTRUM

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HEART ATHLETE OF AN

COLLEGE

KATELYN WEEMES WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND COLORADO STATE? I decided to attend CSU for a few reasons. The biggest reasons were that I love Colorado, I love the beautiful green campus, I knew they had a cheer team that was as close as family and I wanted to be a part of that, and I also knew they had outstanding ROTC programs. Right now, I am both a college cheerleader and part of the Army ROTC program, which is an amazing opportunity. HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW CHRIST? I accepted Christ as King of my life when I was 16. My best friend had asked me to go to church with her and I felt the Holy Spirit every time I would attend. A few months later, I went on a weekend trip with the youth group at my local church, and I accepted Christ there for the first time. It changed my life forever. Over the past few years, it has become so clear to me that a relationship with Jesus is the utmost important thing in life. I die to myself every day and live for Jesus. It’s the best decision I have ever made!

Katelyn Weemes is a sophomore cheerleader at Colorado State University. She was a competitive gymnast for 13 years and a Level 9 USAG gymnast before a back injury ended her gymnastics career and led her to cheerleading. In addition to her time as a student and cheerleader, Katelyn is also a part of CSU’s Army ROTC program. 12

SPORTS SPECTRUM

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH IMPACTED THE WAY YOU APPROACH CHEERLEADING? By understanding the importance of leadership and living by example. I want to be a light for Jesus to every girl on my team, as well as my coaches and other athletes. I try my best to approach my sport with integrity, love, kindness, grace and compassion. I care about my team so much, and how my actions and words affect every one of them. I just want to be a light and vessel for people to know Christ. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE AND WHY? Matthew 16:25-26 (see above). Jesus is saying so clearly that NOTHING of this world can save you. If you want to feel full in this life, you must know Him and surrender your life to Him every day. I also love how He challenges us by asking what could be better than saving your own soul. I have seen this verse transpire in my life, so I hold it close to my heart. TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

Photos courtesy of Katelyn Weemes

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH BEEN CHALLENGED AT COLORADO STATE? My faith is challenged from the moment I leave my dorm room. Living for the world is so easy, and I make an extreme effort every day to remember what and Whom I live for. Living for eternity will always surpass the things of this world. It is easy to praise Jesus when you’re surrounded by a large community that sees things the same way you do, but at a large college, a lot of people see and believe in a lot of different things other than Jesus. This has caused me to learn how to truly just love people better, be kind, learn how to spread the Gospel to people who may seem far from Jesus, and how to protect my heart.

If you would like to nominate an athlete or coach to be featured,

HEART COACH COLLEGE

OF A

COACH

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE CHRISTLIKE LEADERSHIP ON YOUR TEAM? Jesus was the best leader there ever was, so it is very important to me that we teach and develop Christlike behaviors for our leaders to embody. The most important Christlike leadership quality is being a servant. We try our best to encourage and reward those types of behaviors within our program on a daily basis so the younger girls can emulate that behavior.

KELLY NANGLE

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR YOUNG ATHLETES TODAY? I think young athletes today are faced with a lot of challenges. I think their biggest challenge is learning how to use or not use social media. Social media can be a great tool for kids to learn and educate themselves, but it can also be a distraction and an unhealthy measure of worldly success. I think we tend to focus too much on the end result, and not on the “process” and the work that is done on a daily basis. They think everything should be instant. Nothing worth anything is instant. WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR PLAYERS REMEMBER ABOUT YOU? I hope my players remember that I cared for them first and foremost, and that I loved them unconditionally. I hope they walk away from our experience better than when they arrived. I hope they remember that they always have a family to come back to and that it is all about so much more than the wins and losses and ups and downs.

Photos courtesy of Kelly Nangle

WHY DO YOU LOVE TO COACH? I love having the ability to be a positive impact in a young woman’s life. We get to interact with our student-athletes every day; we get to help guide them through some of the most important times of their life. We get to help them build confidence; we get to believe in them long before they believe in themselves. There is not another job in the world that allows you to have this much of an impact. There’s nothing better! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE VERSE AND WHY? Job 5:18: “For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.” This verse was very important in my journey to finding Christ. I felt like this was a comfort to me to know that God protects and that we don’t need to be perfect to be accepted by Christ. Super powerful.

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Kelly Nangle is the women’s lacrosse coach at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, entering her 10th season at the helm. In the spring of 2021, her team advanced to the ASUN conference championship game for the second season in a row, and just the third time in program history. Prior to coaching, the Philadelphia native played soccer and lacrosse at Mount St. Mary’s University (Emmitsburg, Maryland) while earning a bachelor’s degree in business. SPORTS SPECTRUM SPORTS SPECTRUM

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BRING HEALTH AND HOPE TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD. When kids have access to safe water, they are healthier and can experience the joys of childhood.

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2021

ootball is back! As the weather turns cool, the leaves begin to fall and the end of another year draws near, that means it’s football season. And this year looks like it will be back to somewhat normalcy, with fans allowed in stadiums at full capacity in many places. As you gear up for the 2021 season, we hope you enjoy the pages that follow. Our Sports Spectrum staff has been busy at work preparing this issue. We begin by profiling Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, an unashamed man of faith at the top of his game. He joined us for an online “Sports Spectrum Draft Special” show in April and dropped so much wisdom that we turned it into a magazine feature as well. It’s a must-read. And be sure to check out SportsSpectrum.com this fall as we

w wwww. swp. os rptosrst ps es cp tercut mr u. cmo. m com

release our brand-new weekly football show, “Sports Spectrum’s Weekly Slant,” each Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET throughout the 2021 season. Next up in this issue is Liberty University’s Malik Willis, the breakout QB of 2020. We traveled to Lynchburg, Virginia, to visit with a man whom many are projecting to go in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. If you don’t yet know who Willis is, or have yet to hear his faith journey, learn all about him starting on page 22. We also received exclusive access with Denver Broncos offensive lineman Dalton Risner. The gregarious big man was gracious enough to let us visit him in his home, where he shared story upon story about his upbringing and walk

with the Lord — many of which involve food and lots of tattoos. To cap the football section is one of the coolest stories you probably have not heard. We’ve all felt the impact of COVID-19 one way or another, but few suffered more than children in developing countries. Compassion International stepped up with Pro Athletes Outreach to launch a still-going campaign to provide food and care for 70,000 children, a stadium’s worth of kids in need. Leading the way have been many big-hearted professional athletes. These are stories you won’t find anywhere else — stories of sports and faith connecting, which we at Sports Spectrum absolutely love to tell, on all of our platforms.

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DABO SWINNEY BY KEVIN MERCER

Lawrence’s big day: April 29, 2021, the first night of the NFL draft. It was his name that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell read as the first overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hope that one day Lawrence is mentioned alongside Brady and Montana as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. As the highest drafted Clemson player in history, Lawrence owned the spotlight. Yet behind the scenes, for Lawrence’s college coach, Dabo Swinney, April 29 was simply the latest validation of the college football program he’s established at “Death Valley.” “We know [reaching the NFL is] a goal for every young person,” Swinney 1616

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LIVING INSIDE-OUT said during the “Sports Spectrum Draft Special” in April. “We just want to make sure that they know when they leave this place, that they’re going to be great men and they’re going to have great lives. They don’t have to be a pro football player to do that. That’s great, but we want to keep the right perspective as they go chase that.”

than 100 of his former players have been given a chance to make the NFL, and many have succeeded. And perhaps his crowning achievement came on a Monday night in January 2017, and then again in 2019, when he and his Tigers ascended to the top of the college football mountaintop as national champions.

It appears Swinney has discovered a paradox: The best way to win as many games and produce as many NFL stars as Clemson does every year is to emphasize player development outside of football.

But what often makes Swinney’s tenure so captivating, and indeed so polarizing, is not his on-field success. It’s his unashamed commitment to living out his faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a faith he shares with Lawrence, and a faith he admires so much about his former quarterback.

AP Photos/David J. Phillip, Ken Ruinard/Pool Photo via AP

Under Swinney’s leadership, it’s common to see current Tigers players giving back to their community at local schools and food drives, or former players returning to campus years later as a closeknit family of loyal Tiger alums. In the Fall 2020 semester, the football program also posted its highest-ever in-season GPA, surpassing the previous mark set in 2018 (under Swinney as well).

“You gotta have the Holy Spirit inside of you and you have to feed that every day. Starve the distractions, feed the focus. Keep your eyes on the Lord in everything that you do; in the good and the bad you gotta put your eyes on Jesus.”— Dabo Swinney

Everything seems to be running like a well-oiled machine, and Swinney sits as its driver. All of it would have been hard to imagine only 13 years ago. Then, Swinney was a little-known wide receivers coach at Clemson, but when previous head coach Tommy Bowden resigned midseason, Swinney was the surprising pick as the interim coach. The athletic department soon scrapped the “interim” label as Swinney started to win games in bunches. The assembling of one of the country’s most dominant college football empires had begun. Swinney has gone on to win seven ACC championships (2011, 2015-2020), 140 games and the 2015 AP College Football Coach of the Year Award. More

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“What I love about him more than anything is he’s faith-driven,” Swinney said on the Draft Special. “He has built his life on a foundation of faith. Great mom and dad. Great people around him, but he’s strong in his faith and he’s an inside-out kid in this world of outside-in.”

Perhaps Swinney enjoys Lawrence’s ability to avoid the influence of the outside world — to live inside-out — because that’s a characteristic he himself displays.

