The Athlete's Guide to Success

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Every gift counts and now every gift is doubled. trainapaster.com Share it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. This is what Sally Moore-Huss said.

She's a Wimbledon semifinalist. She said Joe Sperley, a masterful coach with years of coaching experience, shares about success, injuries, burnout, pressures in coaching. Joe, we've got a great host here, but you're fired up because this is your passion, taking the sports and pointing people to Jesus, right?

Yeah, this is really something that's been on my mind for a long time. It's just really great to get it out and we can get it into all the athletes' and parents' and grandparents' hands to really make an impact and really show them what sports is about and, you know, continue to play and have fun. It's a lot of stuff I share in there. My playing experiences and coaching experiences and some great stories of the players that got overlooked and now they've changed their life forever.

You know, that's what sports is a big part of impacting lives and developing character and friendships. It's been real exciting and I'm just real proud to get it out to help make an impact in the world. Writing a new book is kind of like, Hannah, it's your baby. It's bringing something new into this world. Joe, tell us why you wrote this book.

At the end of the day, what's the biggest reason you wrote this book, the biggest takeaway you want to tell everyone out there? I think the number one reason was just seeing too many athletes that had ability and had potential and never reached where they should have went. And it's a very tough road and the parents and the athletes, you know, you don't really know until you get down that road and it's too late. So that's what I've done over the years is been that coach and mentor, but this way I can get to a lot of people so that, you know, they continue to develop and reach their potential and have positive life impacts.

That's really what we want. We don't want any of these negative life impacts that sports can create. Everyone wants their kid to be in the NFL and the NBA and the Major League Baseball, right, in NASCAR, but that's not always how it works out. What do you do when you're a coach and you got all this heat coming and pressure coming from parents? How do you balance that and what's your challenge out there to both parents and coaches?

I wrote the chapter five is about specifically for the parents for that. I'm just really sitting back and enjoying the time and it goes by quick and not really putting all the pressure on their son or daughter to, you know, the big thing everybody wants now is college scholarship. So, you know, it's great to do that.

I've helped a lot of over 300 do that. But if you just putting the pressure on your son or daughter and doing that, it doesn't work that way. You have to be out there just having fun and developing and learning life skills to and and just being a good character, really developing into a good human being. But many times you guys watched baseball and you never hear the umpire say work ball.

He always says play ball. It's about having fun. What about God and the Lord in this? Because you're really trying to point people to Christ through sports. A great tool to lead people to the Lord.

Yes. That's a great way to get them one on one, get them in a good atmosphere on the out there on the field or in the court, wherever, and just really start sharing some testimonies and stuff that I went through and just start understanding. You know, I didn't learn till late age and 29 that I could spearhead and do a lot of things. But you come to a point where winning isn't everything. And sometimes you just hit a wall. And when that wall, then you come to the Lord and that's a time when you understand that the next day the sun will come up and the Lord's always going to be there for you.

So it's a thing that really takes off that secular pressure, I think, of having God is in control and having a foundation and having some peace. Everyone knows who this author is, who this guy is. His name is Joe Sperley and he's written this book, Athletes Guide to Success. Joe, you wrote this book, but things weren't looking maybe so bright.

Tell everyone who Joe Sperley is going way back. A little guy losing your dad at an early age. You know, you actually had to be the dad in the home and not just play a lot of sports. At every sport, you rose to the occasion. But talk about that a little bit.

Go back and get real with us. Yeah, that was a real traumatic time when I was age 11, you know, finding my mom passed and asleep in the bedroom. It really took me tough. It was so deep and traumatic that I didn't even want to think about it or talk about it.

I just kind of buried it. And my dad already had some diabetes issues and some PTSD from World War II, so he was pretty much kind of half there some days and not real being a father. And then once she passed, he just kind of almost gave up. And diabetes, he didn't take care of it.

