September/October 1990 - Vol 4 Num 5

eptembcr • October 1990

2.50 ( 3.25 anada)

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FEATURES

E WOULD ALL like to change something about ourselves, I imagi ne, if we are honest with ourselves.

Either we're too fat or we' re too skinny. We' re too tall or not tall enough. Our hair is the wrong color, or the wrong texture, or there's not enough of it. And we're not quite fast enough, nor strong enough. Mostl y, we would like to change the things we can do very little- if anything- about.

In a recent study, subjects adjusted the length of four beams of light in order to guess the size of their various body par1s. When estimating the size of others, subjects were very accurate in their estimations. But when asked to estimate their own bodily dimensions, subjects distorted their size by as much as 25 percent. ' But no matter what we look like, we all have one thing in common: the face in the mirror. Plastic surgery aside, we're pretty much stuck with who we are. And even if we decide to change our appearance, we' re sti ll the same person

inside. We sec ourselves every day, but who are we, really?

In this i sue of Second Loo/;, we' ll be asking some tough questions about our perception of self.

It's something each of us has to deal with, as we· re constantly ban·aged by messages telling us we need to look a certa in way, or act a certain way, or wear the right kind of clothes, buy the right products, and dri ve the right car.

And the feedback we get about our attempts to be successful as a person in the e 1990s is not always positive. We could always do better at school or at work. None of us is completely adept at navigating the murky waters of inteqJersonal relationshi ps, and we often nrn aground there. And sometimes we feel like we just don't fit in.

The people featured in this issue of Second Look are no different than the re t ofus. They don' t have it made just because they' re successful athletes. In fact, they live their li ves balancing atop an exaggerated performance standard, where one little slip could drastically change their careers-and how they feel about themselves.

Not to mention that they put up with intense media scrutiny (from this magazine as well), examining every detail of their li ves, both public and private.

Yet these athletes are concerned enough to discuss some difficult issues. Gymnasts Dan and Dennis Hayden talk about the disappoin tment of unfulfilled Olympic dreams. Worl d class triathlete Jan Ripple shares very candidl y about her embarrassment growing up as a girl with big, strong muscles.

We have a special medical report

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by Dr. Glenn Town on the issue of body image, and what we can do about maintaining both a healthy attitude and a healthy physique. And Kyle Rote Jr. discusses the impact of major league ups and downs with standout shortstop Greg Gagne of the Minnesota Twi ns.

Perhaps you are tired of not liking yourself. Or maybe you wish you could do somethi ng about your battered self esteem. If so, then you' ll benefit from reading on as we take a "second look" at self-image. •

- Dave Burnham

P.S. Beginning with your next issue, Second Look will have a new look (see back cover). We' ll still be the same great magazine, but our "image" will be changing just a bit.

We think you' ll enjoy what we have in store, and we'd certainly love to hear from you about it.

4 Playing the Percentages Greg Gagne doesn't let his batting average get him down With Kyle Rote Jr.

Dave Burnham is chairman emeritus of the International Sports Coalition, an association of sports ministries ftvm mound the u-orld.

He also appears regularly as a teacher on the television program Day of Discovery.

[EDITOR's 'OTE: This is Dave Bumham's last column in this space, though he will continue to contribute to the magazine in his new role as publisher. We have appreciated his insights, and we look forward to his continued leadership in directing this publication.I I. ··Larger TI1an Lire;· l'sycltolngy T()(/ay. April 1986, pp. 38-44.

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The Ripple Effect Bulging muscles are no problem for triathlete Jan Ripple

By Karen Rudolph Drollinger

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: COVER, KIRK SCHLENALLSPORT; p. 2 (upper lelt), Michael Forrest; p. 2 (upper right), Otto Gruele JrJAIIsport; p. 2 (lower right), Richard Grahamffrialhlete magazine; p. 3 (top left), Dave Black; p. 3(1op right), Rob BrowiVL.os Angeles Dodgers; p. 3 (bollom right), Damie~ Strohmeyer/AIIsport; p. 4, K~rk Schlea/AIIsport; . pp. 5·6, Olio Gruele Jr./AIIsport; p. 7, Rob BrowiVL.os Angeles Dodgers; pp. 8·9, Lois Schwartz/Competitor magazme; p. 10 (lelt), R1chard GrahamfTnathlete magaz1ne; p. 10 (right) Lois Schwartz/Competitor magazine; pp. 16·19, Dave Black; p. 20 (left), J. DanieVAIIsport; p. 20 (right). Steve PoweiVAIIsport; p. 21 (lelt), George Rose/AIIsport; p. 21(right), Damien Strohmeyer/AIIsport: p. 24, Barbara Bowen'AIIsport.

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DEPARTMENTS

12

Double Elimination

Trivia Quiz

Olympic gymnastic dreams for the Hayden twins

By Karen Rudolph Drollinger

Think you can tackle these toughies?

By Rick York

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The Shape of Things to Come

The View From the Top

Exercising healthy attitudes about your body image

By Dr. Glenn Town

Who to listen to about you r self worth

By Dave Egner

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Training lip Hands Down, You Need a Firm Foundation With Dan Hayden

11 For Athletes .l

The Real You

By Dr. Jim Mathisen

Volume 4 , Number 5 SECOND LOOKw MAGAZINE A DISCOVERY HOUSE PUBLICATION PUBLISHER Martin R. 0e Haan II. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dave Burnham: CONSULTING EDITOR Ralph Drollinger; MANAGING EDITOR Rick Waltman; ART DIRECTOR S teve Gier; PRODUCTION Craig Grinde; PRODUCTION ASSIS TAN T Lauren Pedroza; MARKETING DIRECTOR Craig Finkel: PRODUCTION MANAGER Tom Fellen: COVER PHOTO Kirk Schlea .