Unless

you were in South Carolina or a fan of ACC football, you probably didn’t know much about Swinney when tight end Eric Mac Lain signed to play for him at Clemson in the class of 2011. However, by the time he graduated in 2015, Mac Lain had successfully converted to offensive tackle and played in Clemson’s first of six consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. Meanwhile, “Dabo” had become a household name. Mac Lain, now a football commentator with the ACC Network, had never before heard Swinney use his “inside-out” quip, but he had certainly seen his former coach live it. “He comes up with new and fresh stuff, but there’s no question that who he is as a person and everything he’s ever taught us goes right in line with that exact same saying,” Mac Lain told Sports Spectrum. “He is a guy where it’s not like he has to sit there and quote Bible verses or read from the Bible for you to know who he is, what he stands for and what’s most important to him. ... “He just is such a believer and so passionate that his faith just oozes out of him. He can’t hide it. He can’t be anyone else.” Swinney isn’t hesitant to be who he is, and who God made him to be. Swinney has always had to be a fighter on the football field and in life, and he applies that mentality to how he spreads the Good News of Jesus.

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LIVING INSIDE-OUT

— Former Clemson player Eric Mac Lain

Swinney’s bold faith in Christ was on display in the locker room during those early years with Mac Lain, though never forced upon any player. As a believer himself, Mac Lain said Swinney’s influence has pushed him to live a life that God uses to draw others to Himself. Swinney competes, coaches, motivates and respects people through the lens of faith, so much so that people often wonder why he’s different than most. “I hope that people ask that question (about me as well),” Mac Lain said, “and they find the answer as to why.”

the lights on rising celebrities grow brighter, the temptation grows stronger to downplay, soften or even hide their faith in Jesus. Not so with Dabo. In 2017, the world watched as ESPN interviewed Swinney moments after his team overcame his alma mater, Alabama, with a last-second touchdown to win a wild national championship, 35-31. “Only God can do this!” an emotional Swinney said. “... I’m thankful to the good Lord and all my players.” Clemson was back on top in 201819 after throttling Alabama, 44-16, to cap the first 15-win season in college

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football’s modern era. Leading the charge was a freshman quarterback named Trevor Lawrence. After the game, in the same manner as two years earlier, Swinney gave glory to God. “For me personally, J.O.Y. comes from focusing on Jesus, Others and Yourself,” Swinney told ESPN. “There are so many great coaches that are so deserving of a moment like this that never get the chance to experience it. To get to do it once and now to get to do it again, it’s just a blessing and it’s just simply the grace of the good Lord to allow us to experience something like this.” He continued later, “All the credit – all the glory – goes to the good Lord. ... You can’t write a Hollywood script like this. Only God can do this, and that’s a fact.” The Baylor men’s basketball team popularized the J.O.Y. acronym on the way to a national championship this past April, and Swinney said he’s discussed the concept with Bears head coach Scott Drew. Both title-winning coaches agree that instilling a culture of J.O.Y. is not only the best way to lead a group of college athletes, but the way God desires His people to approach every situation

This

past spring, legendary NFL coach and fellow Christ-follower Tony Dungy presented Swinney with the Uncommon Award at the 2021 Arise With the Guys men’s event in Minnesota, stating that Swinney was one of his heroes. As the two coaches talked, Swinney went into detail about his own journey in life, from a difficult upbringing in Alabama, to becoming a believer at 16, to his current superstar status. A video tribute from Lawrence and many former players, including Swinney’s son, Will, served to introduce the two-time national title-winner. “I want to thank you, Coach Swinney, for how you’ve impacted me on and off the field,” the newest Jaguars quarterback said in the video. “... Your faith has been such a good example for me and I’m sure for so many other of my teammates and people that interact with you. “You’re a great example of consistency and I think that’s what this world needs more than anything, is just consistent leaders with faith, and you’re the epitome of all those things.” So how, in the pressure-cooker that is big-time college football, does Swinney avoid the temptation to moderate and conform? How does Dabo live inside-out? “You gotta have the Holy Spirit inside of you and you have to feed that every day,” Swinney told Sports Spectrum. “Starve the distractions, feed the focus. Keep your eyes on the Lord in everything that you do; in the good and the bad you gotta put your eyes on Jesus. It’s just that simple. He wants to have a relationship with you. You can’t have a relationship with Christ if you don’t talk to Him and you’re not connected. So I just try to keep the main thing the main thing. “... I gotta have an unshakeable belief. I gotta believe in the Word. I gotta believe that Jesus is who He says He is. I gotta believe that He has a plan for my life. I gotta believe that when it stinks and I don’t like what’s going on, all things work together for good.”

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Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images, AP Photo/Sean Rayford

“He just is such a believer and so passionate that his faith just oozes out of him. He can’t hide it. He can’t be anyone else.”

in life. It’s the way to find true joy in Christ regardless of life’s obstacles.

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LIVING INSIDE-OUT

The monumental task of replacing Lawrence will fall on sophomore D.J. Uiagalelei, and as Uiagalelei goes, so go the Tigers. The former five-star recruit performed admirably after stepping into the starting position for two games as a true freshman a year ago when Lawrence tested positive for COVID-19. Uiagalelei completed 30 of 41 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns in a come-frombehind win over Boston College, and the following week, he amassed 439 yards on 29 completions with two touchdowns

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in a 47-40 loss at Notre Dame in double overtime. Uiagalelei didn’t throw an interception and also rushed for a touchdown in both games. Clemson will also be without receivers Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell, but welcome the return of potential superstar receiver Justyn Ross after missing the 2020 season. The Tigers will look different in the ground game as well. Two-time ACC Player of the Year and two-time consensus AllAmerican running back Travis Etienne was also a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Jaguars. There will be some new faces at the skill positions and along the offensive line, but the Tigers remain

the prohibitive favorites in the ACC, largely thanks to their talented and experienced defense. Many expect the defense to dominate, especially along the line with four returning starters who could rival the defensive line from the title-winning team in 2018-19. Clemson’s path to the title begins with a blockbuster opener against Georgia in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sept. 4. The Bulldogs are also a preseason top-five team. Yet, even with as busy as he is and with expectations as high as they are year-in and year-out in Clemson these days, Swinney makes sure to put his spiritual armor on and stay connected to

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AP Photos/Sean Rayford, Mike McCarn, Rick Scuteri

2021, Swinney and Clemson will have a chance to win it all again. The Tigers are not the preseason national title favorites, but neither were they in 2016-17 or 2018-19.

DABO SWINNEY

“My job is to coach football and I am passionate about that. I am far from a perfect person, but I’m thankful that I got a God who will forgive me every single day, and He’s unconditional. His love is unconditional.”— Dabo Swinney the vine, his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He reads devotionals (sometimes with his coaching staff), remains in prayer and fellowships with other believers. It’s what Swinney has been doing since the age of 16. It’s who he is, it’s how he leads a football team and it’s why he’s not afraid to live inside-out. “No matter how much money, how much recognition, how many awards, national championships, Dabo is still Dabo,” Mac Lain said. “He’ll never change and the things that are important to him, from the first day he got the job — from a character

standpoint, from a human being standpoint — still are today.” As Swinney said on the “Draft Special,” “My job is to coach football and I am passionate about that. I am far from a perfect person, but I’m thankful that I got a God who will forgive me every single day, and He’s unconditional. His love is unconditional. “I know where I’m going to spend eternity. That gives me peace and it frees me up. And I know that God has put me here for this reason: to do what I do, and I just try to do it in a way that pleases Him and glorifies Him.”

Dabo Swinney and quartereback Trevor Lawrence celebrate winning the Fiesta Bowl to advance to the 2019-20 CFP National Championship.

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HUMBLE AMID HYPE BY JON ACKERMAN

Photos by Leah Stauffer

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MALIK WILLIS

Malik

“I choose to always give the glory to Him. People say I’m humble, but I don’t really know if it’s humble. It’s just very, very obedient, knowing that it’s not me at all.” — Malik Willis

Willis needs a receiver. He’s roaming freely in the red zone at the north end of Liberty University’s Williams Stadium, clutching a brand-new LU-branded Nike football. But he has no one to throw to. So I step up. He’s being photographed on a muggy afternoon in late July, and we want some shots of him in the act of passing. I’m already standing in the end zone, I might as well catch some balls from college football’s breakout quarterback of 2020. He’s asked to just lightly toss the ball. In his mind he is. To this receiver on the other end of those throws, however, I’m wondering if there’s a helmet nearby. After five, six, seven throws, I can’t help but think that if this rock-hard football slips through my hands, I’m leaving Lynchburg with a black eye, bloody nose or a few missing teeth. Maybe it’s intentional, considering I had just forced Willis to endure a sit-down interview, during which he never seemed all too comfortable. Because he’s never very comfortable in interviews or talking about himself. Or maybe he’s simply throwing exactly where he’s looking, because he’s that good and he’s looking me in the eye. The ball keeps coming right at my face. Sans gloves, I don’t immediately regret the decision to catch passes from a future NFL QB, but I am grateful the passand-catch session lasts only a few minutes. Our photographer gets what she needs. I don’t announce it publicly, but my hands are stinging. Those NFL evaluators are right when they say Willis possesses a cannon. When I joke with him about wishing I had

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gloves, he sincerely apologizes. “Oh man, I should have thrown those softer.” His eyes squint and a big grin grows amid his nicely trimmed goatee. It’s the most relaxed he’s been all afternoon — because he’s on the football field, where he just wants to “have fun.” In front of the video camera, under the spotlights, talking about the breakthrough season he and his Liberty teammates enjoyed last year — not as much fun. But when you lead the Flames to a 10-1 record, their firstever top-25 ranking, and a No. 17 final ranking in the AP poll, you’re going to attract some attention. That included the program’s first two victories over ACC opponents (Syracuse and Virginia Tech) and its first win over a nationallyranked FBS team (No. 9 Coastal Carolina). It was barely Liberty’s third year at the FBS level. And you’re going to insert yourself into the Heisman Trophy conversation when you’re the leading rushing QB in the country, putting up ground numbers better than most running backs (944 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns). When you post 3,194 yards of total offense, 2,250 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns and only six interceptions in your first full season as a starter, people are going to make projections. Entering the 2021 college football season, many experts include Willis in the first round of their 2022 NFL mock drafts. No player from Liberty has ever gone higher than the fourth round. I ask Willis — inside the Liberty football media room, prior to the photo shoot — if this hype about the NFL draft surprises him. “It’s just talk. I don’t really buy too much into it,” he says.

