Youth Sports
I want to run a quick experiment.
Think about the last time someone said something really encouraging to you — like they really meant it, not just “good job.” How did it make you feel? Did it change anything about what you did next?
Now think about the last time someone said something that made you feel bad. Did that change what you did next?
Your words have real power on this team. Way more than you probably realize.
Read this passage slowly.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 — NIVLet that sit for a second before you move.
Build each other up. Not tear each other down. Paul says this like it’s a job — an action, not just a feeling. You don’t wait until you feel like encouraging someone. You do it because it’s your job as a teammate.
Here’s what encouragement looks like in a real game. When your teammate makes a good play, you say something. When they make a mistake, you say “it’s okay, you’ve got this” and you mean it. When the team is down and tired, you’re the one who’s still loud, still cheering, still making everyone feel like things can turn around.
That’s not fake. That’s one of the most powerful things a teammate can do. Research on sports teams actually shows that teams who encourage each other more perform better. Your words are literally part of what makes this team good.
Use them well.
Your words are literally part of what makes this team good. Use them well.
Who on this team could use some encouragement right now? What would you say to them?
If the group is safe enough, have kids say it to the person directly. That turns the devotional into an actual moment of team care.
Build each other up. That’s your job as a teammate.
Consider ending this devotional with 60 seconds where every player says one encouraging thing to the player next to them. Simple, fast, and surprisingly powerful.