Ingredients of a Champion

Introduction

What are some things that come to mind when you think of a winner or a champion?

Coach Terry Bowden coached over 300 college football games over a span of 4 decades. In 1993, he led Auburn to a perfect 11-0 season and said that his team’s success boiled down to one word… attitude. To remind him of the importance of attitude, Coach Bowden carried this article around with him throughout the season.

“Attitude: The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.”

– Charles Swindoll

Attitude determines how we respond to challenges and opportunities in life. Today, we’re going to talk about three key ingredients of a winning attitude. Each of these ingredients begins with a D, and each of them makes a major contribution to individual and team success both on and off the field.

Determination is the ability to stick with it and persevere in the face of challenges and setbacks.

The Three D’s

Who can tell me who Florence Griffith-Joyner is?

“Flo-Jo” is often considered the fastest woman who ever lived. She set the world record for both the 100 meters and 200 meters way back in 1988, records that still stand to this day. (To give you some perspective, the men’s 100M record has been broken 14 times since 1988!)

Shortly after winning the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics, Flo-Jo was asked to what she attributed her success. She replied, “Desire, Dedication, and Determination.” Those three D’s are what I’m going to talk to you about today.

1. Desire

How would you define “desire?”

Desire can be difficult to define, but you know if you have ever experienced it. It is an urge, an impulse, a longing to experience or accomplish something. It motivates you to strive and sacrifice for the result you are hoping for. There is an expression in Spanish to do something “con ganas,” which literally means “with desire,” but expresses so much more. It might be better translated to “put your guts into it,” or “give it all your strength.”

To be successful as a player, as a team, or in life you need desire. How strong is your desire to compete in your sport?

Check out this story about a 13-year-old boy who went on to become the greatest scorer in NCAA basketball history:

“I began to eat and sleep with my basketball by my side. I was so dedicated to perfecting my skills that when Mom came in to kiss me good night, without fail I was lying in bed shooting the ball to the ceiling. and catching it. I’m sure she heard me repeating, ‘fingertip control, backspin, follow-through … fingertip control, backspin, follow-through.’ As Mom said good night, she would tuck the ball under my arm, as some mothers would a child’s teddy bear, then turn out the light. Sleep didn’t come easily because my mind constantly churned new ideas regarding the ball-handling and dribbling drills my dad had taught me that day.”

This 13-year-old boy was none other than “Pistol” Pete Maravich, who in 3 years between 1968-1970 averaged 44 points per game and scored a total of 3667 points … A record that stands to this day.

Ted Williams – one of the greatest hitters in baseball history – said this: “All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, there goes the greatest hitter that ever lived.”

· What do you want people to say about you?

· How strong is your desire to achieve success?

The first ingredient is desire – you’ve gotta want it!

2. Dedication

The second ingredient is dedication.

Desire will only take you so far. To be successful, you must have the dedication to actually follow through on that desire. You have to actually do it! Dedication is often what separates average players and teams from champions.

Bobby Knight put it this way: “The will to win is the most over-estimated phenomenon in sport. It’s not the will to win – everyone wants to win. It’s the will to prepare to win that makes winners.”

A lot of people want to win, but aren’t willing to pay the price. There has never been a great sports champion who wasn’t dedicated – Steph Curry, Michael Phelps, Peyton Manning – all of these guys had or have intense regiments of training that helped them reach their desired goals.

What about you? Are you willing to work hard to win? If coach was to ask you to do some extra drills after practice, what would your attitude be?

Ok, let’s review:

· The first ingredient: Desire

· The second ingredient: Dedication

3. Determination

Our final ingredient is determination. This is the ability to stick with it and persevere in the face of challenges and setbacks. Every great champion has had to overcome challenges and failures along the way. The examples are endless: Many of you have probably heard the story about Michael Jordan. As a sophomore he was unable to make the varsity basketball team. Apparently, there were 15 kids better than him at his high school. Jordan turned that into motivation. He worked out relentlessly, became the best player on the JV team, and a year later was the undisputed leader of the varsity squad.

Many of you may know that Tom Brady was drafted in the 6^th round of the NFL draft, the 199^th pick overall. Every NFL franchise had the opportunity to select Brady and passed, multiple times. Tom used that snub as motivation throughout his NFL career, winning 7 Super Bowls (more than any NFL franchise) and becoming arguably the greatest NFL player of all-time.

· What is your attitude?

· Are you easily side-tracked or are you determined to press on?

To be a champion in life requires desire, dedication, and determination in every area of your life- the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.