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“No matter how long we live, we will never know what God has going on for our lives, so we’ve just got to lean on Him — ask for wisdom and the strength to get through it.” — Malik Willis 24

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HUMBLE AMID HYPE

Anyone who knows Willis well will tell you he prefers not to talk about himself. “Humble” is often the adjective. So it’s of little surprise that he won’t speak much about what may or may not happen after college. He’s more concerned about this season, not next season, or even last season. Last year’s done, this year’s here, next year can wait. What does come as a surprise, however, is that Willis may consider staying at Liberty after 2021. He’s a 22-year-old redshirt senior, but with the NCAA granting all student-athletes an additional year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, he could stay in Lynchburg another season. When asked about how he’s gearing up for what I assumed would be his last college football season, Willis says in his reserved, soft-spoken manner, “It might not be.” That decision may depend on where he is in his relationship with God by the time 2022 rolls around. That was one of the key reasons he chose to attend Liberty in the first place.

Upon

“I just feel like He keeps beating it in my head: Just know how many people you influence, know what your impact does to people. ... I’ve just got to be cognizant of how I want to leave my mark on them, what I want them to remember from me. I just don’t want it to be negative.”— Malik Willis Former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze had just been hired to lead Liberty the previous December, a move that caught the eye of Willis. With a former SEC coach at the helm and a senior quarterback

on his way out, Liberty seemed like it could be a good opportunity for Willis. After visiting the picturesque campus nestled at the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, meeting coaches and staff, and discovering the university’s “training champions for Christ” mantra, Willis was more than intrigued. He was sold when he toured the pristine indoor football facility and saw 2 Corinthians 3:17 on the wall above the east end zone. The verse reads, “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (NKJV). That just so happened to be the verse of the day on his Bible app the day he visited campus. “It was the people here, the opportunity (to play right away) and the ability to get closer to God,” Willis says when asked why he chose Liberty. “I mean, I feel like we all are at different spaces in where we want to be with God, in our relationship with God, and that’s just the different paths of lives we take. But I felt like I needed to get closer to Him. And the people here definitely influenced that a lot and made it a part of what they were trying to do in order to get us closer to God, no matter where we are in our stage, to help us on our journey. “And the opportunity that presented itself with Coach Freeze coming here and all the other coaches, and just where

Photos by Leah Stauffer/Sports Spectrum, AP Photos/Matt Stamey

graduating from Roswell (Ga.) High School in 2017, the first-team all-Georgia selection set out for Auburn University, one of the few Power 5 schools that recruited him as a quarterback.

But after two years and only 14 passes attempted as a backup to Jarrett Stidham, and after not earning the starting job during 2019 spring practice, Willis entered the NCAA transfer portal.

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MALIK WILLIS

Liberty was beginning to get in [Division I] and be an FBS program, it just seemed like a right fit.” NCAA transfer rules forced Willis to sit out the 2019 season, but though he couldn’t play in games, he still got involved with the team. That included meeting with team chaplain Ed Gomes, a former Liberty basketball player. Willis would attend chapel with other players and coaches, participate in weekly devotionals among the team, and really bond with his new teammates through small-group sessions in which players genuinely share what’s going on in their lives. They might discuss what’s impacting them from a recent Bible reading or share real stories revealing more of who they are as a person. Willis soaked up the Liberty culture. His personal faith journey began at a young age, when his grandma would take him and his younger sister, Destini, and brother, Marquis, to church every Sunday. “When you’re a little kid you’re just going in there, you’re kind of just there, eating peppermints and whatever snacks Grandma got for you,” Willis says. “But as you get older, you start to grow and learn what [faith] actually means and how it impacts everybody’s lives, and just how much He does for us. We don’t even realize it.” Things began to click in ninth grade, when Willis and his football teammates would attend Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings every Friday before their games. The messages made him realize, “I want to use whatever I have as a platform, even in high school, to pass it along to other people and get them on the right path.” Now that he’s starring at Liberty, after just one season on the field, he understands 26

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his platform is growing. And he respects the responsibility. “I just feel like He keeps beating it in my head: Just know how many people you influence, know what your impact does to people,” Willis says. “I feel like that’s just a reiterating thing because I keep going to these places being a counselor (at high school QB showcases like the Manning Passing Academy and Elite 11), and I’m impacting a lot of young people’s lives. They’re looking up to me for things to do, things not to do and I’ve just got to be cognizant of how I want to leave my mark on them, what I want them to remember from me. I just don’t want it to be negative.” Being a quarterback, he has little choice about being a leader; that comes with the position. While he’s more of the lead-by-example type, Gomes says Willis has built such strong relationships with his teammates that when he does speak, they listen. “If Coach Freeze asks somebody on the football team to give a speech, I don’t think Malik would be the first person to step up and say, ‘Hey, I’ll speak,’” Gomes says. “Now, if Coach said, ‘Hey Malik, I would like for you to give a speech to the team next week,’ [Malik] would say, ‘Coach, I’d be honored.’ He’d prepare and do a great job.” He’s also a spiritual leader. Gomes says each position group on the football team has a designated spiritual leader, and Willis is that for the quarterbacks. And he likes to wear his faith on his sleeve — literally. On his right throwing arm during games all season was a black armband with white letters that said, “God’s Plan.” Later in the season, he added a white sleeve on his left arm with “Faith over TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

HUMBLE AMID HYPE

Fear” in black lettering. “You’re using the abilities that God gives you and go out there and glorify His name and try to spread the Gospel,” Willis says. “That was the easiest way I could show it off, really. I mean, I got a couple tattoos, but you can’t really see that when I’m out there running around. … I found those [sleeves] and was like, ‘Perfect.’” One of his tattoos is “TGFE” — Thank God For Everything. On social media, he regularly ends his posts with “#TGFE.” The acronym is also on one of the T-shirts in his new merchandise line. He jokes that he may need to trademark it. “After so much He’s done for me, that’s just a constant reminder of where it comes from,” Willis says. “That’s why I choose to always give the glory to Him. People say I’m humble, but I don’t really know if it’s humble. It’s just very, very obedient, knowing that it’s not me at all.” www.sportsspectrum.com

1990, the Richmond TimesDispatch created an annual award to recognize the top NCAA football player in the state of Virginia — the Dudley Award, named after former Virginia running back Bill Dudley. The recipients have often hailed from the University of Virginia (Tiki Barber, Chris Long) or Virginia Tech (Kevin Jones, Tyrod Taylor). Willis in 2020 became the first Liberty player to receive the honor. He later brought the trophy into the football team’s training room. To show it off? Of course not. To get it signed — teammates, coaches, trainers, managers, Willis asked all of them for their autograph. “His point was that this trophy he earned wasn’t something just because of [himself], but it was because of so many other people that help him to get where he’s at in achieving this award,” Gomes said, adding, “When I asked him about

that, he said, ‘This is not about me. This is about us.’” Willis may not want to be the center of attention, but he’s got plenty of folks around him who realize his potential. Gomes is one of them. Selfishly, the chaplain hopes Willis will put the NFL on hold and remain at Liberty. Probably everyone else within the program shares that view. But Gomes has encouraged Willis to prepare like this will be his last year in college. Thus, he told Willis he should set up a program with the head strength and conditioning football coach, Dominic Studzinski. “When the scouts come,” Gomes told Willis, “they’re probably going to spend most of their time talking to the strength coach. So my question for you is, ‘Have you ever had a conversation with Coach Dom about your desires to play on the next level?’” SPORTS SPECTRUM

HUMBLE AMID HYPE

Willis’ response: “I don’t do those kinds of things because this is not about me.” “So I had to explain to him that, ‘You’re right. This is not about you. But Coach Dom is somebody that God has put in your life, that could possibly give you some wisdom and insight on how you could best prepare to put yourself in a position so that you might be able to play on the next level,” Gomes said. Willis is reluctant to ask for special attention, but as he continues to realize the gifts and platform God has blessed him with, he knows he needs help. He wants to bring others into the spotlight so all the focus isn’t on him, but he’s the one with the talent. In encouraging Willis to prepare as if 2021 is his last season at Liberty, Gomes is encouraging him, more than ever, to listen for God’s voice.

“Malik, you prepare as if this is going to be your last year. And then when you get there, the most important voice that you want to hear is not Coach Freeze’s, not mine, not your parents’. The most important voice that you want to hear is God’s voice,” Gomes told his mentee. “So you have to prepare because if you don’t prepare, a year from now you’re not going to be in a position to really make the best decision.” The prospect of an NFL career, let alone being a first-round draft pick, is difficult for Willis to grasp. That’s never really been his dream. “I just wanted to go to school for free and I wanted to have fun,” he said about his aspirations when he was in high school. “I thought football was fun so I just wanted to have fun until I couldn’t anymore.” Yet, as he left Roswell for Auburn, left Auburn for Liberty, and now as he

prepares to leave Liberty — this year or next — for the NFL, Willis has leaned on his faith in Christ. “No matter how long we live, we will never know what God has going on for our lives, so we’ve just got to lean on Him — ask for wisdom and the strength to get through it,” Willis says. “That’s what I ask for the most: wisdom and strength to get through it. Wisdom to try to not fully understand because we’ll never fully understand what He has for us, but just understand what I need to be doing at the moment, what I need to be doing to prepare myself. And the strength to get through it mentally and physically.” Through that wisdom and strength, Willis is coming to grips with the influence and impact he can have — currently and in the future, on a football team and for God’s Kingdom.