SECOND LOQKn• is published six times a year by Discovery House Publishers. Discovery House Publishers is aftlliatod with Radio B1blo Class. a nondenominational Christian organization whose purpose is to lead people of all nations to faith and ma!Urity in Jesus Christ by teaching principles from tho Bible. Printed In USA. Copyright c 1990 by Discovery House Publishers, Grand Rapids, M jch!gan. Bible quotations. unless otherwise noted. are taken from tho HOLY BIBLE , NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 0 1973, 1978, 1984. International Bfbto Sociely. Used by permission ol Zondervan Bible Publishers. SECOND LOOK1111 is prOOuced by Now Focus, Inc., Vanir Tower, Spcond Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92401. Subscription s are available lor $ 15fyear or $ 19.50 outsfde the U.S.A. ( in U.S. lunds) by writing to SECOND LOOK 1"' subscriptions, Discovery House, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, Ml 4950 1·3566, or by ca tting toll I roo. 1· 800·283·8333.

For Subscription Services,'

CALL TOLL FREE:

1-800-283-8333 ·New sub scriptions, change of address, or othe r corrections

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Greg Gagne keeps his game in focus and doesn't let the numbers play him

INNESOTA HVINS shortstop Greg Gagne has done nothing if not suffer at the plate this yew: Coming off a career-high season in batting average, hits, doubles, and triples, Gags started the season in a groove, hitting .339 in April, only to go 12 for 63 (. 197) in May. His slide continued tluvugh the All-Star break, W'l'iving at .223 going into August. But Gagne:s defensive play thmughout (.97 1 fie lding percentage) has made the 5-year veteran a key player for manager Tom Kelly. In this conversation with Kyle Rote J1:, Gagne discusses the ups and downs of life in the majors.

KYLE: This year, with the lockout, was also your first year as the player representati ve. Was that a difficult situation for you?

GREG: Well, not really, because I wasn' t involved in head-tohead negotiations. Near the end, I went up to New York, and I said, "Well, I'm going to go up there and get this settled." I just sat in on one meeting and they ended up sellling that night. It's a little joke now with some of the guys on the team that I really got things done. But I liked it because I got to see how the business runs, where the owners are coming from a little bit, where the players are coming from- a bigger picture of the business.

KYLE: In addition to being the player rep, you're nlso the chapel leader for the Twins, so I'm sure you face a lot of scrutiny from your teammates for the way you conduct yourself. Has being outspoken about your Christian faith affected your baseball career?

GREG: Yes, it has. I remember when I came to the Twins, I wasn't the leader, but I wou ld go to chapel. I took a lot of ribbing those first few years- guys would make fun of my being a Christian. One time they put a sign in my locker that said, "Get drunk and be somebody." I had already gone through that earlier in my life, gelling dmnk and being on dmgs and running away from home and skipping classes-all those things. I was very sensiti ve to what they were saying, but that just urged me on, to stick with my beliefs and the way I was li ving. I don't have to do those things because I know who I am in Christ Jesus, that I am a new man now.

Since about 1986 I' ve been the head of chapel, and now my job is

to try to get the guys to allend. And they've been prelly good about it.

A lot of people are behind what Baseball Chapel is doing no wadays, when you hear so much about drugs and other problems that athletes have.

KYLE: Yet I' m sure not everybody in baseball is supporti ve of the chapel program.

GREG: Right. You're go ing to have people with a negative attitude toward it. That's just the nature of the business. In baseball there's a lot of pressure, a lot of things that you have to deal with personally. And for me, I' m able to deal with those through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Some other people may do things differently. Some guys might go out and drink or whatever, and try to solve their problems that way.

Maybe if I didn't have Christ that's what I wou ld be doing. But I try to keep my focus on Christ. If I have a problem, I know where to go and He is able to help me.

KYLE: You've referred a couple of times to the business of baseball. Every time you play, people are evaluat ing you, and at contract time your personal worth is on the line. Do you feel less li ke a person and more like a commodity when it comes to your performance on the field and negotiating your salary?

GREG: Sometimes you do feel more li ke a number. But I try to keep it in perspective and focus on what Christ says about who I am. And that's that I' m a child of God. I just want to perform for one Person, that's Jesus. I' m doing the best I can for Him, not trying to please everybody else.

KYLE: Do you get a sense that some people might say, "Yea, he's playing for Jesus, but really he's employed by the team and he needs to do his best for the manager and for the team?"

GREG: Right. That's the bollom line. I know on the team here, Tom Kelly as the manager ex pects me to go out and do my best.

And that's exactly what Jesus wants: for me to do my best, to get the most out of my talents and abili ties. If I'm doing it unto the Lord, that's my main responsibility, yet at the same time I' m being obedient to my manager.

KYLE: You also have to deal with sportswriters analyzing every aspect of your game. For example, I know people are always asking you, "If you ' re so fast, why don ' I you steal more

'W'ITH KYLE ROTE JR. 4

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A .250 lifetime hitter, Gagne's post-All Star game average is a respectable .295. Although he knocked In the winning run in game 7 of the 1987 World Series, "Gags" is known more for his exceptional fielding- and his defensive concentration even when he's not hitting well. Greg holds the Twins record of 47 consecutive errorless games at shortstop.

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Those are atti tudes that I th ink will change Greg bases?'' How does that kind of scrutiny affect you?

GREG: I think sometimes God may use these things in Gagne to be more like Christ. I hope people are going my life, to get me going in the right direction. As far as to say, "Yea, there's Greg Gagne, but there's something base stealing, it's not a problem of speed, it 's a problem different about him ." They're going to know it by my of reading the pitcher and getting a good jump. And attitude, by how I go through these tough times.

KYLE: I know you can relate to the tough times that that's something that I have to work on. But even with being dissected by the media, if I'm doing what God has some of our readers may be deal ing with, whether it's their parent 's divorce or chemical dependency or whatcalled me to do, then it 's all right. If I know in my heart that I did the best I could, then people trying to drag me ever. Explain a little bit about how those things affected down doesn't matter. And God knows. I can't fool God. you when you were growing up.