Conclusion

Let’s review the 3 D’s:

· Desire

· Dedication

· Determination

Ask yourself where you can apply these ingredients to help you achieve your goals. Also, what about applying it to other areas of your life so you can excel off the field as well.

To be a champion in life requires desire, dedication, and determination in every area of your life- the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. A lot of professional athletes have acknowledged the key role spiritual motivation has played in their success – players like Clayton Kershaw, Steph Curry, and Cooper Kupp. These guys have learned how to strike a balance in these three areas of their life.

Cru is an organization that supports students who want to develop the spiritual area of their lives. Addi (Cru student leader) has been involved for the past 4 years and she and our Cru staff team want to invite anyone who is interested to hear a bit more about Cru and how we seek to serve students in our community. If anyone is interested, we will have pizza and popsicles tomorrow after practice and share a little bit more about Cru and how we can grow as spiritual champions as well.

Comment Cards

Thanks again for having us, coach. I do have just one favor to ask. We’re going to pass out some brief comment cards. We would love it if you could take about 2 minutes to give us some honest feedback about the talk today. It is always helpful for us to know what students find most helpful, as well as what topics you might be interested in hearing about. There is also a place on the card where you can provide your contact information if you would like a reminder text about our pizza and popsicle event taking place outside the locker room tomorrow after practice. Thanks, guys. Best of luck with the remainder of your season.

Next Step

Decide on a team for a team talk, and offer this talk or Successful Teams to the coach.

team talk successful teams

RECENT POSTS

Canaan’s Story 2

A student who once feared speaking because of a stutter discovers how God uses his voice to share His love and lead others through Cru.

How to Start a Christian Club at Your School

A simple, step by step guide to help you start a Christian club at school and reach your friends with the message of Jesus.

The Reach Your School Playbook

A simple, step-by-step guide to help students, and the adults who support them, start and grow a movement to reach their school.

Canaan’s Story 2

Growing up, it felt very hard to speak to new people, to make new friends, and to public speak in front of multiple people. That was partly due to my stuttering. It just felt like a physical barrier that prevented me from using my voice. That was something I struggled with throughout childhood, and I believed that I wasn’t someone who could be used by God for my voice.

God put people in my life who helped me become the person I am today. He gave me my best friend, and He taught me the acceptance that truly comes from knowing my identity in Christ — knowing that no matter how much I stutter or how long I pause before I say the next word, God doesn’t care about that. He cares about what’s in my heart. He placed Cru leaders in my life who guided me to learn more about Christ, to bring me closer to Him, and to grow into a tool for God to use to spread the gospel to others.

God brought me to Fastbreak. I was nervous because I didn’t have any friends. But I came back to a second Fastbreak, and I was able to share my testimony. That was a very big breakthrough because I had been so scared most of my life to talk to people and share my story — and to share about Jesus. Knowing that God’s with me and He uses me to speak — that it’s not me speaking, but the Spirit speaking through me — when I focus on God, all my fears go away. For the first time, I knew that there was a way God could use my voice.

I actually met my leader, Jason, on campus. It was very random. I was just sitting at a lunch table with my friend, and he came over to us and told us about the gospel. I’d heard about the gospel before, but through that interaction on campus, I was able to get connected with Cru and learn about what Cru is and their mission for students.

Now, I get the chance to mentor a freshman — because Jason met me when I was a freshman — and now I get to mentor and disciple freshmen on my own. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to help them grow in their faith and show them the love of God by what I say and in the ways that I act.

As I’ve grown with God and as He’s taught me more about my identity, He’s taught me acceptance — the same acceptance God gives all of us, no matter how much we sin or drift from Him. That acceptance is always there. I have God’s love no matter where I am in life, and that gives me self-worth. My self-worth doesn’t come from any other source but from God. There’s nothing that can separate you from that love of God and that worth.

Since God loves me so much, I know that whatever happens in the future, I’m in His hands, and God has a good plan for me. Even when I can’t envision myself preaching to people — whether it’s to two or two hundred — I know God can. His plan for me is great. When I trust in Him, I have value, I have acceptance, and I have assurance that my future is in His hands, and it will be good.

How to Start a Christian Club at Your School

Starting a Christian club at school is one of the best ways to help students meet Jesus and grow in their faith. It creates a space to talk about God, build friendships, and invite others into something meaningful. And if your school allows other clubs, it can allow a Christian club too. The goal is not just to start a meeting. It’s to help reach your school.

