Friday, June 4, 2021

Performance Identity

This week, Naomi Osaka, the number 2 women's tennis player in the world, withdrew from the French Open Tennis Tournament due to concerns with her mental health.  She had announced earlier that she would not be participating in post-match player interviews, which are mandatory when participating in the tournament.  Initially, she was fined for taking that position, but when the story erupted in the press, she elected to withdraw altogether.   The pressure that came along with the pointed questions from the press was too much for her to handle.  My heart hurts for her.  Her fierce competitive nature on the court contrasts sharply with her quiet demeanor off-court.  I can only imagine that an athlete performing at that level may feel that her whole person is defined by her results on the court.  I don't know how prevalent this is with other athletes, but Baylor University thought it was important enough to establish the Faith and Sports Institute.  The institute is a team of coaches, athletes, chaplains and scholars who provide education and formative practices for Christian leaders in sports.  Click here for a short video introduction and more information.  A little closer to home, I have been thinking about how I can help our grandkids in sports not feel trapped by a performance identity.  I want to encourage them to participate in sports, and encourage them to excellence, but every step of the way, remind them that their identity is not defined by their performance on the field.  It is defined by the love from their family and the love God has for each one of them, and when the time is right, by their personal decision to be adopted into the family of Christ.

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