Now, if I'm not putting forth the effort and guys are GREG: Well, my parents were separated and they ended saying things about me that are true, then okay, let's wake up divorced. I took on an attitude in high school where I up. You always get second-g uessed in baseball, and don't care what anybody thought. I just wanted the freesometimes you think, "Wow, what am I dom to do whatever Greg Gagne wantdoing? Am I reall y doing the best I ed to do. So I got kicked off the team can?" It's easy to start doubting yourself and everything. I was a really good athand questioning yourself. But if I' m ......................................................... lete, but I didn't care much about basedoing the best I can, if I'm messing up ball. I cared about getting dru nk or and these people are criticizing me, then ......................................................... smoking with the guys. I guess I really did have a low image of who I was-!

I know in my heart that it's all right.

KYLE: I wonder if most of our readdidn't think I was anybody. I didn't care about who I was. ers will be able to relate to your talk- ......................................................... ing about doubting yourself. Here you But my dad and my coach started I ta lking to me, say ing, "Hey, you've are, at the pinnacle of your sport, in got a talent to play baseball. What are the major leagues. You've been on a ......................................................... world championship team, and yet you goi ng to do with it?" And I started you' re saying there are still times ......................................................... believing in myself, believing in the when you doubt yourself. abilities that I had. I started realizing that I can do something in life.

GREG: I don 't know if the world out KYLE: So now you're a big-name professional athlete. there knows that baseball players are human beings just like the fans are and the media are. Some people may Yet there are times when the hits just don 't come, or think we're gods or whatever, that we've got it made. you can't find the handle on the ball. How are you able And maybe they expect a little more from us because to still feel good abou t yourself when you can't feel we' re getting paid big money or because we' re sup- good about how you're playing?

GREG: Well, it's been tough for me this year. The last 4 posed to be so great at what we' re doing. Those things are tough to hand le sometimes, but we're just like or 5 errors I've made, they've been scori ng 2 to 3 runs everybody else: we have our needs and our hurts too. off the error. And in some ways it 's easy to get your It 's how we deal with the problems that is important, eyes on the problems because they're right there in because so many people are watching us. The way I front of you. You play baseball every day, and one day deal with them is to pray about them and to get into the seems to roll into another.

It's at those times when I really have to get my focus Bible to learn what God says about them.

KYLE: Since people do look up to athletes and they see back on Christ. That's what helps me to deal with whathow you deal with problems, do you accept that scruti- ever the world is throwing at me, whether it's my batting average, my errors or strikeouts, or what people ny, or are there just too many people prying into your private lives? think. If my foc us isn't on Christ, then this baseball world is just going to tear Greg Gagne apart. And it's GREG: Well , sometimes you do want to say, "Get away. Leave me alone!" Baseball is everyday, going to done that in the past- don' t get me wro ng. That's the park, and you're always in the public's eye. But for something that I have to deal with every day.

KYLE: Thanks, Greg. Not many of us have boys and me it always comes back to "Where's my foc us?" It has to be on Christ and what His Word says. It can get frus- gi rls with posters of us up in their room, copyi ng every trating when you want to be alone a little bit, not to see move we make, so it 's refreshing to hear that you want people to view you from God's perspective. When you your name in the paper every day, or have people asking for autographs. But again, it comes back to "How is aren't doing well, you want them to see you handle it through the resources that Christ offers in His Word.

Jesus Christ going to be reflected in my li fe?" That's And when you're on top of your game, you want them the attitude I want to take out on the field.

And that's something that I'll probably always strugto remember that what's most important about you is gle with, because the fact is that it's always going to be who you are in Christ. • my name in the paper. It's always Greg Gagne's autographs, you know? But are people seeing Jesus in my A former pro soccer player and Jhree-Jime winner life? I mean, how am I going to treat my wife? Am I of ABC-TV's "Superslars" compelilion , Kyle is also a going to beat her up or am I going to love her, take care TV sporls commenlalor, player agenl, and moJivaJionof her? How am I going to treat the manager if he wants a/ speaker from Memphis, Tennessee. His inlen•iews to pull me in a certain situation when I want to hit? Am I wilh sporls personaliJies appear in each issue of going to get angry with him? What would Christ do?

Second Look.

"I dOn't knOW if the WOrld

OnO GRUEl£ JA JA4LSP00T

SINCE ATHLETES and athletic performance are so highly valued in our culture, Greg knows that in sports it's easy to think too highly of yourself, especially when you're doing well.

"You can't get caught up in, 'Yea, Greg Gagne, you're hitting .400 or .350.' You must be great."

So how do you find a balance? Greg says, "When you're down and when you're up, you have to be the same person-in Christ.

That's my goal, and that's my security. That's who I am-who I am in Christ. Not who I am in baseball.''

How about you? Is your self-image based on how well you're doing at work, or in relationships, or in sports?

Or is there another way to evaluate your true worth? •

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baSeball playerS are · JUS · 1l'kethe hUman bemgs fanS and the media are"

BY RICK YORK

17. Which one of these Super Bowl quarterbacks was not a number one draft pick?

A. Terry Bradshaw B. Jim Plunkett C. Joe Namath D. John Elway

1.

I was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1974 for Bruce Elingsen. Who am I?

2. I was traded from the New

18.

Which actor was the NFL's number one pick out of Michigan State in 1967?

York Mets to the Houston Astros for Danny Heep in 1982? Who am I?

19.

Which two NFL teams each had the number one pick in the draft twice during the 1970's?

3. I was traded from the St. Louis Cardi nals to the Mets in 1983 for Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey. Who am I?

20. Which two players led the AFC and NFC, respecti vely, in rushing from 1978-1980?

4. I was traded with Ricky Wright from the Dodgers to the Texas Rangers for Rick Honeycutt in 1983. Who am I?

5. I began my career with the Cincinnati Reds and was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Mike O' Berry in 1980. I've been traded 3 times since and am currently with the Dodgers. Who am I?

