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PRAY PLAY
to
By Sammi Sheppard

It was my last year playing soccer at Azusa Pacific University. Probably the last year I would
play competitively. I had started some of the games the previous season, so this was the year I
would be the starting goalkeeper. This was the year I would shine.
I had been putting a lot of pressure on myself to play, so I prayed to God to help release
stress so soccer could be fun again. I didn’t expect what happened next.
“This is hard to tell you, but right now we feel you are our third-string keeper.”
Those were the words my coach told me the next day at a practice. I had to fight back the
tears as I realized my plan wasn’t going to follow through. I wasn’t even going to play often.
I had one of two decisions to make. I could pout and throw myself a pity party, or I could do
my best to help my team improve. No matter what that meant.
God answered my prayer in a way I wouldn’t have expected, but it did take the pressure off.
When it comes to sports, sometimes people have difficulties seeing the role prayer can play. I
find that this is not so unusual. We think we have it all figured out, yet maybe God sees things
a little differently. We want the world to work according to our rules, and then pray to “make”
that happen. Yet perhaps it is God’s rules that ultimately work best. It was my last year play-
ing soccer at Azusa Pacific University. Probably the last year I would play competitively. I
had started some of the games the previous season, so this was the year I would be the starting
goalkeeper. This was the year I would shine.
I had been putting a lot of pressure on myself to play, so I prayed to God to help release
stress so soccer could be fun again. I didn’t expect what happened next.
“This is hard to tell you, but right now we feel you are our third-string keeper.”
Those were the words my coach told me the next day at a practice. I had to fight back the
tears as I realized my plan wasn’t going to follow through. I wasn’t even going to play often.
I had one of two decisions to make. I could pout and throw myself a pity party, or I could do
my best to help my team improve. No matter what that meant.
God answered my prayer in a way I wouldn’t have expected, but it did take the pressure off.
When it comes to sports, sometimes people have difficulties seeing the role prayer can play. I
find that this is not so unusual. We think we have it all figured out, yet maybe God sees things
a little differently. We want the world to work according to our rules, and then pray to “make”
that happen. Yet perhaps it is God’s rules that ultimately work best.
THE PRAYER
STRATEGY
Sports help build a person’s character. If athletes play dirty
on the court or field, they aren’t speaking very highly of their
character. Prayer also has the power to shape people by bringing
them closer to God.
According to Mike Medeiros, pastor of Christian education
in at Cornerstone Bible Church in Glendora, Calif, prayer can
affect the athlete through a combination of both qualities.
“I want people to see Christ in me [when I play],” Medeiros
said.
“I just pray that we’re on God’s side. I pray that we’re able
to be engaged in healthy competition.”
Medeiros believes that prayer fuels sportsmanship. When
he played soccer at APU, he used to give praise to an opposing
player if he liked something they did. He would call them out by
their number and tell them it was a nice pass.
“I would contend that our sportsmanship is only going to be
as good as our relationship with Christ,” Medeiros said.
“Our relationship with Christ is not just fueled by our un-
derstanding of the Word, but our time in prayer with Him.”
Senior exercise science major John Ellis agrees that pre-
game prayers can help the team focus on goals.
“I feel like when we pray before workouts it’s awesome,”
Ellis said, member of the APU track and field team.
“We’re all focused. We’re all ready to go and we’re on the
same page that we’re doing this for God.”
Professional athletes practice the discipline of prayer too.
Take the Los Angeles Lakers. Rick Harville, chaplain for the
NBA professional basketball team, said the Lakers always pray
with the opposing team.
“We’re not praying for who’s going to win. We’re praying
for a better relationship with God,” Harville said.
“We’re praying that both teams can glorify God while play-
ing the game.”
Harville believes as athletes grow in their faith, they learn
more about God and their prayers should reflect that. The point
of prayer, said Harville, is to be honest with God.
“We need to pray in a way that is honest and earnest with
God, no matter what the situation is,” Harville said. “God just
loves us to talk to Him. He loves us to communicate, and that’s
what we all should do, not only athletes.”
But the practice of asking God to win is where the line of
religion and sports blurs, according to Harville. He said we get
into the habit of calling on God for needs.
Prayer on
the defensive
line
Prayer for a
Prayer in the context of sports can either encourage selfish-
ness or selflessness.
“I think prayer could be used the wrong way when we get
selfish in our prayer,” Ellis said. “When we say God help me win
this game or help me win this race, maybe that’s not in God’s
will.”
Medeiros provides an alternative to prayer in sports. Ath-
letes should pray for how they accomplish the task, not what is
accomplished.“I think we should pray in the same way wherever
we’re at, saying, ‘God would you be glorified in what I say and
what I do,’” Medeiros said.
Sharon Lehman, associate professor in physical education
and chair of exercise and sport science offered her thoughts on
prayer and sports.
“Why do we do it?” said Lehman, who is also assistant
athletic director for the APU sports department. “Do we do it
because on the wall it says, ‘God First,’ and we’re a Christian
institution and prayer is a symbol? Or do we do it because we
really believe that game represents who we are as a Christian
university and our God honoring excellence?”
Lehman has a hard time giving thanks to God for something
like a win.
“For me, it should be more of a guidance prayer,” Lehman
said.
“Overall, I think the prayer should be for the individual to
play in a way that keeps them from harm and to play to the best
of their ability.”
Another challenge with combining prayer with sports has to
deal with the context of the sport being played. Lehman sees a
concern in whether players play out whatever they pray for.
“I often see, especially among Christian teams, this false
sense of fellowship where we’re coming together to pray togeth-
er and we’re going to bond in Christ,” Lehman said. “Then when
the game begins, they act like the devil.”
Lehman wonders how this affects observing non-Christians
fans or officials. If teams are performing a public prayer, she be-
lieves their actions should be reflecting it.
“It’s like we say we’re doing one thing, but we’re really not
doing that,” Lehman said.
great win
Although prayer in sports may have its foul plays, prayer
may be beneficial if exercised as conversation.
When athletes look at prayer as a continuous conversation
with God, they don’t just ask him to do things for them. They
see what God wants. By stopping to listen, athletes start thinking
whether or not God is pleased with the way they use prayer.
“Whether in work or in athletics, I believe it’s just simply
talking to God, whatever that person needs to talk to God about,”
Harville said.
Ellis believes that praying has helped the team this year, even
though not every player is a Christian.
“We’re not going to compromise the Christian background,
but we’re inviting them in to help show them Christ through our
sport,” Ellis said.
Each team at APU prays before and after every practice and
game. As the athletes huddle, from under the roar of the crowds
comes a quiet prayer. Whatever the words spoken, whether for
safety or teamwork, there’s a greater win arising from prayer.
“It’s not to accomplish my ends, but for His ends,” Medeiros
said.
Something to think
about...