Know That It’s Legal

If your school allows student clubs, it must also allow religious clubs. That means you can meet, read the Bible, pray, and invite others. Most schools will require student leadership, a teacher sponsor, and meeting during lunch, before, or after school. Lead with respect and humility. You’re there to serve your school well.

Get a Coach

Don’t do this alone. A coach can help you take your next steps, pray with you, and stay focused. This could be a youth pastor, parent, or a Cru coach. You don’t need all the answers. You just need someone in your corner.

Find a Teacher Sponsor

Most schools require a teacher sponsor. They help you get approved and stay connected to the school. Look for a person of faith who is supportive, reliable, and respected.

“You don’t need all the answers. You just need someone in your corner.”

Gather a Core Team

Start with a few friends who care about their school and want to make a difference. You don’t need a big group, just a few students who are willing to take a step of faith. Pray together and dream about what God could do.

Make it a Movement, not just a Club

Don’t just build a club for Christians. Build something that helps students reach their friends.

A movement is outward focused. It helps students grow in their faith and share it with others. Keep asking, “Who are we trying to reach?”

Choose a Time and Place

Pick a consistent time and place that works, lunch, before school, or after school. Keep it simple and easy to attend. Consistency makes it easier to invite others.

Start Reaching Out

Begin praying for friends and inviting them. A healthy group is always open and welcoming, especially to students who don’t know Jesus yet. Most growth will come through personal invitations.

Start Meeting

Set a date and begin. Keep your first meetings simple, a Bible study, discussion, or time to connect. You don’t need something big. You just need to start.

Starting a Christian club is about helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith, and reach others. Start small, stay focused, and trust God to work through you. What begins with a few students can grow into something much bigger.

If you want help taking your next steps, check out the Reach Your School Playbook. It’s a simple, step by step guide you can use with your friends to start and grow a movement on your campus. Use the button below to download it now.

Helpful Documents

Constitution Document– A simple document that outlines how your club operates, including its purpose, leadership structure, and basic guidelines, sometimes requested by schools but often optional.
Charter Document – A document that connects your club to Cru, clarifying its mission, beliefs, and expectations for leadership, typically optional but helpful if your school or leadership team wants added clarity.

Next Step

Download the Reach Your School Playbook and take your first step toward starting a Christian club on your campus.

Reach Your School Playbook

The Reach Your School Playbook

You want to make a difference at your school. You care about your friends. You see the need. You’ve probably even thought, “Someone should do something.”

What if that someone is you?

The Reach Your School Playbook was created to help students take that step, and to give adults a simple way to support them along the way.

Made for Students, Helpful for Adults

This Playbook is designed first for students. It helps you take ownership, lead your friends, and build something that actually reaches your school.

At the same time, if you’re an adult, youth leader, parent, or volunteer, this gives you a clear way to come alongside students without taking over.

Students lead
Adults support
Everyone moves forward together

Why Most People Don’t Start

A lot of students never take the first step. Not because they don’t care, but because they feel stuck.

“Where do I even begin?”
“What if no one shows up?”
“How do I get others involved?”

Uncertainty can keep people from moving. This Playbook breaks that barrier. It gives you a clear path so you can stop overthinking and start doing.

What This Helps You Do

This isn’t just ideas sitting on a page. It’s a practical guide you can actually use right now.

With the Playbook, you can:

Start something meaningful, even if you’re on your own
Gather a few friends and build momentum
Share your faith in natural, real ways
Lead with confidence, even if you’ve never led before
Build something that lasts beyond you

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just need a place to start.

Students can
change their school,
they just need a path.

A Simple Path to Follow

The Playbook walks you through five clear steps. Each one is simple, practical, and designed to help you take action.

DREAM: Start with a vision for your school and what God could do there
PRAY: Learn how to pray for your campus in real, meaningful ways
GO: Take action, gather a team, and begin reaching people
GROW: Build a group that develops leaders and multiplies
SEND: Help others step out and reach their friends too

You don’t have to guess what to do next. It’s right there in front of you.

Built to Be Used, Not Just Read

This isn’t a long manual you’ll never finish. It’s short. It’s simple. It’s designed to move you forward.

Easy to read
Clear next steps
Real examples
Space to think and act

You can go through it on your own, or walk through it with a couple of friends. Adults can use it to guide conversations and help students take ownership.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Starting something can feel intimidating. But you’re not on your own. The Playbook connects you to tools, coaching, and a bigger movement of people who are doing the same thing. Take one step, and you’ll find support along the way.