And then he was found on the street, passed out with a coma and ended up going to a veterans hospital. So I raised a younger brother and it was it was an amazing time of a lot of pressure and a lot of worry. But sports is what kept me going and doing good in school. But it one of the things it really teaches you about is the support that a family, a father and mother can give to their children that I didn't even really realize till I started seeing my teammates.

We'd walk off and all the parents were there. And I usually had some good games and really helped the team, but walk off the field and there's nobody there. It's a pretty empty feeling to have that, you know, when nobody's there cheering you on.

And as you know, Stu, your mother's your best advocate. And, you know, it was always a void I had in my life of walking off the field. And, you know, she she grew up in Scotland, came over and she was 21, never got to see me play. So, you know, I dedicated the book to my mom and dad, you know, never got to see me, you know, excel and do a lot of things in sports. So it's it made me into the coach I am today, though.

And you've spent your every waking hour trying to wake the rest of us up who do have parents or who are parents to use every minute to point that little one. But most importantly, to keep God the priority and not become an idol at the sports field, right? Exactly.

Yeah. The parents are these days need to just come to God, realize that he is in control, enjoy the time. You know, don't put the pressure on. You want there's a there's a good parental direction that you want to give to the children. And it has to be biblical concepts. Number one, number two, just letting them make some mistakes, but be watching them, guiding them. And also having somebody as an advocate or mentor that can kind of watch you. And I talk about that in the book that you really in today's world, as you know, Stu, you talked about some of your mentors in every profession, but especially sports.

You need a mentor that that's got a godly heart that's been down the road that the athlete wants to go and that knows how to to guide them and care about them and give them some wisdom and have them reach his potential to get to God first, but also to go as far as he can advance and have great positive life changes. What about you guys? Anyone want to ask a question of Joe here? We've got a cast of characters.

All right. Hey, Joe, it's David. I'm sure you had coaches that made a real powerful impact on your life.

Any particular one come to mind that sings out? Yeah, it's interesting. And I write about it in the book of all the years of playing. I had three good coaches. And the one that was was a big impact was Gil Patterson, who was the Oakland A's minor league pitching coordinator now. And I remember in Florida years ago, I was on the field and all of a sudden he started talking and I could feel there was there was some connection there.

And I'm like, this guy's sounds and his spirit was a lot like me on. He had already been there down the road and into the majors and got hurt at five shoulder and three elbow. He was the number one pick for the Yankees and was just a phenom. And, you know, back then they didn't have the middlemen and the closers. And and they just wore him out.

They sent him. But he was a guy that really took me in his wing that day. And then we went in his office and he told me about some of the things a little bit. And then we look at some pictures and then there was an article in there talked about when he had elbow surgery and Whitey Ford asked him, you should try and throw left handed. He was his pitching coach and he worked all winter, reported spring training through left handed, which I remember sitting there in Florida instruction camp reading that thinking, wow, I've done some stuff with no parents and set some records in basketball, football and baseball.

And did a lot of amazing, amazing things. But I'm looking at I don't know if I could throw eighty five left handed. Well, that's the book is available. Athletes guide to success. A road map to becoming a champion at Goliance Christian Supply. The owner of that store is right here, D. White. Where are your locations for your bookstore? And you're online, too. We have two bookstores in North Carolina, one here in King, North Carolina, and then no one out in Statesville. King is right near Winston-Salem. And so come by and see us. We do sell online as well. It'll be up on a Web site called for gospel dot com. So check there in a day or two and we'll have it up there. But, Joe, I want to ask you if you had any favorite sections in this book or concepts, just kind of promote the book to me. One of the things that I talk about addressing there is that you have to play more than one sport.

There's too much that's been out there. That's that's a false lead is to specialize in one sport at a young age because that'll get you to high school and college and maybe professionally. That is very low. Chances that you do that of the two hundred and fifty five NFL guys drafted last year. Two hundred and twenty five of them played more than one sport in high school and growing up. So for all the parents and you should have your son or daughters enjoying and playing other sports so that they don't get burnout or use injuries, loss of passion. If I would have played 11 months of just baseball when I was a kid, I would have had some already had some starting to get some elbow issues. And I was thank God for my genetics that I was able to battle through it.