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MALIK WILLIS

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FAITH UP HIS

BY JON ACKERMAN

DALTON RISNER

SLEEVES Broncos offensive lineman Dalton Risner is living the dream playing for his lifelong favorite team, and he’s using any chance he gets to spread the Gospel. Sometimes that means talking about his dozens of tattoos, most of which are favorite Bible verses.

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FAITH UP HIS SLEEVES

You

might guess by looking at him — standing strong at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds — but Dalton Risner enjoys himself some food. He takes his cooking very seriously at home, often dropping slabs of meat on his Blackstone flat-top grill in the backyard of his suburban Denver home. When his NFL playing days are done, his many pursuits will likely include opening a restaurant, Big D’s, serving “really good bar food, so like loaded tots, the good stuff.”

Photos by Leah Stauffer/Sports Spectrum, AP Photo/Justin Edmonds, David Becker

When he thinks back to his youth in the small northeastern Colorado town of Wiggins, he remembers Mom making pigs in a blanket and buffalo chicken dip — “that’s maybe why I became an offensive lineman” — as the family put Broncos games on the TV. On the occasions he and Dad drove 65 miles down Interstate 76 into Denver to watch the Broncos in person, Risner recalls the chicken tender boxes and diet Cokes he’d devour in the stands, “just dreaming about what it would be like to be a Denver Bronco some day.” So it’s only fitting that when he received one of the most life-altering phone calls of his 26 years, he was enjoying a spread — sliders, dip and a bunch of appetizers. It was April 26, 2019, and Risner wasn’t his usual jovial self. The food was delicious, but his thoughts were elsewhere, wondering why he didn’t yet have a job. In his mind, he was a first-round pick, anywhere from No. 20 to 32 in the NFL draft. When his lifelong favorite team traded up to get the 20th selection, he thought that might be it — his dream of becoming a Bronco was happening. Instead, Denver selected tight end Noah Fant. And every other team in the first www.sportsspectrum.com

round on April 25 passed on the All-American offensive lineman from Kansas State. The next day, still in Denver with family members ready to celebrate his entry into the NFL, Risner opted for dinner at the upscale Elway’s restaurant in downtown Denver. In the middle of the meal, the owner of the restaurant called Risner. But Broncos general manager John Elway — the legendary quarterback the Risners cheered on during all those Sundays in Wiggins — didn’t care to know how the sliders were. “I was already down in Denver, in downtown, eating at John Elway’s restaurant, when John Elway called me, offering me a job to be an employee of the Broncos,” Risner recalled this summer from the comfort of his living room. “Man, it’s one of those moments that you will never forget, especially being able to have my family and my brothers there, people that I love there.” With the 41st pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected the homegrown kid. The next day, Risner drove to the south end of town to the Broncos training facility and was introduced for the first time as a Denver Bronco. “Pick 41 didn’t even register because I didn’t think I’d make it there. So I didn’t even think about pick 41,” he says. “I just knew as soon as they picked Noah with the first-round pick, ‘OK, I’m not going to be a Denver Bronco.’ “And you think if I would’ve gone to a different team — which is what I wanted and I had planned at that time, was to go earlier — where would I be today? I’m so blessed to have a home, a fiancée and I’m by my family. I get to play for my childhood dream program with the SPORTS SPECTRUM

FAITH UP HIS SLEEVES

As Risner talks about Jesus’ Word lighting his path, he’s pointing to his right forearm. That’s where Psalm 119:105 is tattooed. It sits among dozens of other tattoos making up double sleeves. Not all of the ink is Scripture, but most of it is. Risner says it serves as a daily reminder of what he needs to remember, and a personal expression of his faith in Christ. “The cool part about being a follower of Jesus is you get to have your own unique relationship with Jesus, and no one can take that away from you,” he says. “That’s one thing in life that you can have to yourself. ... And for me and my walk with God and as I’ve grown, something that was laid on my heart was like, ‘Man, I want to wear Him on my sleeve. I want to wear Him on my body and be able to look down and have a reminder every single day … Jesus Christ is why I’m where I’m at today.’” Naturally, his study of Scripture began with food.

Raising

five boys in Wiggins (population 1,200), Mitch and Melinda Risner introduced Jesus to Dalton and his four brothers at a young age (Dalton is the middle child). They were in church every

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Sunday and youth group during the week. On those youth nights, students were often offered slices of pizza for citing Bible verses. “You better believe I memorized like 10 every week,” Dalton says. But he didn’t truly know Jesus. That came in college.

“You don’t meet a lot of just generally nice people anymore, and I feel like he was one of the most generally nice people, to the point where I was like, ‘Is it real?’”— Morgan Burns (K-State teammate)

When Risner arrived on campus at Kansas State in 2014, he weighed 321 pounds, the “heaviest I’ve ever been in my life,” much of which was baby fat. He’d always been the biggest, strongest guy on the field, but not so at K-State. He wanted to quit within the first three weeks. Mitch, who had also his high school football coach, wouldn’t let him. Dalton redshirted his freshman year to work on his strength. He also worked on his faith after meeting Morgan Burns,

who at the time was a junior defensive back and kick returner. And he was the rare upperclassman who lived in the dorms. Burns had such a relational personality that he loved meeting new people and being around for the younger football players. One of the freshmen he bonded with that year was Risner. “You don’t meet a lot of just generally nice people anymore, and I feel like he was one of the most generally nice people, to the point where I was like, ‘Is it real?’” Burns recalled recently. “So he was just always nice; he’s kind, always smiling.”

Burns also remembers Risner being open to conversations about God. In the midst of their time hanging out in the dorms or going out to get food, their discussions would often center around faith. They’d even read the Bible together. Burns, who aspired to be a pastor after college (he earned an NFL contract after a rookie camp with the Tennessee Titans, but turned it down to enter ministry), would often talk about hearing Jesus. When Risner said he’d never heard Jesus speak to him, Burns encouraged Risner to open the Bible. “That was everything for me. I actually started to open the Bible and read it not just to memorize a verse but to get to know Jesus,” Risner recalled. “And some days I’d have fun, I’d just open to any page and man, God would just be speaking to me. He would just be speaking to me in

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Photos by Leah Stauffer/Sports Spectrum, AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Broncos. I mean, how cool is that? Talk about Jesus’ Word lighting a lamp to your path. I think that was His plan for me all along was to go to the Denver Broncos. I might not have known that at the time, but it ended up playing out really well for me.”

DALTON RISNER

so many ways, whether it was in the good times or the bad times, He always found a way to do that.” Risner continued hanging out with Burns, who would hold Bible studies in the dorms (and is now a pastor in Wichita, Kansas), and continued to pursue a personal relationship with Christ after Burns graduated. Risner became a full-time starter as a redshirt freshman, started every game the rest of his career, was a three-year team captain, and an AllAmerican by the time he graduated. He developed a platform due to football, and used it, despite still being in college, to start a non-profit. The “Risner Up” foundation is based on 1 Peter 4:10: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (also tattooed on his right forearm). “I started this foundation to glorify Jesus Christ with the platform that I’m blessed with,” he says on the foundation website. “I have discovered who I am and want to be; a man that spreads love and kindness to everyone. I want to change the world. The RisnerUp Foundation seeks to spread the message of Jesus, love, and kindness to ALL.” He’d become firm in his faith, and loved talking about Jesus. He’d also developed into a top NFL prospect. As he thought about making the jump to the next level, he wondered if his outspoken belief in Christ would be welcomed. Would the GM be OK with him talking about his faith? Would his teammates be OK with it? Would it affect his job security? He’s had no issues with the Broncos, for whom he’s now started all 32 games of his NFL career at left guard. Risner participates in team Bible studies led by chaplain Reza Zadeh (page 63), and he says the team prays together in the locker room before every game. “My time in the NFL with having more fame and more people around me and watching me, that has pushed me to be even stronger in my faith, so that if someone does talk to me, I have the ability to really dive www.sportsspectrum.com

in as to how deep my faith is and things that I think are important,” he says. “It’s been really good for me, man. I feel like I’ve continued to grow year after year.” Risner feels he’s currently growing in his identity. He aims to make sure his worth is found in Jesus Christ, not the game of football or the fame and attention that comes with it. He seeks identity in something that is everlasting. “I’m not Dalton Risner the football player. When the NFL ends and football is over, I’ll find my identity in Christ because I’m worthy for Him,” he says. “Just because I play a sport of football down here, that doesn’t mean anything.” Yet, the sport does allow opportunities he might not have otherwise. Such as this past May when SPORTS SPECTRUM

“It’s a conversation starter and I think I’ve been able to share the Word of Jesus and be a disciple for Him through having the tattoos on my body, and I think that’s so cool.” — Dalton Risner

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FAITH UP HIS SLEEVES he gave his first sermon. He’d spoken at churches before, but usually it was a quick 10-minute speech followed by a question-and-answer session with the pastor. At Passionate Life Church, however, he was given the pulpit for a full hour in back-to-back services.

opportunity — I want to speak what Jesus wants me to talk about. How can Jesus speak through me? How can I glorify God?”

day, knowing it’s a gift from God that I didn’t do it myself. I’m going to use that to glorify Him each and every day to the best of my ability,” he says.