A TALE OF TWO RICKYS : Who was the third player in the '83 trade with Honeycutt (left) and Wright (right)?

G.

I was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Mets in I 984 for Walt Terrell. Who am I?

7. I was traded with Brett Wise

11. I was traded from the

14. I was traded with Earl Tatum

from the Dodgers to the Reds for Rafael Landestoy in 1983. Who am I?

Supersonics to the Phoenix Suns for Paul Westphal in 1980. Who路 am I?

8. I was traded with Walt Terrell

and cash from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Pacers for Adrian Dantley and Dave Robish in 1977. Who am T?

I was traded with Mickey Johnson from the New Jersey Nets to the Golden State Warriors for Michael Ray Richardson in 1983. Who am I?

from the Rangers to the Mets for Lee Mazzilli in 1982. Who am I?

9. I was traded with Mike Gibson from the Washington Bullets to the Detroit Pistons for Dan Round field in 1985. Who am I?

10.

I was traded from the Seattle Supersonics to the Pistons for Greg Keiser in 198 1. Who am I?

12.

13. I was the NBA Rooki e of the Year in 1977 while with the Buffalo Braves and was traded before the next season with Mike Bantom to the Indiana Pacers for Billy Knight. Who am I?

15. Which two teams played in the first Monday Night Football game back in 1970?

1G.

Whi h one of the.,e great running backs was not a number one dra ft pick?

A. 0.1. S imp~on B. Earl Campbell C. Billy Sims D. Tony Dorsett -

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Answers: 1. Pedro Guerrero; 2. Mike Scott; 3. Keith Hernandez; 4. Dave Stewart; 5. Jay Howell; 6.

Howard Johnson; 7. John Franco; 8. Ron Darling; 9. Rick Mahorn; 10. Vinnie Johnson; II. Dennis Johnson; 12. Sleepy Floyd; 13. Adrian Dantley; 14. James Edwards; 15. The Cleveland Browns defeated the New York Jets 31-21; 16. D. Tony Dorsett; 17. C. Joe Namath; 18. Bubba Smith; 19. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976 and 1977, and the Buffalo Bills in 1972 and 1979; 20. Earl Campbell and Walter Payton.

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Ripple gets down to business on the bike, usually building up a large lead coming off the cycling leg. She plans to take a shot at the U.S. Olympic cycling team in 1992, and perhaps even the Tour de France.

LITE TRIATHLETE Jan Ripple of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, can laugh today and say that her muscular legs "were built for motoring and not modeling," implying that she looks more like a Cadillac with tractor tires than a cover girl. She's comfortable with her powerful, athletic appearance.

But back in high school she frequently questioned how she looked. Her impressive, youthfu l sport s successes F E AT u R E developed confidence in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • her physical capabilities and in her relationships with friends at school, but inwardly she didn't feel good about herself. " I really had a poor self-image because of my very mu scula r build. I had these bi g biceps, broad shoulders, and real strong quads (quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh)," says Jan, now a top professional athlete and a mother of three in her mid-thirt ies. "Now it 's a lot more acceptable --I for women to be athletic. We have become more health and fitness conscious than when I was in school. You can still be feminine and be the best athlete in the world," she says. " But 1J back then, I was so dif\f v ferent I thought I was a 1 freak or something."

T Jan excelled at basketball , track, and \f swimming, and qualified for the 1972 Ol ympic Trials in the butterfly. She also was • • • •••• • ••••••••••• •. •... ac ti ve in high school student gove rnmen t, served as junior and senior class vice-president, and was elected head cheerleader. Plus, as a senior she was nominated by the football team and elected by the entire student body as the football homecoming queen. Yet in spite of her popularity, she felt uncomfortabl e showing her strong arms and wide swimmer's shoulders away from the water.

"When I was head cheerleader, I always used to insist we wea r blouses under the

Embarrassed by her build in hl'gh school, 1989 TJ'"l'athlete

h

OJ t e ear R· l · Jan zpp e lS a tOWer OJ triathlon pOWer

BY KAREN

sleeveless un iforms. I'd tell the girls it was supposed to be cold, and yet it would be 88 degrees !" she remembers. " I was always ashamed of the way I was built because it wasn't accepted in high school. Hav ing muscles defi nitely was not in. It was considered masculine and unacceptable to have so much [muscular] definit ion back in the '?Os.1 "My older sister Fran was tall, lean, and not very muscular, and a really pretty girl. I always saw her as the one with all the looks and myself with all the athletic abilities. But then I grad uall y learned th at your physical looks- your hair, your eyes, your skin- might not be as important as I thought they were, and I began to accept myself for who God had created me to be."

Jan's father, Bob Meador, himself a former record -setti ng three-sport let term an at Louisiana State University (basketball, baseball , and track), and mother, Mary Sue, instilled strong moral and spiritual values in their six children- along with a healthy supply of ath letics. Jan recalls that her parents not only took them to church, but they also modeled their faith at home wi th a strong dose of love and discipline.

"Dad wanted my sister and me to dress like ladies and act like ladies in the pro.per circumstances, but he also allowed us to be ourselves, whether it was play ing basketball, running, swimming, or whatever. He was an athlete and he loved athletics and he wanted us to have that too," says Jan. "It didn't matter that I was a girl, because I did every single thing my brothers did. But I feel fortunate that he instilled that sense of pride through how I dressed and behaved. Dad really stressed the benefits of being feminine, and mom was always very feminine and athletic too. I'm blessed to have parents like that."2 After gradu ating from high school, Jan accepted a swimming scholarship to LSU, one of the first wo men's athletic scholarships offered there. She qualified for nationals 3 out of 4 years, and dated a linebacker and captain of the football team named Steve Ripple.

"Steve obviously didn't thi nk that being a beauty-queen-type was very important. He looked more on the inside than the outside, and he would always tell me I was pretty.

