Gò0dNews for Everyone
From The Coach’s Desk…
“T
by Tiffany Tankersley
he effectiveness of a leader is best judged by
anybody who has ever filled the shoes of a coach will tell you
the actions of those he guides.” –Coach Bill
just that. They will also tell you it is not for the faint of heart;
Courtney
it is purely a labor of love, and nothing has ever pulled so
These are words of life spoken by incredible high school
fiercely on the strings of their hearts than when one of their
football coach Bill Courtney out of Memphis, Tennessee. He
own realizes their ability to overcome adversity. Coaches are
is the center of the docuseries, “Undefeated.” It trails the life
selfless, passionate believers in others. We have opportunities
of a believer in our youth who builds a football program in
to plant seeds of goodness into the hearts and minds of those
an impoverished and dilapidated North Memphis school
who matter most.
district with all odds and obstacles imaginable stacked against him and even more stacked against the team he leads to the first undefeated season in the high school’s history. These young men face unimaginable circumstances that pierce the very deepest parts of my own coach’s heart. This is where Friday night lights turn into a spotlight of smalltown stardom. In the opening scene, Coach Courtney is standing in front of a seemingly hopeless team. He says, “Let’s see here: starting right guard, shot— no longer in school; starting linebacker, shot—no longer in school; two players fighting right in front of the coach when he is trying to make things work out. Starting center, arrested for shooting somebody in the
In the year that Coach Bill Courtney led his impossible
face with a BB gun.” For perspective, at the beginning of
high school team to an undefeated season, one of his players
that statement, he means these boys were victims of actual
was signed and went on to play college football. The first
gunshot wounds. The crime rate and gang activity in North
college game he played in was in front of some 50,000 fans.
Memphis are staggering. The once-buzzing metropolitan city
His aspirations were to study education so that he could also
where the blues was born now boasts a whopping violent
be a football coach after he graduated. Two other players went
crime rate of 84 per 1000 residents. North Memphis has one
on to college, earning scholarships that would have never
of the highest crime rates in all of America comparable to
been possible without this coach. All were made better by the
communities of all sizes. These boys face the chance of being
sacrifice and love of one very special football coach.
involved in a violent crime at an astounding rate of one in 12!
“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, burning
For most people, taking on such a challenge would
away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like
present more trouble than worth. But to a coach, it presents
gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who may once
a remarkable opportunity. That is what we do. We hope for
again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord” (Malachi 3:3). Be
opportunities to serve, opportunities to encourage and build
encouraged today. Be involved. Sign up to coach or volunteer.
up our youth as individuals who are strong and know the
Coaching our youth is a rewarding full-circle ministry. Time
value of hard work and discipline. It is not always easy, and
spent pouring into our youth is never in vain.
36 // March 2020