“That was a really cool moment for me. I grew in my faith a ton to be able to get up there for an hour and actually preach about words straight from the Bible, and not preach what I’m wanting to do,” he said. “That was a huge step for me because of course when I get up there, I want to preach what Dalton Risner thinks and what’s going around in this head. But I thought about it, and what a great

His message that day was based on the same verse as his foundation: 1 Peter 4:10. “We each have been given a gift. Some of us know it, some of us don’t, but I think the coolest thing is to utilize that gift to glorify God each and every day. … Being 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, I think that’s a gift that God blessed me with because there’s a lot of guys that would kill to have that size and be able to play professional sports. But I’m going to use that gift every single

With

his big body comes big arms, and over the last eight years Risner has made a concerted effort to fill them up with Jesus. It’s a rather impressive feat considering he grew up with parents who would kick any of the boys out of the house if they came home with ink on their body. But when he saw his two older brothers move out of the house and get tattoos, which the parents seemed to like, Dalton figured he could get away with

“When the NFL ends and football is over, I’ll find my identity in Christ because I’m worthy for Him. Just because I play a sport of football down here, that doesn’t mean anything.”

Photos by Leah Stauffer/Sports Spectrum

— Dalton Risner

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FAITH UP HIS SLEEVES

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DALTON RISNER

“I actually started to open the Bible and read it not just to memorize a verse but to get to know Jesus. And some days I’d have fun, I’d just open to any page and man, God would just be speaking to me.”— Dalton Risner a family-inspired tattoo. Then, also during his freshman year of college, he asked both of his parents to write out a message they’d want to leave with him the rest of his life. He tucked those away for five years, then had their messages tattooed on the inside of each of his biceps.

Photos by Leah Stauffer/Sports Spectrum, AP Photo/Justin Edmonds

“If there’s ever a day that comes that I can’t speak to my mom, I can’t speak to my dad, I can look down and see their handwriting and remember those are the things that are really important to them,” he says. He has the family tree on his right shoulder, complete with grandparents, parents, brothers and his buddy Clint, who committed suicide. Around the tree are some family quotes: “Family is not just a word, it’s who you are, where you come from, and where you always belong. Family is everything.” And, “Families are the compass that guides us. They’re our inspiration to reach great heights and they’re our comfort when we falter.” If a tattoo isn’t about family, it’s Scripture. He quotes the verses as he points them out. Starting at his left shoulder with three wooden crosses, there’s John 6:47: “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes will have eternal life.” Then Luke 1:37: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Psalm 37:5: “Commit your way to Lord; trust in him and he will act.” Then “probably one of my favorite verses,” Proverbs 16:9: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” www.sportsspectrum.com

“I could plan my way as to my career in the NFL and all these things I want to do, but God can change that in a heartbeat,” he says. “I go back to what I said about identity, of who are you going to be when you get hit with that? Say I tear my ACL tomorrow and I’m done, I can’t play football ever again. Will I be able to find my identity in Jesus Christ?” On his left forearm is an old armor shield, symbolizing God protecting him, and Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Then there’s 1 Peter 4:10 on his right forearm, accompanied by “a big world with a hand reaching for the other hand, just because that’s something I preach so much is kindness and helping other people.” And last is Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” complete with a road going into some trees. At least until the 2021 NFL season is done, Risner won’t add any more body art. But he does admit some ideas are in the “six-month program.” When an idea hits or he sees a picture he likes, he puts it in the notes app on his phone. If he still likes it six months later, he’ll get it put on his body. “Because, you know, as humans, we make rash decisions sometimes,” he says. “You look back on an idea you had three months ago and you’re like, ‘What was I thinking?’” It certainly wasn’t a rash decision to fill his arms with God’s Word. The verses may have started as personal reminders to keep him humble, but he knows

well that tattoos start conversations. Risner estimates that 15 to 20 people have asked about his tattoos and the subsequent discussion turned to the Bible. He’s also well aware of the fact that his job puts him on local and national television. “A kid, they look up to us so much. Whether you get in trouble or you’re a good person, they want to be just like you as a football player or basketball or hockey, whatever it is,” Risner says. “So I want kids to look at me, I want them to see that on my body and be like, ‘OK, here’s this guy in the spotlight. Here’s this guy that has this fame and he’s playing in the NFL and he chooses to give it all back to Jesus. He chooses to glorify Jesus.’ … [Then they may say,] ‘I want to be like that. I don’t know who Jesus is, but I want to go find out now. I don’t know what Psalms 119 verse 105 is, but I’m sure as heck going to type it in.’” Some people have told Risner things they don’t like about his tattoos, referring to either the content or the design. He’s also had people who don’t know Jesus ask him what a particular Bible verse means. Either way, they often create a chance to spread the Gospel. “It’s a conversation starter and I think I’ve been able to share the Word of Jesus and be a disciple for Him through having the tattoos on my body, and I think that’s so cool,” Risner says. “I mean, that’s why we’re down here, is to love each other, believe in Jesus Christ, believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and we’re down here to spread that Word to everybody.” SPORTS SPECTRUM

FILL THE STADIUM

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS B Y C O L E C L AY B O U R N

In response to the worldwide pandemic, numerous pro athletes teamed up with Compassion International to support 70,000 children in crisis through the “Fill the Stadium” initiative.

sinkASin across the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 really began to the world in the spring of 2020, Steve Stenstrom’s

thoughts went to children in developing countries. If shutdowns and cancellations were making life difficult in the United States, how much worse was the pandemic in other areas? So Stenstrom, the president of Pro Athletes Outreach, called up his friend Jimmy Mellado, the president and chief executive officer of Compassion International, a Christian child development organization serving more than 2 million children in poverty across 25 countries. Stenstrom wanted to know how those kids were being impacted. When the pandemic shutdowns initially hit, Compassion was in the annual process of registering more children into its programs, in preparation for the countless concerts, conferences, Compassion Sundays and other events that are vital for gathering sponsors year to year. But as the virus pressed on, more and more events were impacted. For Compassion, a total of 1,241 events ended up being

canceled. That meant 70,000 children, who were just recently registered because of their need, were going to be without sponsors, and without support for the essential food, education and spiritual nurturing sponsorship provides. “It just broke my heart to think these 70,000 kids needed a bridge that was going to bring them from the beginning of COVID to the end of COVID, and it’s truly a life-and-death situation,” Stenstrom said. 38

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FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

He thought of his own four children and couldn’t fathom the idea of them being in the same situation. “I woke up the next morning crying, praying, thinking, dreaming and reflecting on those 70,000 kids,” Stenstrom said. “I Google-searched ‘average size of an NFL stadium,’ because all the stadiums are shut down now. There’s nobody going to games anymore, empty stadiums — 69,444 was the average size of an NFL stadium. I called back Jimmy and said, ‘This is a stadium that can’t stay empty. Let’s fill a stadium with these kids and take care of them.’” That sparked an all-out effort from PAO, Compassion, current and former athletes, and supporters across the globe to stand in the gap and raise money to care for these 70,000 children. They came up with a name that served as a simple, but vital, directive: Fill The Stadium. As excitement about their newly-formed plan permeated, there was also the reality that it was going to be hard work.

It costs about $500 to support each child in Compassion’s program over the course of 12 months, so multiply that by 70,000 and Compassion was looking at needing to raise $35 million — without the help of major events that afford them access to potential sponsors. It was a God-sized goal, Mellado said, and that was how they knew there was no question they’d step up to the challenge. “I was so proud of the team because there was no debate as to what we would do,” Mellado said recently on the Sports Spectrum Podcast. “The simple solution would be to tell those children, ‘We are so sorry. We didn’t know COVID was going to come. We’re not going to be able to find a sponsor for you, so we’re going to have to unregister you.’ “And we said, ‘We are not going to do that.’ We don’t know how we’re going to fill this $35 million need yet, but we have more options than they do, and we know that if we

Photos courtesy of Compassion International

“The simple solution would be to simply tell those children, ‘We are so sorry. We didn’t know COVID was going to come. We’re not going to be able to find a sponsor for you, so we’re going to have to unregister you.’ And we said, ‘We are not going to do that.’” — Compassion International President & CEO Jimmy Mellado

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FILL THE STADIUM

“God clearly sees these 70,000 kids and loves them far more than we ever could. He’s invited us into the story He’s telling to give them food, and to protect them, and to protect their families. ... And hopefully, they meet Him as a result.” — Pro Athletes Outreach President Steve Stenstrom

“So, we stepped out in faith and said we’re not going to unregister, and still have not unregistered, a single child.”

THE

reality for many of the families Compassion cares for is that the pandemic left them with two difficult options: work and risk catching the virus, passing it to family members, and possibly dying; or shelter in place, not work, and struggle to get food. It was a scenario that Richmond Wandera, a pastor in Kampala, Uganda, saw playing out far too often. “The key to this whole conversation is the question of food,” he said early on during the pandemic. “The number of families that are starving as a result of this lockdown is incredible. We have about 300,000 small businesses and roadside retail people whose businesses have been shut down.” Compassion’s global response to the pandemic prioritized providing food for children, but it didn’t stop there. “Once we go to the family and provide them food, you can’t just feed the registered kid because you’ve got the brother and the sister and the dad and the mom that are there,” Mellado said. “So we took responsibility for not only taking care of 2.2 million children in our program, but in fact taking care of 8.3 million people, including their extended families.” As the pandemic raged on across the globe, Mellado felt like news coverage didn’t focus enough on what 40

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was happening in developing nations. As western countries and other more developed areas have begun to open up again this summer, countries like Uganda and Guatemala are struggling to get to a 20-percent vaccination rate, he said. And while many countries begin to slowly climb out of the financial hole the pandemic caused, Mellado said it’s a much different reality for the countries that Compassion serves. He said the World Bank is estimating that 150 million people are going to be thrust back into extreme poverty, living on just $1.90 a day. In many countries, more than half of the population will be living in poverty. To add even more layers to it, when shutdowns took place in some of these developing countries, that meant inperson school was canceled. With no Internet, there was no online or hybrid school option like in the United States. With children being forced to shelter in place, that also meant the chances for domestic abuse and child abuse significantly increased without the chance for the children to seek help. So Compassion has also provided childprotection training. “The people that pay the most are the children. The defenseless, the most vulnerable, they’re the ones that pay,” Mellado said. “So we’re providing emotional support to the leaders and the families, and training around child protection so that, when tempers flare, kids don’t pay.” That’s what has made the Fill The Stadium initiative so important. And Compassion is uniquely set up to mobilize

for such a time as this, as it can rely on its 8,000-plus international church partners. “In many of these places, we were able to pivot and mobilize to serve the communities immediately, whereas governments took time to mobilize and begin to try to serve all the communities,” Mellado said. “Then the under-resourced communities weren’t the first ones being served. Those were our first ones to be served. So the resources that you provide go right to that local community where the hurt is the greatest.”