"S teve wou ld say, ' If the Lord hadn 't blessed you with those legs, you wouldn 't have had the athletic ab ilit y and success you've had. God made everybody different and you should be glad to go as fast as you do with the legs God gave you.' That reall y changed me," Jan beams. "When you hang

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around someone who praises you all the time, your conBecause of her muscularity and her success, Jan is fidence level goes up about two steps and your selffrequently accused of being on steroids. "Erin Baker image becomes reall y good." and I have been tested more than any of the other After Steve and Jan graduated from LSU and were women triathletes. And I think the reason is my build. married, Steve pursued dental school while Jan coached (They say it's random, but it's obviously not.) I've been swimming. Three children arrived- Shelly, born in accused of it by tons of people and that's hard for 1980, Kyle in 1982, and Kate in 1984. Besides chasing me-that people would judge me because of my build those three youngsters around the house, Jan stayed and because of my performance and would think I acti ve by worki ng out at a loca l health clu b in would cheat. The thing is, each year my muscles have Lexington, Kentucky, where Steve was completing his gotten progressively bigger. The more I cycle, the bigdental residency program. ger my legs have become, whereas with steroids you One day she read a newspaper article lauding a female would expect to see big gains really quickly. triathlete's accomplishments and promoting an upcoming "For me, it's hereditary. I'm built exactly like my father event. Her curiosity about this new sport was piqued. and three of my brothers. Carbon copies. It's unbelievable.

Jan competed in- and won- that first triathlon, only My dad is 64 years old now and he could go on stage as a body builder. He's so defined and cut and 3 months after Kate was born. Shortly therea fter the famil y mo ved bac k to the veins stand out on his legs. There's not Baton Rouge, and Jan continued dabbling an ounce of fat on his body. He's even got in the sport, beating all her competition. good abdominal muscles," she quips. "It's Such success caused Steve and Jan to definitely genetics and in my case it's not evaluate her professional potential. Steve necessarily always good. I could run a recogni zed her talent and gave his wife whole lot faster if I were smaller. In the· the go-ahead. "He really convinced me, winter when I cut back on the exercise, I do because I never dreamed I had as much shrink a little, which is great. That encourpotential as I did," says Jan. ages me that when I retire I won't have all She finished fifth in her first professional this muscle mass for the rest of my life!" race, a 1986 U.S. Triathlon Series event in Jan credits her parents as well as Steve Detroit, and began racing fulltime in 1987. for influencing the development of her By 1989, Jan ranked among the top handful self-image in positive ways. "So much of of female triathletes worldwide. She fin' "'s SC><WAATZiOOMPETiroo"'GAZIN• our self-image comes from what our parished second behind New Zealand's Erin Known to many as "Jan ents tell us. Some parents might say to Baker in the World Championships in Ripple, mother of three," their kids, 'You can't do this and you the 5-foot-6, 124 pound Avignon, France, and helped her teanunates powerhouse Is highly can't do that, ' but my parents always win the team title and gold medal. She was regarded for her delightwanted me to be able to set new chalalso voted the 1989 Female Triathlete of the ful personality and tenalenges for myself. They would t:m:ourage Year by readers of Triathlete magazine, and clous competitiveness. me to try new things and they'd correct according to her agent, Dave McGillivray, earned over me when I was wrong. So most of my negative self$100,000 from prizes and sponsorships. image was self-imposed and came from how I felt But in high school, she would have preferred looking about my looks. When I could accept that, I could feel more li ke her beauty queen older sister. Being athletic better about myself." and having an athletic body caused her to feel less femiJan also feels good about challenging herself comAmong the top five nine. Even today, she describes a recent incident with a petiti vely. Looking ahead to 1991, she plans to concenprofessionals since 1987, little boy who was walking along the roadside with his trate more on cycling, her greatest strength of the three Jan amassed enough rankfamily while she sprinted past. She overheard the little disciplines, and to improve her chances of making the ing points for third place in 1992 Olympic team in that sport. After that, she'd like boy ask his father, "Daddy, is that a man?"

1989. Highlights included three victories among her "I asked Steve about it later because I was really to compete in the Tour de France before she retires. eight top-five finishes, hurt," she relates, asking him if she reall y was that big Setting and completing goals certainly improves a percapped off by a surprising and masculine-looking. "I mean, I try to look feminine son's confidence, she says. second place finish at the as much as possible, but it's hard when it's hot and But most of all, Jan credits the Lord for her enduring World Championships, and you' re running in shorts and a tank top." Steve reas- self-esteem. "The Bible tells us that we're to love the being voted Female Triathlete of the Year. sured her that he loved her just the way she was and Lord our God first, and then to love others as we love that she was just "big." ourselves. Like with my muscular legs, you have to "So I still deal with that. It does something to you. accept what God has given you and not compare that I'm just very muscular, and it would be very hard to with what He's given to others." • deal with if I weren't a Christian, because I know the Lord has given me athletic abilities for a reason.

Karen Rudolph Dro/linget; a mother of three, is a "But it also helps to have someone like Steve for my former managing editor of Second Look and frequent husband," Jan continues. "He makes me feel more femi- contributor to the magazine. She recently found time nine because he's so strong and masculine. But overall, to write a book on f emale Christian athletes entitled self-i mage has got to come from the inside-from your Grace and Glory. It wa s published by Word relationship with God. God created me to be female and I Publishing, 522 1 N. O'Connet; Irving, TX 75039. tell my 10-year-old daughter Shelly that I wouldn't trade being a woman for anything in the world. To have a child, I· Karen Drollinger. Groce and Glory, (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990), p. 173.

2. ibid, p. 169. to nurse a child, to raise that child is a great privilege."

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FOR AT H LETES

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Feeling good about yourself is not just reserved for superstars

BY DR. JIM MATHISEN D1: Jim Mathisen teaches the history and sociology of sport at Wheaton Co/lege. A high school and co/lege middle-distance nmner of" limited distinction," he eamed his Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern University.