But I used to get a lump on my kind of top of my forearm from throwing so many curveballs at a young age. But that is really and to really find a mentor and a coach that you really can connect with so that they really care. Number one, it's about making an impact and caring about instead of the coaches wanting to win. I say in the book that the measure of a coach isn't his wins and losses. It's the impact that he makes in his athletes.

That's really good. The website for the book is Joesperly.com. Learn more about this wonderful book, Athlete's Guide to Success, a Roadmap to Becoming a Champion. Joesperly, coach, leader, scout.

You got it. This guy. Get this book. The goal is Christian supplier online.

Joesperly.com. How do these kids go wrong? How do these parents get to controlling? What happens at the ball field? What is going on with sports out of control? Maybe sometimes parents are going so hard. They're at ball fields instead of at church.

Priorities out of whack. There's a man who's spoken with a clarion sound. His name is Joe Sperly. He's a coach. He grew up playing ball. He's hit some balls out of the park like you've never used. You've got to hang out with this guy.

You've got to bring him to your church to speak. Joe, you've got a great testimony. In the first segment, you shared some of that with us.

You've written this book, Athlete's Guide to Success, a Roadmap to Becoming a Champion. One thing you address in here is this issue of narcissism. Now, I will come out of the gate and say, I'm not narcissistic.

I just think the whole world revolves on me. OK? I'm just kidding.

That was for the group. We're at a restaurant. It's a little bit loud, but we've got some crazy guys in here.

Rockin' Ronnie's holding down the fort there at the end of the table. But, Joe, do you encounter narcissism much out there on the hard top or on the diamond? Oh, yeah, it's everywhere. And I wrote about it in the book, and it's prevalent in the coaching world.

And one of the biggest signs when you start to see that the coaches are talking about it, this is my team, and it's all about winning and it's all about them instead of thinking about the players. And it's really toxic. It's something that is detrimental to the world. And we really need to pray and bring them. If you've really done some study on it, God is the only way that can heal you of it. You have to come to the Lord and get your heart opened up and get cleaned and really understand that, you know, I think the biggest thing is, you know, as parents, we should love and be involved with our kids and give love. But the world does not just revolve around you and your kids.

You have to reach out and, like we do in our group, you have to help others and you have to understand that you make the world a better place. We have to also believe and be happy for others. One of the things of a trait of the narcissistic personality is they don't know how to commend and be happy for others and give compliments.

And when you see that, that's real toxic because they have some deep issues there that's going to be real toxic for your son or daughter to be around. I heard Dr. Jeremiah say once, he said, are you as excited about other people's victories and successes as you are about your own? That's a sign of true servanthood and a Christ-like attitude, pulling for other successes. And you've been pulling for kids. I tell you what, you get guys around Coach Joe, I'm in a room full of guys right here who this guy has been a big encouragement to, and he's got this book.

And you can buy it at his website, at the Goliens Christian Supply, Christian bookstore in King, North Carolina, and in Statesville, North Carolina. And Uncle D. White Goliens right across the table from you. And he made a great point. We're all sinners.

We all have a little dose of narcissism, a little inkling toward that. And thank God for his grace for sinning Jesus, right, to die for us, to show us that, hey, it's not about us. It takes a lot of time with these athletes to explain to them it's not about us, especially in these team sports. You know, you're in baseball. Football, who's going to do the blocking and tackling? Basketball, who's going to feed me the pill? Or who am I going to share the rock with, right, to win a championship? Because I may have 40 points, but the team's not going to win.

That's exactly right. In fact, you know, I had a lot of good times playing basketball in high school. And one of the things, you know, I took pride in was playing defense. I was a point guard. And at times we'd lose, a lot of the guys would go over and look at the book and see how many points they scored. And then I'd wait and I'd go up to them and I'd say, yeah, but look at how many points the guy you guarded scored.