THE

Fill the Stadium campaign estimated that a typical game-day experience for an NFL game would cost a family of four around $541. The idea was that, since many stadiums weren’t allowing any fans for a while, families take the money they would’ve spent on seats at a game and use it to help a child in crisis. It was a big task. A lot of money. A lot of work. But it was met with a lot of people with big hearts willing to open their checkbooks. The first person Mellado reached out to was New York Giants left tackle Nate Solder. Almost immediately, Solder and his wife, Lexi, pledged $1 million to support 2,000 families. Not long after, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles and his wife, Jill, pledged a similar donation. “Then it just started taking off from there,” Mellado said. Current and former athletes from numerous sports joined in, along with many others who donated once they got word of the movement. TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

Photo by Leah Stauffer/Sports Spectrum

unregister them, we know what we’re sending them and their family to. And that is not going to happen.

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

For Solder, the literal empty stadiums convicted him. He sat out the 2020 season to stay home and care for his son, Hudson, who is battling cancer. When Solder watched football games on television, he couldn’t help but notice the empty seats.

said. “To think of that, and kind of reinsert Compassion children in an environment like that and have that visual, there are 70,000 kids that, all around the world, are helped and benefit from this project and are able to live a little bit of a better life.”

back and see how the campaign started from just a simple conversation and a few people being faithful to what God had put on their hearts, and grew into something much bigger. Only through God could something like this be accomplished.

“We have a stadium of 70,000 fans. Why else do we do what we do?” Solder said. “Are we there just to live and die, to do our game real quick and then go home and store up our riches? That’s not what I believe. I believe we’re here for other people. We’re here to serve the poor, to do what we can with what we have to the best of our abilities.”

Athletes like Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed, former Kansas City Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman, former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer, NFL brothers Jason and Devin McCourty, Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Dakota Dozier, and dozens of others jumped on board. Sherman said it was a “no-brainer” for him and his wife.

“Undoubtedly and without question, only God gets the credit and only God gets the glory in a situation and circumstance like this,” Stenstrom said. “There’s no person who can pat themselves on the back here and say, ‘Look what I did.’ God clearly sees these 70,000 kids and loves them far more than we ever could. He’s invited us into the story He’s telling to give them food, and to protect them, and to protect their families, and to ultimately connect them to the Compassion church partners around the world. And hopefully, they meet Him as a result of that connection.”

Stenstrom, a former NFL quarterback, was in awe as he watched momentum build among athletes as more and more pledged to donate and fill a seat.

“Everybody started just telling their

“All we’re trying to do now is just close the gap for however long this is until they can start having concerts again and sporting events where they can have that Compassion table and sponsor a bunch of

To learn more about how you can help save one child, please go to FillTheStadium.com.

AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis

friends and, in some ways, this is going to be 1+1+1 and we’re going to get to 70,000,” he said. “And quite honestly, I don’t know if we’re going to stop there. I think this thing is rolling and I think people’s hearts are waking up to this idea: ‘How can I love my neighbors like I love myself? How can I do unto others as I would have others to do unto me and put that into practice?’ I think this is the exciting time in the game. This is the moment when you’ve got the momentum going in your favor.” Alyssa Naeher, the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s national soccer team, was one of those athletes. Having played in the FIFA World Cup and seen the atmosphere with nearly 70,000 people in attendance, it was easy for her to see the faces of children in those seats. “For me, visually being able to compare that to a specific event or a specific experience, playing in the World Cup final (in 2019) in a sold-out stadium, it was energetic, it was loud, it was an experience that gives you chills,” she www.sportsspectrum.com

kids and get these people taken care of,” he said. “Just trying to close the gap and be there for these kids in a time of need.” Like Sherman, Dozier said it didn’t take long for him and his wife to decide to play their part. “I can think about growing up [with a] single mom, things were always super tight,” Dozier said. “I think now, you already have people who are most likely experiencing poverty, and then you add a pandemic on top of that. You just think about how hard it is to make ends meet, to make sure you get good food that you can eat. That sounds like a daunting task. “[We wanted] to be able to come alongside Compassion and say, ‘We want to help and make sure these people are eating because nobody wants to go a day without food.’” Now a little more than a year into the campaign, Fill The Stadium has filled 61,392 of its goal of 70,000 seats as of print time.

Stenstrom said it’s amazing to look SPORTS SPECTRUM

NICOLE MENDES

Q&A

SUMMER IN THE SPOTLIGHT BY JASON ROMANO

Then, in July, she embarked on a new venture, representing Mexico on its national softball team at the Tokyo Olympics. The squad finished fourth after losing the bronze-medal game to Canada, 3-2. The host nation, Japan, won gold by defeating the U.S., 2-0. Prior to the Olympics, we talked to Mendes about her growing faith in the Lord and winning the Women’s College World Series. We then followed up with her after the Olympics to hear about her experience in Tokyo. 42

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Q&A: How does it feel to be a college softball national champion for the second time?

I definitely feel like I’m part of an elite club now. Definitely in some great company, but it still seems surreal. Sometimes I can’t even believe that this past season, this past year, even happened. So it’s just a surreal feeling.

Q&A:

What’s the moment that stands out to you from this run you guys made to win the title?

Whenever you lose the first game [of the College World Series tournament], you have the next day off. And, it literally has nothing to do with softball, but I just remember the team getting together. Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City is right next door to our hotel. So, Coach [Patty Gasso] calls us down and she’s like, “We’re going to go for a walk.” And so we just walk around the hotel To listen to the entire interview T O S U B S C Rwith IBE: CALL 866-821-2971 Nicole Mendes, visit SportsSpectrum.com

AP Photo/ Sue Ogrocki, Jae C. Hong

Nicole Mendes

just finished a summer she’ll never forget. In June, she closed her college softball career with the Oklahoma Sooners by winning a second national championship, returning from an injury to help lead her team to the Women’s College World Series. The outfielder finished the season with a .364 batting average over 56 games.

SUMMER IN THE SPOTLIGHT and we find some rocks. Sarah Roberts is our chaplain and there had been a lot of battle things going on throughout the year, and she was talking to us that previous morning about battling and rocks and the significance of having something permanent there. So Coach is talking to us and she’s like, “All right, everyone pick up a rock.” And we all pick up a rock and we’re like, “I see where this is going.” We’re over a bridge, over water. She was like, “This is a moment where you decide to go all in. Any worry, any doubt, anything that is putting you aside or anything between you and 100 percent, this is the moment where you put it into this rock and you throw it.” It was pretty cliché, but it was so special because in that moment you could really sense the shift of everybody. And not that we weren’t all in before, but you could just tell that everybody had nothing between them. They weren’t going to let their own doubts, or their own circumstances overcome them or overwhelm them.

Q&A:

We’ve had coach Patty Gasso on the podcast before, so we know how important her faith is to her, and it’s a big part of the OU softball program. What was this year like for you as a spiritual leader and fifth-year senior? I tore my ACL in the fall of 2019 going into 2020. So there were a lot of questions and uncertainty and confusion, frustration — a lot of struggle. As I continued throughout that year, I grew a lot in my walk with God that spring of 2020 after our season got canceled. That summer and fall leading up to this current year, it was a struggle. I’m not even going to sit here and lie; it was a struggle. I can’t even begin to describe some of the stuff that came up, but it was hard, and it really put my faith to the test. I think as this year came about, I was just so grateful to be here with these girls and with my teammates, and be able to be on a field again at OU and represent this university. It was just special and I didn’t want to lose any moment. I didn’t want to be in the position where I would regret something 10 years from now,

three months from now, anything. I wanted to make sure I went all out not just physically, but also spiritually. One of my really good friends, Riley Boone, actually got baptized and it was one of the best moments. I was so happy. I think over half of our team came, maybe 90 percent of our team came, and we were just crying. There wasn’t a dry eye. We did it at Coach Gasso’s pool and it was just an amazing moment. I think whether or not it’s a Christian university, it’s the environment that you’re in that really makes the difference. Not everybody is required to go to chapel; there are girls on our team that don’t come and that’s fine. But I wanted to make sure that as I’m going about my last year here, and whether or not they ask about it — teammates, people watching — I just wanted to make sure I was living my best life as an example for Christ. I wanted to make sure I didn’t regret anything. So that was my intention as I went about this last year. And to see one of my teammates get baptized is just incredible.

“I wanted to make sure that as I’m going about my last year [in college], and whether or not they ask about it — teammates, people watching — I just wanted to make sure I was living my best life as an example for Christ. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t regret anything.”

