Identity

If you are running an athletic program for a Christian school, the first question you need to consider is, "Who are we?" In most cases, your school will have already answered that for you, but that isn't always the case. I spent several years at a school that is over ten years old and they still haven't established their identity. If your school is taking the shotgun approach to education--a scattered philosophy and trying something new every year-- and just can't figure out who they are, your task will be more difficult.

Is athletics primarily an outreach program? Is it for the sake of creating teenage evangelists? Is its purpose to extol the virtues of competition and aid young men and women in establishing their identity? Is it a tool to increase enrollment? Is it a vital part of capturing school spirit? Is it an intramural time so that kids have another option for after-school activities? You need to know the answer before you can be successful--and success will most certainly be defined within the confines of your philosophy and identity.

If you want to be competitive, attract new students to your school, and have an excellent athletics program, your approach is going to be a lot different than if your main goal is to create a social gathering for kids seeking something to do after school.

Identity. Know who you are.