Lessons from Camp: Use the Off-Season

I wrote yesterday about teaching about mistakes at the UNI team camp, and how the message to my JV group at the beginning of Day 2 was that they shouldn't make Day 1 mistakes again. Learn and get better.

At the end of Day 2, I had another message concerning their weaknesses. Weaknesses, to me, are different than mistakes. Mistakes are faulty decisions; weaknesses are faulty skills. I told our group that after six games in two days, they had ample opportunity to see where they were weak in their basketball skills. There were plays that each of them were unable to make time and time again because of their weaknesses.

I then told them that the middle of June is a great time to display weaknesses. It's the off-season, the games don't count, and they now have five months to strengthen those weak areas. Because of these six games, they knew what to work on during the summer. I told them that if they want to be effective, if they want to be on the court and have success in the season, they must attack those weaknesses in the time before the season starts.

This is not earth-shattering coaching advice. I would venture to say that most coaches touched on this with their players at the end of that camp. What is earth-shattering, though, is that this advice isn't often heeded in daily life.

There is no real off-season for life. We're always living it, and our mistakes and weaknesses always matter. However, there are certainly times that are much more intense than others. Tragedies and severe hardships shake up our worlds and force us into times of profound stress. On the other side of the coin, there are unexpected times of great opportunity that rattle the foundations of our lives as well. And then there are days like yesterday for me when my daughter asked about whether or not Jesus was God or God's Son.

These are the "game days" of life. We may go months or even years at a time without a "game day" experience. Then one (or many) will come flooding in. The disadvantage here compared to basketball is that players and coaches can clearly see the season and it's game schedule on the calendar. The game days of life almost always come unannounced.

The teaching point is clearly transferable, though. It's too late on game day to prepare. You've either addressed your weaknesses during the offseason, or you've chosen to ignore them. This choice will almost certainly determine whether you are a successful and effective player during your "games." You will either be ready for them, or you will be sitting hopelessly on the bench, wishing you were a stronger player.