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NICOLE MENDES

Q&A

“I’m so far from where I need to be, but my relationship has been growing exponentially since [I got baptized]. And I’ve seen Him move in so many ways since that moment.”

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SUMMER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

AP Photos/Sue Ogrocki, Alonzo Adams

It’s an amazing, amazing feeling that this girl I know and love is going to be with me forever in Heaven. So that was a really great way to cap it off. But I think that if you navigate the waters and areas that aren’t always supposed to be Christian friendly, just be true to yourself. Because I think that whenever you are a Christ-follower, if you follow out the guides that God has set before you, if you continue the path that God has set before you, it’ll show through.

Q&A:

Tell us about that faith. Can you share your testimony and when you asked Christ into your life? Growing up, I got more involved with sports, and weekends became full of tournaments. We would be playing Sunday morning for championships. So going to a church regularly became really, really difficult. I was homeschooled as well, so my mom was teaching me. Faith was a big reason why my parents chose to keep me homeschooled, so she made sure I was

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reading the Bible, doing that kind of stuff. But going to church was really difficult and being around other people, just having that community of growth, was kind of hard sometimes. As I was getting a little bit older, one of my cousins invited me to a church. At the time I had more time on my hands, and I started going and loved it. I loved the pastor, the worship, but the biggest thing I loved was just the fact that I could feel myself growing, learning the Word with other believers who were in front of me, beyond me, beside me. It was just a wonderful feeling of we’re all learning and growing and we’re all striving for this relationship with God. Even though we’re all on different levels, we’re all striving for the same thing. I had been a believer for a long time, but I hadn’t been a part of a church and I hadn’t been part of that community. I hadn’t been baptized and so as I got older, I was like, “This is something that I really want to get back into.” And I started getting back

into it more, and for a couple weeks my Bible study leaders were talking about baptism. I was wanting to do it and I was really, really self-conscious, like, “I had been a believer for how long now? I am this old now? Everyone’s going to think it was a fake kind of thing.” I wrestled with that a lot and eventually I was like, “You know, I love God so much. Why would I not want to do it?” It was a moment for me where I had to clearly distinguish, “Is this something that I believe, or is this something I take action on and I’m going to take a stance on and not just say I believe it, but follow through with my actions? And do I care more about what others think or do I go and follow?” And so, I got baptized. That for me was the biggest moment, I would say, where my switch kind of flipped up and I have been growing ever since then. I’m so far from where I need to be, but my relationship has been growing exponentially since that moment. And I’ve seen Him move in so many ways since that moment.

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NICOLE MENDES

Q&A

So in addition to playing for Oklahoma, Q&A: you also play for Mexico, which is where your grandparents are from. How did the opportunity to participate in the Olympics with Team Mexico come about?

One of my teammates my sophomore year, she played for Mexico for a couple years, and the coach reached out to her and he was like, “Do you have any girls on your team that would be interested?” He asked about me and she said, “Hey, is this something that you would want to do?” And I was like, “I don’t know. I’ll give it a try.” So I traveled with them for one tournament in the summer and that was my tryout for them to see if they wanted me, and I just fell in love with the girls. So I was invited to join the team and I continued to play with them, and we qualified for the Olympics in 2019 in Canada, which was such an amazing moment to see all these girls’ hard work pay off. And I got to be able to contribute and that paid off as well. It was just such a sweet moment. I just

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look around at the girls and I’m just so grateful that each and every one of them have been on the team and that we’ve connected paths along the way.

Q&A:

It has to be such a unique experience going from winning a title with your Oklahoma girls to joining this other team with new girls on Team Mexico? I honestly haven’t seen most of them in about a year because of COVID. I came back and I saw them and we all hugged. It was a good time. It did feel like a summer camp reunion a little bit. It’s cool to see how quick this turnaround is because going from college, it’s a lot more structured. But as you come here, you’re coming off of a great year and just having that feeling or high going into this moment where we’re going to the Olympics to play for a gold medal, it’s just another kind of high all on its own. I’m really excited.

We reached out to Nicole after her Mexico team competed in the Olympics and here’s what she had to say:

Q&A: What was that experience like competing in Tokyo?

The experience while playing in Tokyo was everything I thought it would be, and nothing like I imagined at all. It was incredible to compete at the highest stage and I felt so proud to represent Mexico. I remember during the first game just telling myself to take it all in. And that’s what I did.

Q&A: Was there a moment where you felt

God did something really amazing on or off the field? I just think that He gave us such a peace with each other and how we played. Regardless of the end result, we were fine because God had given us such a great group of girls around each other.

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DEVOTIONALS Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Like the psalmist says, it’s important for us as Christians to know God’s Word so that we stave off sin in our lives. But the Bible also has many other vital benefits. As Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

These devotionals come directly from The Increase, a community of athletes all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” For more first-person testimonies and stories from the lives of Christian athletes, visit TheIncrease.com.

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MONDAY LIVING WITH A PURPOSE

The year 2020 was full of the “unexpected” — COVID-19 testing every day, not knowing when the season would start, and every week not knowing if the season would end. Those types of things brought a lot of stress into our lives. And many other people’s lives were drastically changed as well due to COVID protocols. It was nerve-racking but we got through it. On a personal side, it was a tough year. I lost my mom, who was battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. That hurt. Not having her during my season was extremely hard; still to this day I just want to call her and talk to her. But because of her strength in her battle, I was able to push forward. God, and the things that He puts in my life — like family who have poured into me — have continued to get me through this past year. It’s easy for anyone who has lost someone close to them to say that life is extremely short. It can be taken away from you at any time. We are called to lean on God’s plan, though we don’t always understand it. I may never understand why my mom had to go through what she went through on this earth, but I will get that understanding when I get to Heaven with her. This year taught me that life is extremely short, so what am I doing with it? In Revelation 3, the last church God spoke to was Laodacia, whose people’s faith was lukewarm. They were neither hot nor cold; they had no purpose. We need to have a purpose for our lives. We must ask, “Is my faith lukewarm or is it serving a purpose?” With the loss of my mom, I’ve had a fire put under me. I’m still trying to get there but I have a purpose — that is to have my works show and do things with my faith. My works aren’t my sole purpose, but as a Christian my works need to show because I am a new creation. I’m going to be purposeful with my life.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS FULLBACK

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Today, the Lord is showing me to never grow complacent, but to always have that childlike wonder and continue to learn. We never know enough. We need to always dig in and always be willing to learn. Humble yourself to serve those around you. Jesus lived a life of serving, so living a life of servanthood is to live a life of Jesus. Does your faith have a purpose?

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C.J. HAM

Walking with the Lord isn’t an easy thing to do. We live in a world that is totally opposite; everything is pulling us away from the life God envisions for us. It’s an everyday battle, dealing with your sin and the things of the world coming at you. Especially as a professional athlete, there are so many things coming at us and being asked of us. But walking with the Lord is worth it.

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MONDAY LIVE BY FAITH “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” — Philippians 2:14-15 It’s really easy to get caught up in all that’s going on in our world today. It’s tempting to take a side, whether we’re talking about politics, a social movement or a personal agenda. But we must recognize that in all areas of life, God appoints leaders. He allows some nations to rise and others to fall. We can’t afford to live walking by sight when God calls us to live by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). We are called to be a light in the darkness. Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” God is our comfort no matter our circumstances. If we live by sight, we can find so many things to be negative about. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

MATTHEW BOYD DETROIT TIGERS PITCHER

The truth is, whatever the fate of our nation, we will be OK. If it’s our time to fall, we will fall and God’s glory will be revealed even more. That may seem extreme, but it’s the attitude we have to have as His followers. Whatever happens, in triumph or misfortune, God uses all things for His good, for the betterment of His Kingdom. It may not be what our hearts want, but we are to be still and know that He is God in the midst of all of this. It’s no more complicated than that. It takes courage to live in Christ, but there’s no other way. When Peter asked Jesus to let him walk out on the water to Him, Jesus allowed him to enter into the storm. But once Peter let himself be frightened by the elements, he started to sink. Are we walking in confidence or allowing our surroundings to bring us to fear or anger? In the midst of a hurricane, we have to live in faith.

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Are we being conformed or transformed? If we’re living transformed lives, we are living by faith. If we are being conformed along with the world, we are living by sight and failing to trust in our Lord. Being pure and blameless is paramount in our day. We must live my faith, knowing that God is in control of all things.

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MONDAY JOYFUL NO

MATTER WHAT

I used to eat, breathe and sleep softball. But when God was introduced to my life and became my life, softball no longer defined me. God’s plans and the ability He’s given me in softball are why I play. I see His hand in every part of my journey. Embodying the character of Christ is my end goal; it’s not just about winning a gold medal. I want to let the light of Christ shine through me. Softball and baseball are the biggest failure sports. If you want to test your heart, play softball or baseball. We as athletes put a lot of pressure on ourselves to succeed, so I have to constantly check myself and see where my heart is. If I’m so upset about my performance, what does that say about where my hope is placed? The failures, even though I want to avoid them as much as possible, allow me to see God more clearly. He’s the one sure thing; He’s my hope. He’s not upset if our record is 0-3. Seeing God through my failures has allowed me to play more freely. And each time I am let down in a game, I can run to Him and say, “God, heal my heart in this so that You’re my No. 1 again.”

It didn’t matter what Paul had. Likewise, it doesn’t matter how my team is doing, I’m learning to find contentment and steadfastness in Christ at all times because my hope is in Him. I have the one thing my heart desires every day. It truly doesn’t matter what circumstances I find myself in. I have Jesus. Going into each game, I want to remain content in Christ, not in the game.

