Go Thunder!

In May, thanks to those who have already given  to the Faithfully Forward campaign, the College broke ground on state-of-the-art renovations to the Chrouser Sports Complex that will honor the calling of our coaches and improve the student-athlete experience by adding strength, aiding agility, speeding recovery, and enhancing teamwork. We did this because we believe that athletics, too, are for Christ and his Kingdom.

I first became a fan of Wheaton College Athletics when I was a faculty kid. My memories of sports on campus in the 1970s are vivid:

• watching the caped Crusader on horseback patrol the old cinder track during football games;
• being forced to leave basketball games early on Saturday nights because the second half ran past my bedtime;
• stopping to watch Lee Pfund ’49 coach a few innings at Lawson Field on my way home from elementary school;
• seeing All-American Steve Long ’78 gather a soccer ball at midfield, sprint past his defender, and score a breakaway goal.

Over the last 15 years I have added more sporting memories than I can recount: wrestling meets, tennis matches, conference-winning swim relays, twilight track meets, soccer championships—even golf matches. From the bleachers of King Arena to the sidelines of McCully Stadium to the tree-lined avenues of St. James Farm, I have witnessed thrilling victories and spirit-crushing defeats.

All these competitions—and the practices leading up to them—have the serious purpose of producing Christian character. In my experience as a parent, athlete, and educator, few activities in life have greater potential than athletics to teach fundamental lessons in discipline, teamwork, and perseverance.

This is why so many former Wheaton athletes have gone on to excel in their kingdom contributions after they graduate: They learned how to achieve success and recover from failure while finding their primary identity in Jesus Christ.

Seeing athletics as a healthy aspect of a Christ-centered liberal arts education is nothing new. The phrase “student-athlete” echoes the ancient Greek ideal of “a sound mind in a sound body” and celebrates the integration of physical and intellectual excellence. When godly coaches teach our student-athletes to train their bodies under the lordship of Jesus Christ, they achieve the even higher purpose of glorifying God with all their heart and strength as well as mind and soul.