Sports Talk- players and interviews :)

   I listened to one of my first sports casts, well I guess it is referred to as a pod cast being as it is online. This interesting little talk show is entitled "Slate's Hang Up and Listen".  They were discussing the players in the NFL and teams such as the Patriots and Steelers. This show features Josh Levin and sports reporter Mike Pesca.
Stefan Fatsis is also featured as a writer and commentates on occasion.
  They begin to give their opinion on Jay Cutler for the Bears. They talk about this because an ESPN reporter, Rick Riley, did a story previously on the player and attempted to get Cutler to open up and give a good story. Riley said he was stand-offish and simply had a bad attitude. He said we form opinions on athletes in the way they hold themselves on the field, but not just that, also off the field. And the sports commentators on the show had also taken on the opinion that this player is rude off the field.
   Of course, no player is expected to like a sports journalist, but he should be able to respect a journalist enough to give them a few minutes of their time to get a story done. It seems like a player would want their name in the paper with encouraging, positive words behind their name.
   They also discuss the opinion on the reasons behind players wanting the work with other athletes. "I think leadership matters, but I ask the question, do we deem a person a leader just because they are good." This part of the sports cast was not only creative, but a great point to hit! Just because a player might be the best on the field or court does not make him or her the team leader, you become a leader through your example, and whether or not you can lead your team by make tough game decisions and deal with game pressure. I say game pressure because you are able to keep composed-and that is for the team, not just the player's good name. Because often, people relate a team to a player- and when one player messes up or makes a poor decision it is related to that team as a whole. So I ask....
  What do you think makes a great leader? Their skills or their leadership?
God Bless,
   Lauren

Don't ask God to guide your footsteps, if you're not willing to move.

  When we are young,  you start creating goals for yourself, ambitions that you think that after you work hard and stay after that dream-you can eventually get there. When I was little, I was just like everyone else, I wanted to be a doctor, a vet, a teacher.  I didn't have my mind made up because I had my whole life ahead of me to decide what I wanted to do. Things change though. People change. Something that stayed the same though was my summer plans. Besides going to  basketball and cheerleading camps, I always went to Camp Chula Vista- A church of God camp in Pell City. When I was thirteen I was able to go to my first teen camp and I was beyond excited. My excitement quickly became a terror when our mess hall's deck collapsed while waiting for lunch on the second day of camp. Several campers were injured and sadly we all knew that Camp Chula Vista would never be the same. I say that for two reasons- one because of the camp deck and two because of the speaker who would impact my life greatly.
    Pastor Brandon was leading Camp that week, and it was a first of many  being as he was a prophet of Jesus's, and I had never experienced that. Tuesday night, the day of the deck collapse, he picked myself and a good friend of mine who also studies at UNA out of the crowd and prophesied over our lives. In that moment, I was completely changed because God had revealed to me my purpose in the world. I was still a little girl, but showed me that this little girl could make a difference if I followed his will for my life. Pastor Brandon told me that I would be a journalist-because I will be incorporating something that I love, writing, in with my job. He also told me that I will be affecting change and be known all over the world. At thirteen, you can imagine the emotions I felt. I was scared, excited, nervous., but most of all ready. I was ready to fulfill God's will. I wanted to start that day.
     I tell you all of this to say that I soon sought out all opportunities to get me where Pastor Brandon said I would be. I went to a Journalism Day at Auburn my Junior year (And I'm a die-hard Alabama fan.) I was selected to go to Japan, Girl's State, and lucked out with several awards at Falkville.  I also had little things come up that showed me I was on the right path in following God's plan. I made sure to keep my grades up in hope of getting scholarships all while playing four sports. I ended up graduating Salutatorian. So in high school, everything paid off. I chose to come to UNA because of the scholarship they offered me. Since I've been at UNA I have been inducted in two honor societies, worked for the Flor-Ala, The Times Daily, Interned at Rick and Bubba, broadcasted with JD Byars and the UNA Lions Sports Network, and work for FCA of North Alabama.
   Having said all of this to tell you that the work is worth it. It is a long journey to ever achieve a goal, whether it is small like a A on a test, bigger like an A in a class, or huge like being a sideline reporter for ESPN, you have to sweat to see the results. I don't just mean that metaphorically. Michael Jordan, "I'm not out there sweating for three hours just to see what it is like to sweat." You have to put in the effort, the work to see the results. I encourage everyone to seek what they are good at, and go after being the best at it. God gives everyone talents for a reason. He wants you to use them for the gain of his glory!
   Follow your dreams, set high goals and go after them with your whole heart. The results will come if you put in the effort :).
"I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you're a musician, a writer, an athlete or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you'll win-if you don't you won't."- Bruce Jenner.