And in the "laboratory" of raising two boys to adulthood, Jim had the opportunity to witness the role of sports in a developing sense of self

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IKE'S mother and I were excited to hear from his teacher that Mike was doing well, despite beginning fifth grade in a new school. Because of his athletic ahility, he was well-liked and had a good sense of who he was. The problem was that Mike's positive selfimage on the playground did not necessarily translate into success in the classroom. Multiplication was still an adventure for Mike, so "nine times seven" could result in several possibilities: 61 or 64, or even 59 on a bad day. ln the years that followed, we faced a dilemma. How could we keep Mike interested in math, in playing the drums, and in honors art, when his self-estee·m clearly came from his athletic performances? In sports he did almost everything well- mid fielder in soccer, pitcher in baseball, forward in basketball, and especially running back and linebacker in football. But should he put "all his eggs in one basket," that basket being his identity as an athlete?

How could we help him avoid being perceived only as a big, dumb jock? Clearly, his friends responded to him as "Mike, the athlete," not as "Mike, the stu-

dent." How could we both support him in his sense of accomplishment and help him avoid becoming a boring, single-dimension person?

As persons created in the image of God, we receive our ultimate sense of self-esteem from Him. God accepts us as His handiwork and loves us unconditionally. But as people who go to school, have jobs, and interact with dozens of others, our sense of self is also influenced by the responses we receive from them.

We can use the concept of a mirror's reflection to understand that each person we relate to "mirrors" back impressions that

affect our view of self. This process operates when we are playing at home, and it continues throughout our lives. And because sport is important in our society, it is logical that our friends use athletic performance for evaluating our successes and adding to our self-esteem.

There are three potential problems areas, however, in basing our self-esteem on sports success. The first is getting all of our selfesteem "mirrors" from sport.

When Mike met a better pitcher or a faster running back, as he did eventually, it was very upsetting.

Without "mirrors" in other areas,

we had to help him see that he was still a good person. Don't forget to look for reflections provided by family, teachers, youth group, and even Sunday school.

Second, sports is just one way among many of contributing to self-esteem. Not long after I was cut from Little League when I was young, I became more interested in speech, drama, and other activities. The key is finding something you like and then enjoying it because it's fun. The danger is in basing your self-esteem on your performance rather than making participation and enjoyment the goal.

Third, until recently, girls have not always gotten the encouragement in sport that boys do in our society. Now they face the challenge of taking advantage of new opportunities in sport, without taking them too seriously, as boys have tended to do.

In all of these areas, we can help each other, boy or girl, athlete or not, by accepting and complimenting one another. Being on the giving end of "mirroring" can be just as valuable as the receiving end in building self-esteem.

In the 1990s, positive contributions to our sense of worth as persons can come through a variety of accomplishments-in band, art, studies, and obviously in sports.

Enjoy your athletic successes to the fullest. Be thankful for those who are positive "mirrors" in building your self-esteem. But if you never get the winn ing hit or make the cnrcial free throw, don't despair. You are still a good person- in God's eyes and in the eyes of others who know you for who you really are, not merely as an athlete. • SECOND L OOK

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Our body type may determine how close we can come to fitting a Madison Avenue mold, no matter how we diet J T DOESN'T TAKE LONG watchi ng TV or reading newspapers and magazines to recognize that in our society it is very important to be "in shape." And "in shape" is commercially defined for us by an almost artificial ideal. In the course of a single day we are confronted with countless forms of advertis•____. ing for fitness and diet centers, diet plans, and elite fashions that we simply must have, all describing what we should look like.

Beauty, wealth, intelligence, and even sports accomplishments are the ways in Which one'S WOI1h are measured by our culture. Someone visiting from another planet might conclude that Earthlings are singularly obsessed with shaping and packaging their bodies. A careful understanding of this obsession is necessmy lest we all blindly embrace the "body is everything" attitude.

To one degree or another, each of us is dissatisfied with his or her body. Studies have attempted to determine how our physical appearance affects our personhood, with predictable results. In general, the more we are dissatisfied with the way our bodies look, the worse we feel about ourselves as persons. And faced with a virtuall y unattainable ideal, it is easy to develop a distorted view of our bodies. In other words, we perceive them to be something different than the way they actually are.

A di storted view of our bodies affects not onl y our minds and how we feel about ourselves, but our physiol-

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BY DR. GLENN ToWN 12

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ogy as well. The physical problems relating to a distorted body image can often take the form of eating disorders. These eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa ("the relentless pursuit of thinness"), bulimia (binge and purge cycles), and obesity (the excessive accumulation of body fat), are exceedingly complex.

But the central issue in these disorders, however, is NOT food, although the person, and probably the whole family, spends a tremendous amount of time worrying, discussing, nagging, and arguing about it.

The underl ying issues are more directly related to poor self-esteem, unrealistically high expectations of achievement, a desire to be special and unique, and a struggle to win power, control , approval, admiration, and respect from famil y, friends, and society.

Regardless of age, gender, or nationality, we all struggle with our physical attracti veness- not just the anorexic, bulimic, or obese. And in our society there is a lot of pressure to do something about our bodies-to fit into the mold.

Commercialism in general stands to gain tremendously by suggesting to the consumer that physiological change is attainable. The foundational question must therefore be "How much change can the human body tolerate?" Some research suggests that there may actually be limitations to changing our body type or physical The appearance.

A technique was developed in .............. .. .. ..... .. ...................... . the 1940s and 50s by W.H. foundational Sheldon to cl ass ify body types.

The technique is called somatotyping, and is still used today. Sheldon question must identified some 346 different body types, and clas sified them into combinations of three distinct and therefore be extreme body types:' e Ectomorph, which suggests a linear, more fragile, or "skinny" "How much appearance. e Mesomorph, which is charach th terized by a "V" shape body with C ange can e hard, rugged, prorninent rnu scu-

..... -.u.O# ··········-··u ................................ ..

larity. human body e Endomorph, which is characterized by roundness and softness of the body, commonly expressing tolerate?" one's "fatness."

