Like many people before Jesus, Eric lived his life for himself. It was all about having fun and doing things his way. He considered himself a “good person” but not a Godly one. He struggled with peer pressure to fit in even as back-to-back Teenage Powerlifting Champion in high school. He chose to party to be accepted.
After high school, Eric lived with his father, who had given his life to the Lord and had been radically changed. He occasionally went to church with his dad. He had always believed in Jesus but never genuinely committed to a relationship with Him. After an invitation from an aunt, Eric and his dad went to a drama production of “Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames” at a local church. It was there he realized he needed salvation!
Later, while dating his now-wife, Jessica, they attended an event where a Christian speaker spoke of becoming a true follower of Christ. Eric knew it was time to commit his life to living for Jesus every day.
He and Jessica have been married for over 26 years. They have three wonderful boys, James, Bricen, and Matthew. He is an insurance adjuster by trade and a high school football coach for the love of the game.
As a high school coach, Eric feels he gets to mentor some of the best kids in the world. There are about 60-75 each year on the Junior Varsity and Varsity teams. He tries to engage with each player in different ways, even if he’s not their position coach. He ensures each kid knows they are seen and loved on and off the field. He attends the players’ activities off the football field and baseball and basketball games.
Eric feels it is an honor to pray for and with his players when they share their struggles at home. When players are injured, it also opens opportunities for Eric to share the love of Christ.
God is using Eric to impact our future. As a high school coach, he gets to help develop young men. He watches them grow from 14-year-old freshman boys to 18-year-old graduates as young men. In that time, Eric spends countless hours with them, teaching them accountability, responsibility, and work ethic. Many of them may not have a male figure in their home or lives and are the man of the house by the time they reach high school. Eric feels in his position as a coach, God allows him to impact these young men’s lives. He is helping them be better men and leaders, which empowers them to impact their communities.
Sometimes, the passion of a game pushes its way up front. During the third-round home game of the 2-A playoffs in 2015, they kicked the opening kickoff. There were two late-hit calls as the opposing team was driving down the field to score.
When the running back was hit out of bounds on the sideline in front of Eric, he commented in earshot of the official, “I can’t believe we can’t get a call at home on our sideline. “The side judge turned and said, “You want a call on your sideline?” He reached for his flag, threw it about 20 feet in the air, and said, “You got one!”
As the head coach discussed the flag with the officials, Eric slowly tried to work his way down the sideline. The official turned around to tell the head coach the flag was on him and couldn’t find him. The official searched for Eric, who was standing behind a much larger player. Once he found Eric, the official told the head coach, “You can blame him for that one!” Eric says, “If his eyes could kill, I wouldn’t be here right now!”
Eric’s players know he always protects them on and off the field.
He has learned that this world and this life are about so much more than him. He believes the decision to follow Jesus wholly has made him a better husband and father than I could ever imagine being without Jesus in my life. Also, Jesus’ love has taught him how to care for others, and he tries to show that to his family and players daily.
The life lesson that resonates most with Eric is the “next play, best play“ approach. In sports, there are times when you don’t play your best, and you have to learn from that, get better, move forward, and not dwell on the past. Eric teaches his players and applies that principle in his walk with Christ. He knows he has days when he sometimes fails, but with Christ’s love and forgiveness, his next play will be his best play! Jesus does not give up on us.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17
Don’t wait to commit your life to Jesus! It will be the best decision you will ever make! Jesus’s love is like no other. Will you pray as Eric has, repenting of your sin and asking Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? When you pray to receive Jesus Christ by faith, that play is your best play.