I never understood the fuss and arguments regarding 'prayer' in public schools; I conducted prayer for the thirty-nine years in the public school arena. Let me qualify that statement. During those many coaching years, I had a pregame prayer over a thousand times on public school properties in a quasi public-school classroom albeit the gymnasium locker room. I suppose that even my adversaries did not make an issue out of this practice for fear of painting themselves as fanatic-agnostics.
The first five or six years coaching, I asked the players to assemble before 'taking-the-floor' to collective say The Lord's Prayer. This was okay except over time it seemed to be a recitation without much meaning and besides, we Christians can agree on a Savior but we have a difficult time agreeing on how to end The Lord's Prayer. Therefore, I began saying the pregame prayer myself. My intention in this matter was to focus players' attention on the fact that they should be grateful for physical health, opportunities and competition relationships. The prayer was never about winning. In fact, I still detest the athlete who points to the Heavens, as if to thank a deity for his athletic success; I always wondered if he was saying to his God, "Hey thanks for allowing to opponent to fail." I got a feeling God could care less about those self-serving prayers.
I recall one player in the 1970's, who truly found motivation in my prayers. In the fourth quarter of a hotly contested basketball game, this boy called an unexpected time out. As the team gathered at courtside, I asked the lad why he called the time out. He said, "Coach my legs are getting tired and I've noticed that I can jump higher after you pray; so could you say a quick prayer?"
Yes, it was a player at Edwardsville high school.
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