All individuals possess greater or lesser prominence of these three body types. Significant to this research was the observation that one's body type is relatively fixed and incapable of changing once it is established at maturity. Although we can to a certain extent manipulate the amount of muscle and fat contained on the body frame, for all practical purposes, we cannot effecti vely manipulate our basic structure.

The action we should take, then, is to seek the proper amount of body fat to be carried on our unique body type, rather than dieting like crazy to look like someone we've seen in a magazine or on TV. For example, if one is predominantly an endomorph, then he should seek to ILUUSTRATK>N 9 '1' JOHN MARTIN/THE IMAGE B ANI<

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Dieting has reached the status of an obsession in our society.

People, it seems, don't choose to diet; they feel they must

be an endomorph that carries 15 percent fat on his frame, rather than trying to sculpt his body into the mesomorph or ectomorph mold. Similarly, a female endomorph should carry approx imately 20 percent fat on her frame.

As we would expect, the most popular way of seeking to affect our shape is by dieting. But the sad truth is that diets don't work. That diets don't work is probably best supported by the poor success rate experienced by dieters.

An early study of the average American diet showed it "to last between 60 and 90 days, but the dieter is off the diet during roughly half the time. He goes on 1.25 diets a year.... Dieting is a seasonal endeavor. Sales of diet products climb in January and February, when dieters suffer post-Christmas guilt, and in May and June, when they strain to attain respectable bathing suit figures.''2 Dieting has reached the status of an obsession in our society. And like other obsessions, dieting is characterized by the victims being compelled to worry about it and to act (compulsively) in accordance with its mandates. People, it seems, don't choose to diet; they feel they must.

And dieting is also big business. In 1985, overthe-counter weight control products accounted for $194 million in sales; overall, $5 billion was spent on weight loss efforts.

With such a tremendous portion of the population

investing all this time and expense, one would deduce that dieting is an effective means for attaining a desired change in physique. On the contrary, 85 to 95 percent of people who diet fail to keep their weight off for more than 2 years!

Once again, it could be that one's physiology does not lend itself to being manipulated in this way.

There appears to be evidence that the body tolerates a very limited weight range. This "set point" theory of weight control suggests that the body establishes a control mechanism (similar to a thennostat) above which the body tends to lose weight, and below which a body tends to gain. Studies demonstrate the tenacity our bodies have in protecting or defending our weight within this very tight boundary.

The obvious question coming from the overweight lation might be: "Why does my body defend a that is above nonnal, and what can be done it?''

It is not a new concept that exercise is a critical factor in the weight control process. Most people think that exercise is an effective way to "burn off" fat. But weight loss due to an increase in activity cannot be explained simply by caloric expenditure.

Consider that a 20-minute workout, th ree times weekly, will probably burn enough calories to offset the calories in a piece of pie and a glass of milk. At

Statistics on the country's exercise habits and weight control patterns have remained virtually constant over the last 6 years.

1983 1987 1989 â&#x20AC;˘ Exercise Regular exercise* ....................... ....... 76% .................. 76% ...... ... ... ... 76% Strenuous exerciset ........................ ..34% ..................35% ..... ..........35%tt No regular exercise ......... ................ .. 24% ............... .. .24% ...............24% *At/east once a month t Accelerated heart rate and breathing heavily,for 20 minllles, at least three times a week tt(42% men, 29% women)

1983 1987 1989 â&#x20AC;˘ Weight Control** Overweight ... .... ............. ..... .. ... ... ... ....58% ...... ........ ... .59% ................ 61 % At least 10% overweight ...................30% .............. ....32% ........... .... .34% Within normal

r~nge .......................... 23%

................ .. 24% .. ........... ...24%

Underweight.. ........... .. .. .. .. ...... .. .. ....... 19% ........ .......... 16% ........ .... .... 15% **Survey results based on those aged 25 and above whose recommended weight could be calculated given their height/build/sex data. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tables were used for the classification.

Taken from the Prevention Index, a Lou Harris survey for Prevention magazine.

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that rate, one would have to exercise almost 6 weeks before burning off the calories equivalent to one pound of fat!

Yet the most effective way to lower the body 's naturally defended weight is through exercise. What we know about the role of exercise as a weight regulator is that the active individual better regulates appetite, has an increased rate of metabolism, and better maintains his muscle mass.

Additionally, an active lifestyle changes the body's chemistry to increase the metaboli sm of fat and to better regulate blood sugar levels.

The traditional exercise prescription encourages an individual to exercise 20 to 45 minutes, three times weekly at a fairly intense rate-around 85 percent of the predicted maximum heart rate. Results indicate that this exercise regimen is effective in enhancing cardiovascular fitness, but at the expense of using blood glucose, and li ver and muscle glycogen as the energy source, rather than burning fat.

Effective fat metabolism, however, requires exercise durations to last around I hour of continuous movement at a lesser intensity than for cardiovascular training.

Research here at Wheaton College suggests an ideal exercise level for fat metabolism to be about 60 percent of the PMHR- for example, a brisk walk (about 3.7 mph for women, slightly faster for men). In addition, one needs to exercise more regularly than the typical three times weekly; five to six times a week appears to be best.

The typical conviction of overweight people is, "I eat too much." As discussed earlier, eating appears to have very little relevance to being overweight as compared with exercise. The body is very capable of adjusting metabolism both in times of feasting and famine.

Apparently, those who constantly deprive the body of its needed calories (as in crash diets) lose the ability to respond to the body's normal way of saying "I'm hungry." It is therefore important to discipline our bodies by eating when we are hungry and stopping when we are full, rather than depriving ourselves of food. Part of this process is learning to distinguish between hunger and appetite.

"Hunger" is a true physiological response of the body ¡ which occurs roughly every 4 to 6 hours with the desire to be fed, regardless of the type of food. Therefore it is important to eat regularly so that natural hunger and the sense of fullness can be felt.