That's why we lost. Wow. So, Joe, what's your challenge to a struggling kid out there? Man, his parents have been trying to get to him, trying to get him back in the game, trying to get him back in. And he's just done.

He's just kind of, he's hung up the sneakers. But you see that kid's got some talent and has, can make a contribution. What's your challenge, how do you, what do you do, what does Coach Joe do with the Lord, with all your, with your awesome book here, try to get these kids back in it and because he had one bad experience with the coach or because maybe with parents there's still hope? Yeah, I think what I first tell them is that you were given some gifts and talents. And the biggest thing is you don't want to waste those gifts and talents and have regrets when you get older. Because you're only going to live and have one chance to take it. So you should, you should never quit and walk away.

You should make them take, tear the jersey off you, whatever passion, sport you want to play. And don't stop playing. Just, if you're having a bad experience, take a break from it. You know, and then just do a little bit of stuff on your own and get some passion back. And really just don't, I've heard too many stories that too many men and women have told me that they wish, I just heard one this morning at Wednesday in the Word, wish they would have tried this and played.

And they still now, of almost 60 years old, have that regret. So my big message to any of you athletes out there, do not stop playing. Continue to use your gifts and talents and just work hard and let it be a positive thing.

But understand, each day you're going to have a tough day and a bad day. But God's going to be there for you no matter what you did. But continue to play until they have to tear that uniform off you. Yeah, and play to reach people for the good news of Christ. I mean, there's people that I can share the Lord with on the basketball court that may never come to church.

Exactly. Yeah, it's a great place to fellowship, to really have a great time and enjoy your gifts and talents. And basically just spread the word and love and just have fun on the courts. Because that's what kept me going with my tough, dysfunctional childhood, is on the courts, on the baseball, on the football fields, that was my haven. That was my safe place to get away from all of the dysfunctional home life that I had.

And it's a good, peaceful place. And then you can really, once you come to the Lord, it's just a great spiritual blessing to be on whatever activity you're doing in sports. Athletes guide to success. Joe, what is your final challenge as we leave here for this awesome restaurant? It's been this food. I mean, Mayflower II, Gus and Maria in rural hall. You've got to come here and eat sometimes.

Exit 118. Guys, can we hear a little bit of noise here for these guys, for the food, for Joe? Let's hear about it. Mr. Hoover, D. White, Joe, what's your final takeaway, your challenge about the Lord and everything at the end of the day?

I think at the end of the day, I just want to do what He wants me to do and really spread His love and affect as many people as I can and make an impact so that the world's a better place to live and we all can pull together and help each other and just wake up every day and smile and give thanks to the Lord, knowing that we did His will and that we want to just make a big impact and spread His love. And for you, Stu, it's been awesome. The radio station's changed my life. And I listen to it every day, just coming out here a couple of years ago and not really knowing anybody and then being at the Dash game one day and talking about the station and saying that they did the Dario. And I said, I want to meet that guy that's running that station.

And I knew there was a connection just for the love that I could hear your ads you were doing and talking and then the different messages. Those messages, the last two years, I'm telling you people, you need to listen to 97.7, have impacted and changed my life and gave me so much uplift that it's like eating your breakfast for the morning, just listening to some of the messages that come across. So I really thank you for everything you've done and your love and your heart for Jesus.

And the station is just, I can't say enough, it's phenomenal. Very kind. Kind words from Joe Sperley. We should call this book The Christian Radio Guide to Success because he has boosted me up and encouraged me today. Wow, that gets me chills hearing you say that.

God bless you. Get this book, folks. Be encouraged. Give it to someone.

Give it to that athlete in your life, that parent wrestling with the game, struggling about boundaries and balances and how much heat do you give the coach, how much do you listen. I mean, you don't want to be that parent, so read this book. Right, Joe?

And it'll be encouraging to you. JoeSperley.com. J-O-E-S-P-E-R-L-E.com. Or locally in North Carolina, at Goliance Christian Supply or online. Is it ForGospel.com? This is the Truth Network.