ALI AGUILAR

Lately, God has been teaching me to be joyful in all circumstances. There’s a lot of pressure in softball and, of course, in the Olympics. God is showing me that I’m playing this game with Him, and I’m enjoying the game with Him at each moment. Yes, the stakes are high and we want to win every game we play, but at the end of the day He calls us to be joyful in all circumstances. It’s a command. No matter what happens in the game of softball, I’m completely joyful. Yes, I take the game seriously because I want to win, but I’ll always have a smile on my face.

USA SOFTBALL PLAYER

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AP Photo/Matt Slocum

I love how, in the Bible, Paul says he has learned to be content in every circumstance. In Philippians 4:12-13 he says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

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MONDAY THERE’S A

BIGGER PLAN

There will always be confrontation between coaches and players. They will have one idea of how the team should be run and what your role within that framework should look like, and you’ll most likely have another idea. I can only control what I can control, and the rest I have to let go of. Early in my NFL career, I didn’t get a lot of playing time. Instead of sitting there on the bench and complaining about it, I decided to work that much harder in practices and take every opportunity I was given to play my best on the field. There was no point in arguing with my coach or griping about it with my teammates.

In the same way, God calls us to humble ourselves before Him and submit to His leadership. First Peter 5:6 tells us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” As I have faced many injuries throughout the past few years, it’s been really hard for me to see the big picture. I just want to get better and get better quickly. The daily ups and downs are draining, but at the end of the day, I have to trust that God has a bigger plan, even with this.

TREY BURTON NFL TIGHT END

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In Psalm 127:1, we read, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” As I read this, I recognize there’s a reason I may experience injuries. I go through trials for a reason, even if I can’t see what that is right away. I would love for the Lord to heal me overnight, but if He is wanting me to go through a process, I will humbly seek Him and be obedient to follow His path for me. In the Book of Job, we see a man who followed God obediently, and yet God allowed Satan to take everything from him. The physical things Job had to endure left him an inch from death, but at the end of the book, God revealed Himself to Job. When He did, Job was left embarrassed and ashamed that he questioned God’s purposes behind his pain. After reading Job’s story, I don’t dare question God. I know He has a plan and I trust Him to deliver in bigger ways than I can imagine.

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AP Photo/AJ Mast

Your coach will be wrong at times; no one is perfect. But he, out of all people, wants the best for your team as a whole. You have to humble yourself and submit to your coach’s leadership no matter what decision he makes. It’s not always about you; there’s a bigger picture to think about, a larger team at stake. You may be focused on your play and your career, but he sees the overall picture of what it takes to make a team great.

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MONDAY OFFERING MY TALENT BACK TO HIM

There was so much back and forth about if the Olympics would or would not happen, but it was a cool journey. If nothing had gone wrong last year, our preparation would have looked a lot different heading into the Games. Instead, we had a really cool training process. One of the biggest things God taught me over the past year was to find a balance between trusting in Him and the process of preparation, while also partnering with Him to work hard in my sport. One of the hardest things about competing at a high level is that we’re not always around our coaches. It’s not like college, where we had all our resources in front of us and someone else made the plans for how we prepared. So this past year more than ever, I questioned, “Am I giving my best?” Others asked me that question as well. Out of love, people didn’t want me to have any regrets. Dealing with that balance has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to do this year. It takes a lot of trust in God and me telling myself, “I know God’s purpose, and this is the perspective I’ve always had in softball. I can’t get away from that just because I get to go after an Olympic gold medal.” I’ve had to remind myself daily and get around other believers to be mindful of my purpose. I count this as a blessing. It’s really helpful to have so many believers on our team. We all need to be able to talk to someone about how we’re feeling and what we’re going through. Family may understand you as a person, but they can’t understand all the work you’re doing on the field. Having people on my team who can really see me in all of my different areas of life, and know the whole picture, has been really helpful. I know I have teammates I can see face-to-face and talk to. Even on our off days, I realize I need to be intentional about spending time with them. Encouraging each other and listening to our struggles is a huge blessing.

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I believe God has put me here in this position, but sometimes I relax in that knowledge. Lately, I’ve been trying to work harder instead. I want to get the most out of what God has given me and offer my talent back to Him. TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

MICHELLE MOULTRIE

Recently, one of my teammates reminded me of the parable of the talents. In this Bible story, God gives His servants resources and then goes away, expecting them to do something with what He’s given them. That example encourages me to say, “Yes, we trust God and He has given us great talent as athletes, so why don’t we do everything we can to make sure we are in top shape so that, to His glory, we can give it back to Him?”

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MONDAY ALL GLORY

GOES TO GOD

As a kid born and raised in Pittsburgh, who grew up attending football games in black and gold, I was thrilled when the Steelers offered me a contract last year. My family went crazy with the news. However, my Steeler experience didn’t turn out as I expected. I thought I’d have a chance to be a starter, but that didn’t happen. I only played in one away game, in which I was injured and then placed on injured reserve for eight weeks. Prior to this, I’d never missed that much of a season due to injury. As an athlete, when you’re hurt, you essentially have no value to a team. You can feel kind of worthless. Thankfully, my identity is in Christ. Through faith in Christ, I am an adopted son of God. I am forgiven. I am loved. God is for me, not against me, and I am more than a conqueror. Because of Christ’s shed blood on the cross, I will spend eternity in Heaven with God. These Biblical truths are the solid foundation on which I build my life. Any foundation or identity other than faith in Christ is like a house built on sand — eventually it will fall. My identity or attitude shouldn’t change whether I’m playing great or terribly, hurt or healthy, starting or on the bench. I believe Christians should have the best attitudes on the team, and in the world, because of our eternal perspective. I was able to rejoice despite my frustrating circumstances because I knew God was with me through it all.

NFL OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

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It’s so crazy and humbling to see what God can do — whatever He wants, whenever He wants. I believe God allows us to endure trials for a purpose and He can end a trial whenever He chooses. It was a rollercoaster year for me, and these trials ensured I knew all of it was His doing. All glory goes to Him, in victory or defeat. We lost the Super Bowl, which was heartbreaking. But I still led the postgame midfield prayer, because God is worthy of our worship and thanksgiving no matter what happens. Looking back, I wouldn’t have written the story any differently. God wrote it in a way where He is the only one who can say, “Yeah I did that, not you.” I am 100-percent aware that none T O S U B Sof C R I Bthis E : C A L Lis 8 6 6about - 8 2 1 - 2 9 7 1 me. It’s all about God.

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

STEFEN WISNIEWSKI

After being on IR, I was cut from the Steelers and spent a few weeks unsigned, and unsure if I’d ever play again. But two weeks later, the Chiefs called and I was really excited to play there again, having won the Super Bowl with them the previous year. I was hoping to get my starting job back, and while that didn’t work out at first, I found myself starting in the Super Bowl — my third Super Bowl start in the past four years.

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YOU CAN KNOW CHRIST PERSONALLY

OUR PROBLEM, GOD’S SOLUTION

God created mankind in his own image … God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27, 31 God made human beings with personal and relational qualities like His own (Genesis 1:26) and desired to have a delightful relationship with them. But something went terribly wrong. When Adam and Eve chose to follow Satan’s advice in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin poisoned the world and now we are all born with the desire to do things our own way, not God’s.

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For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Our sins against a good and holy God have distanced us from Him (Isaiah 59:2). God “cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1:12). Through sin we forfeit a relationship with God, and along with it our happiness. The result of all this is death. Spiritual death is separation from God in a very real place called hell. Physical death marks the end of our opportunity to enter into a relationship with God and avoid eternal condemnation (Hebrews 9:27).

If these words reflect your heart and you would like to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, say this prayer to God. It's as simple as A-B-C: Admit, Believe, Confess. SPORTS SPECTRUM

By Randy Alcorn

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

There is absolutely nothing we can do to restore ourselves to God. He is holy, we are not. In fact, He says even our good deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But God loved us so much He sent us His Son Jesus, fully God and fully man, to deliver us from death and give us life (John 3:16). "God demonstrates h is own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins. He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. When Jesus died for us, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Greek word translated “it is finished” was written across certificates of debt when they were canceled. It meant “paid in full.” Jesus then rose from the grave, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

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Matthew Slater, New England Patriots

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 God’s greatest gift is a restored relationship with Himself, delivering us from hell and granting us entry into Heaven (John 3:36). This gift depends not on our merit but solely on Christ’s work of grace for us on the cross (Titus 3:5). He is the one and only way to God. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

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“I remember how draining it was to live a performance-based lifestyle before I accepted Christ as Lord of my life. The peace of being uncon“I think it’s really for people to understand who God is, is ditionally loved by important a Savior who paid the price for my salvation what Heand saysuplifting about us,at and He time. says about ourno sin.greater You have humbling thewhat same There’s joy than to turn from your old ways, from your old self. It’s not going to be knowing that I can abide in love instead of having to work for it.” perfect, but you have to turn and focus your eyes back on Him.”

If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

To be right with God, we must admit our sinful hearts and actions, and ask God’s forgiveness. If we do, He graciously promises full forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”(1 John 1:9). Then we are to affirm to others that the resurrected Jesus is our Lord.

The life we long for is freely offered to us in Christ. We can believe His promise and call on Him to save us, humbly accepting His gift of eternal life: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). God’s Holy Spirit indwells us and helps us obey Him (2 Timothy 1:14).

Romans 10:9

[

“Dear God, I ADMIT that I’m a sinner and the penalty of my sin is death. I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that He died and rose from the dead for my sin. And I CONFESS Jesus as my Savior. Please forgive me. I repent of my sin and surrender my life to You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen." — Miles McPherson, senior pastor & former NFL player

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Sports Spectrum Magazine - Fall 2021

Articles inside

The Increase Devotionals

Summer In The Spotlight

For Such a Time As This

Living Inside-Out

Humble Amid Hype