“ I can do something else besides

”
stuff a ball through a hoop. My
biggest resource is my mind.
-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“Be bold. If you’re going to make

”
an error, make a doozy, and don’t
be afraid to hit the ball.
-Billy Jean King
 ON THE
LOOK
OUT Jonathon
Amaya
Undrafted rookie Jonathon Amaya has been promoted to the active roster prior to Sunday’s
game, likely to play special teams and fill in for injured backup safety Reshad Jones, who is likely
to be inactive against the Bengals.
Fullback Deon Anderson was also placed on injured reserve, just 12 days after he was signed
as insurance to Lousaka Polite and to play special teams.
A Nevada alum, Amaya was signed by the Dolphins following the NFL Draft in April and played
for the team in the preseason, recording six tackles and an interception.
Waived during final cuts on Sept. 4, Amaya has spent the first seven weeks of the regular sea-
son on the team’s practice squad.
Analysis
Anderson’s stint with the Dolphins comes to a quick and disappointing end, though he was
never going to play more than special teams anyway.
With Jones likely out against the Bengals with a leg injury, Amaya will play special teams and
serve as the fourth safety behind top backup Tyrone Culver.
I’m glad to see Amaya promoted, because he is someone that could draw attention from other
teams, although he’s probably going to end up being waived once Jones is healthy.
I’m mildly excited to see Amaya play, as he’s a solid developmental prospect. Granted, he will
likely be limited to special teams in his first NFL season, but he’s someone to keep an eye on.
On Jonathan Amaya and his progress) - “He’s aggressive, a really physical kid. Sometimes that
aggressiveness could get him into a little bit of trouble, but he’s aggressive. As I said for a lot of the
guys back there, the secondary, I’d rather they make the mistake that way right now. He makes it a
million miles an hour whether it’s special teams or whether it’s on defense. He’s made some plays.
In the first game we were at goal line staying down there against Tampa and he made a couple
plays during that three or four plays--but, earlier in the game, maybe got lost in the coverage one
time. And in this game, made a huge jump, okay--bigger, I think he made some corrections and a
little bit more of a contribution in this game in not only the interception but special teams I thought
he caused a little bit of havoc.
He wasn’t exactly right all the time, but his effort and his intensity I think caused some problems
for those people, so. I like where he is right now. We’re lucky, I think that we got a couple of young
safeties that both have shown good things in this training camp.”
Miami Deolphins head coach Tony Sparano said he has been impressed
with how FS Jonathon Amaya has performed during the team’s minicamp,
reports Ben Volin, of the Palm Beach Post. ‘The ball comes to him. That’s
what he’s shown me,’ Sparano said. ‘And it’s funny, because in rookie
camp, if you remember, he did the same thing. ... It’s hard not to notice.’

Team: Miami Dolphins

STATS

Year: Rookie
Position: Defense
Special Teams
College: Nevada
Hometown: Diamond Bar, Ca
Age: 22