The quarter time and three quarter time breaks in an AFL
match can be almost as fascinating to watch as the game itself.
The body language of the players usually reflects the
pattern of play in the preceding quarter as they either trudge towards where their
coach and trainers are gathering, ‘the huddle’, or they run energetically
accompanied by back-slaps.
Some initial words of wisdom may be spoken, players take a
drink or get attention to injuries or sore spots. Then comes the coach’s
address.
For some reason, what the coach has to say to his players is
a source of immense curiosity. In the professional ranks, spectators aren’t
allowed onto the playing field, so knowing what is said remains a mystery. Even
the TV cameras, which are allowed just about everywhere else these days, aren’t
allowed to film what the coach says in the huddle. Hence the curiosity.
But on suburban grounds, large crowds will often gather
around the team to listen to the instructions, encouragement or admonition of
the coach to his players. Every player’s eyes are fixed on the coach; he has
every player’s attention; it’s a time to focus on what is being said. They want
to know what advice the coach gives for the situation, what the strategy is to
come out on top, what the instructions are and what part they each have to play
in this team game.
At junior football it’s a slightly different story. While
the huddle still happens, while the crowd still gathers, while the coach still
offers instructions and encouragement, it is usual for the attention of the
young boys to be all over the place. Partly because they struggle to receive
instruction without accompanying pictures, but mostly because they couldn’t
really care what the coach was saying. They are easily distracted. Many of them
seem more interested in what is going on around them, who is doing what, where
mum is standing etc. They just want to run back out and get on with the game.
Little less talk, little more action please.
Most of us plough through life the same way – we don’t want
advice, we don’t want instruction, we don’t to be critiqued – we just want to
get on with playing the game of life how we want to play it. We’re not so
concerned about how we might best fit and contribute in a community sense – we
just want to get a kick ourselves. We are often easily distracted by what
everyone else is doing, and have no real interest in receiving instruction.
What if there was an all-knowing ‘coach’, who had prepared a
book of instructions that gave us all the advice for living a good life we
would ever need? What if this ‘coach’ knew all about us, and outlined for us
what was going to work best for us, and for the ‘team’ of the community around
us? What if by taking a quick break from the action every now and then, we
could listen to his words and use them to bring out the best in ourselves?
God is my coach. And I take a break from the action every
day to read his instruction book, the Bible. It instructs me, critiques me,
advises me and encourages me. I just need to stop, focus, hear what God says,
and then go and put it into action. And I find it helps me get the best out of
myself.
Perhaps if you’re struggling a bit, finding the going tough,
not getting a kick, playing below your best – it might be time to seek out the ‘coach’
for some instructions. Join in the huddle at a local church, grab yourself an
instruction book and go kick yourself some goals.
www.salvationarmy.org.au/mornington
