Coaches are evaluated by wins, losses, rankings, and results, making it easy to tie our worth to how our teams perform. But Christian coaches are called to something different. Discover how anchoring your identity in Christ can free you to pursue excellence, lead from security instead of fear, and coach for God’s glory rather than your own validation.

Hazing has been normalized in sports for generations and the damage it causes can be devastating. The evidence suggests it doesn’t even create the unity teams hope for. Christian athletes, coaches, and leaders have an opportunity to offer a better way: replacing humiliation with honor and building team cultures rooted in dignity, grace, courage, belonging, and the example of Jesus.

If excellence is primarily a virtue—a condition of the heart and character being formed—then the question we ask of our teams and of ourselves changes entirely. We stop asking only “What did we achieve?” and start asking “Who are we becoming?”

We might find our athletic experiences transformed into moments of profound awe and genuine worship if we paused and truly observed the wonders of God's craftsmanship showcased in sport.

Even though the letter of 1 Corinthians is written to a group of believers in the early church on issues specifically facing Christians, there is much wisdom to gain from Paul’s letter for reuniting a sports team on the basis of love.

Great coaches leverage their influence to lead teams and athletes toward their full potential on and off the field. A RARE coach is one who remains relationally connected and emotionally aware while joyfully engaging those they are called to lead.

In Stephen Barrett’s autobiography, The Unlikely Missionary: Lessons Learned Along the Way, Barrett’s journey into missionary work exposes something athletes and coaches desperately need to remember: God’s calling is not built on our resume, but on our our willingness to take small steps of faith along the way.

If we want to live out our calling as Jesus followers, we need to create spaces for people to experience the love of God—including sport. Not for the purpose of competitive advantage but because it brings the Kingdom of God near. 

The Christian Athlete Report: Data, Trends, and Opportunities in 2026 identifies ten major cultural, structural, and formative shifts shaping the world of sport today. Each trend highlights not only what is changing in athletics, but why it matters for athletes, coaches, and the ministries that walk alongside them.

A winning record, an influx of money, the best recruiting class, and consistent performance often define what it means to have an abundance in sport. But what if God has more in store for us than defining abundance by these standards?

This athlete Bible study explores Proverbs 27:17 — a powerful athlete verse about how God uses relationships to build character, faith, and perseverance. Designed for athletes, coaches, and parents, this discipleship tool helps you reflect on how teammates, coaches, and even rivals sharpen you spiritually and athletically. Through guided questions and practical application, this verse for athletes reveals how competition and community can be part of God’s plan to shape you into the image of Christ. Whether used individually or in a group, this resource helps Christian athletes grow in humility, excellence, and faith on and off the field.

In Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller defines an idol as anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. For athletes, that description can hit close to home. Sports—though a good gift from God—can easily become the place we look for identity, meaning, and worth. In The Sports Idolatry Test, we explore ten honest questions designed to help you evaluate whether sport has crossed the line from passion to idolatry. Like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18, the rich young ruler in Mark 10, and the man crying “Help my unbelief” in Mark 9, your answers may reveal where your hope truly rests—and invite you to reorient your worship toward the One who deserves it. Sports are meant to be a vehicle for worship, not a replacement for it. Take the test, see where you stand, and let God reclaim the throne of your heart.

A stand-alone resource created by Athletes in Action staff member and former college Tennis Coach, Chad Simpson, to help coaches reflect on five key areas of life so they can experience their best season yet.

Discover how Christian coaches can shift sports from idolatry to worship, guiding athletes to honor God, find identity in Christ, and compete for His glory.

From stadium anthems to personal playlists, music influences athletic culture, unites teams, shapes athletes, and inspires faith.

“Jesus Won” has become a rallying cry for Christian athletes, but the gospel story is bigger than just victory. Before the triumph came surrender, loss, and sacrifice. After all, Jesus is both Lion and Lamb. For athletes and coaches, it’s a reminder that true identity isn’t in the scoreboard but in Christ’s victory through the cross.

As the category of mental health continues to gain more momentum within the culture of sport, coaches need some semblance of competency with how to think about and speak this new language—because athletes seem to be more fluent in it with each passing day.

Sabbath is both a gift from God and a form of resistance to sport culture that teaches us we are only as worthy as we are productive.

In cultivating the habit in our own lives, and modeling it to our kids, we are “imaging” our Creator. We are making a conscious effort to look and act like him. And when we align our thoughts and actions with his character, it brings him glory—and it best positions our kids to grow and flex their own “patience muscles'' when the moment calls for it. 

Praying scripture for your family will not solve the daily pressure and demands you face as a coach. It certainly won’t solve choosing between another meeting and making it home to enjoy dinner with your spouse (and kids). But it will, hopefully, give you a few action steps to choose your family while you are still on the field or in the office.