"On The Mark, Player"

On monday nights i play touch football. The thing with touch football is that if you have the ball, and are touched by a player from the other team, you must stop. You then 'play the ball' by rolling it back between your legs for a teammate to pick up - and play continues.

As you might expect, one should play the ball at the point on the field where the touch occurred. The trick is that when running at speed, sometimes it takes a step or two to slow down.

We know we should return to the point of the touch, and then play the ball - but that takes time - it slows momentum - and we're trying to play fast. In our mind, we think "it's probably only half a step ... no big deal". In reality it's a metre and a half and it's a penalty to the other team.

So much for trying to 'play fast'! We've lost the momentum - and possession - and the opportunity to score points - all for the sake of a couple of seconds. "Why didn't i just step back?" we ask ourselves "we'd still have the ball". But all too often this kind of wisdom only comes after the sound of the whistle.

The same happens in life. It's the eternal battle of discpline versus temptation. In theory, we know the best thing to do is to return to the mark. The temptation is always there to sneak an extra metre, to get an unfair advantage (and we pay the price for it). It's about having the discpline to get back to the mark.

Number 11 Batsman

Things happen when a number 11 batsman comes out to bat. Ground curators start to get their equipment ready. Venue caterers start preparing extra food for the impending rush. And spectators start to think about what they might choose to eat during the 10 minute break. Not much is expected of the 'last man in'. And sure enough, he is shortly dismissed.

So, as non-cricket people will inevitably ask, "Why is he even in the team?". Well, batting may not be the strong point of our number eleven. If he ever makes 50 runs, it will be over the course of a season rather than an afternoon. But once the curators have re-marked the lines, and spectators have returned to their seats, it is his turn to shine when the captain throws him the ball. While his batting may have been court jester-like, in bowling he is the king of the game.

If there's anything to be learnt from our friend the number 11 (apart from resilience) it is the knowledge of oneself and one's strengths. The ribbing he cops from his teammates does not affect him. He'll try his best with the bat, but knows it's not his forte. He knows who he is, and is comfortable with it. He knows that others (many others) will be better at batting, but this does not phase him. He's a bowler, and wouldn't want it any other way. Good on you number eleven!

Sport

As a teenager, i really got into sport. I played a lot, and watched a lot. So what? Millions of kids would have done the same (except maybe without the very late nights watching Australia play cricket in England).

But after a few thousand hours of viewing, practicing after school, and many hours fielding on a cricket boundary - you start to think more deeply about the game.

Consequently, the attitude, the psychology, the enthusiasm and the teamwork of sport kind of became my philosophy during those years. That's when i started saying "it's a lot like sport".

Since those days i have become more interested in Jesus, and (no offence to Richie Benaud) but i'm finding that Jesus is even wiser :)

And i reckon the things i enjoy most about sport are the things that reflect Jesus. When immense talent comes with humility. When passion inspires great achievement. When selfishness is put aside for the greater good. When excellence is possible.

This is what is great about sport. I hope you share my joy.