Filling the Gap

Here is another great message from Coach Chris Willertz. We are blessed to have Chris on our team here at SportsLeader. He is just like the rest of us: busy being a husband, father, teacher, coach, volunteer, "taxi driver", etc and yet he takes time to always write something or call a coach to encourage them to keep going in this great mission of building men and women of virtue to make our world better. He could say I'm too busy ... but he doesn't. Thanks, Chris.

Virtue=Strength, Lou

Take the time to think about your Father. What did he look like? Big... hairy.... loud.....quiet, not around much, around TOO much..... ?

Irregardless if you had/have a good relationship with your father or a bad one. Irregardless if your father was a good one or a bad one...

We always seek some measure of affirmation from him. We want him to notice us. It doesn't matter if he has ignored us our whole lives....we will sell the farm to get that nod of approval. And if he has devoted time and love and attention to us our whole lives....we will still sell the farm to get ANOTHER nod of approval. It's like magic, it's just how it is....no matter how hard we can try to fight it, we want our dad to say, "That's my boy/girl!"

Currently, I'm reading "Poverty: Opposing Viewpoints". It contains a series of articles discussing poverty, offering opposing viewpoints, such as: "Is poverty getting better or is it getting worse in America?"

There are several very interesting pieces of info. One that intrigued me was children in poverty. Experts agree that there are a few common denominators among poor children.

First: is their parents don't work much, whether by choice or situation.

Next: most do NOT have a dad at home, over two-thirds in fact. And the problem is not getting any better, with over 1.5 million children born to single moms every year.

Obviously, not having a dad around hurts the money earning capability of the family. But the spiritual poverty is far greater in my opinion. These kids don't have a dad to try to impress, a dad to teach, a dad to lead and mentor. They are poor in so many more ways than not having enough money.

We are trying to do something about this epidemic not only among the poor but for all social classes. Dads living their own lives and ignoring their spouses and children is becoming the norm, rich or poor. Whether we like it or not, coaches, mentors, teachers HAVE to step in and help. 

We are trying to do our part at Winton Woods through the wrestling program. We hope and pray our boys will learn from all of us, the responsibilities and privledges of adult manhood. Join in and help!

You do have something to offer, every day. Helping out once or twice is not enough. Daily prayers, daily offerings, daily sacrifices is what is needed. And if you don't think you have anything to offer, if you are unsure of yourself, "What can I do, heck my father never affirmed me!", go to the ultimate father, God our Father, Creator of the Universe and Mankind. He wants to say, That's my boy/girl! And He never gets tired of bragging about you, that's my boy/girl, over and over and over again. Start today! 

Have a great day and a better week "filling the gap"!

Coach Willertz
Winton Woods Wrestling.Faith..Focus and Fight!