"Appetite" involves food preferences and is stimulated by the sight , smell , tex ture, and taste of food.

Between meal snacking is usually of this type. Appetite has to do with desire, not the body's need for food.

The type of food one consumes also appears to impact the body's set point. It is no surprise that the average American diet is high in sugar and fats-even as high as 40 percent fat. Efforts should be made to reduce this amount to 30 percent, preferably as low as 20 percent.

What calories are conserved from reducing our fat

consumption should be committed to compl ex carbohydrates (starches, cereal, and vegetables).

The suggested amount is about 55 to 65 percent. Since most people have acquired a taste for heavily sugared foods, the challenge then becomes two-fold: to increase the consumption of carbohydrates, but more specifically, complex carbohydrates (not just sugars, which are simple carbohydrates).

At one time or another, we all have been victims of a poor body image. As children, we learn very early that beauty and thinness are of much greater value to society than unattractiveness.

Adolescents, too, are extremely vulnerable to a body image problem. To that age group, beauty-or more acc urately attractiveness to the opposite sex- is of paramount importance.

The present value system, in which physical attractiveness is over emphasized, has left a wake of victims seeking to avoid rejection by abusing their bodies-by practicing dangerous dieting, intense physical exercise, and concealing their imperfections through makeup and clothing. Society finds ways of rewarding the attractive, but also finds ways to punish the unattractive for things they have no ability to control. Possibly the most serious victims are those who have resolved that they don't measure up.

As a counter measure, one of the initial steps we can all take toward abolishing this body image injustice is to carefully examine how we judge our own bodies and those of others. We can apply the biblical instruction to love one-another with unconditional acceptance of all people, regardless of shape. Knowing that we are loved and accepted by God can be very powerful in overcoming our culture's body image prejudice.

And in addition to our attitudes toward ourselves and others, we must also consider the motives that lead us to seek any change in our appearance. Do we merely want to fit into society's commercially motivated mold of the ideal shape, or do we truly desire to maintain a healthy body?

Throughout our lives, and particularly at these critical times, we need to temper the pressures to conform our bodies to the cultural ideal. It is apparent that it is unhealthy t<:> attempt to be something we are not. Current medical information should lead us to seek to work with our bodies to develop a safe balance; not to fight against our body 's natural shape, but to battle the tendency toward undisciplined sloth. We should seek to be good stewards of the bodies God has given us, for we truly are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139: 14). â&#x20AC;˘

Society finds ways of rewarding the attractive, but also finds ways to punish the unattractive lor things they have no ability to control

Dr. Glenn Town is an exercise physiologist in the physical education departme/11 at Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Illinois. Also all accomplished distance nmner and triathlete, D1: Town is a regular contriblllor to Second Look.

1¡ W.tl. Sheldon, ct. al., Atlas of Men, (Harper Brothers, New York, 1954).

2. J.J. Wydcn, The Omweigltt Society, (William Morrow, New York, 1965), p.8.

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At the 1988 National Championships, the first of two Olympic qualifying events, Dan (above, concentrating on his still rings performance in an " L-support" ) took first place, while Dennis came back from injury to finish eleventh.

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Looking back on what might have been, twin gymnasts Dan and Dennis Hayden recall the ups and downs of their Olympic quest S SOPHOMORES, twin bmthers Dan and Dennis Hayden led Arizona State University to the 1986 men's NCAA gymnastics title. Then they left school to tmin fulltime in preparation for the 1988 Olympics. While Dennis battled a career-threatening foot injwy that yeGI; Dan's chances looked bright.

After winning the United States Gymnastics Federation National Championship in July (which counted 40 percent toward the total score needed for qualifying), Dan was poised to eam one of the six team spots at the Olympic Trials a few 1~~~~ weeks /ate1: Ll History and geography record some pretty impressive falls, everything from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the big drop at Niagara.

But in American men's gymnastics, few events can overshadow the heart-wrenching falls that Dan Hayden-six-ti me world team member, United States Olympic Festival champion, and Goodwill Games representative-experienced during the 1988 Olympic Trials in Salt Lake City.

In obvious pain from a dislocated shoulder he suffered during warm-ups, he missed a catch on the high bar and fell. He tried again, only to re-miss the trick, receiving automatic half-point deductions each time. He had tumbled from second to eighth place, missing the alternate's spot by a mere . 16 point.

Most sports have dramatic moments: a last-minute goal in the second and final overtime of World Cup soccer; a pitcher losing a no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth; a 55-yard field goal attempt against a cross-town rival hits the goalposts as time tuns out; a no-look, game-winning hook shot from half-court at the buzzer. But when the ink dries in the stat books, there's no use crying "unfair!"

What's done is done. For Dan Hayden, that meant finding a higher purpose beyond the disappointment of seeing his lifelong Olympic dream literally fall from sight in a matter of seconds.

"What's important is striving for perfection- not necessarily scoring a I0.0- but having the right attitude in any circumstance," he says. "I don't think God is as concerned with winning or statistics as He is with how you deal with the circumstances and what kind of attitude you have." A week after failing in his attempt to make the Olympic team, Dan was at a gymnastics camp sharing those very ideals.

For Dennis Hayden, "dealing with the circumstances" meant enduring 10 months of rehabilitation on a reconstructed knee-a knee so painful that he would literally cry as the therapist pulled and tugged on his leg, re-stretching the scarred ligaments. For Dennis, satisfaction was merely

B Y KAREN

DAVE Bt..ACK

Identical twins Dennis and Dan Hayden (left to right ... but only they know for sure), represented the United States in international competition from 1984-88. But when the team was announced for the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988, they had earned the opportunity to watch from home.

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comi ng back to compete, and finishing eleventh. He says that after winning many youth championships and honors, he and Dan had learned to set their goals not on winning but on perfecting their routines.

"You go on to new goals once you reach a certai n goal, and for us it was keeping the right perspective on competition by using biblical princi ples. If I have a major dec ision to make, I ask myself, ' What would Jesus do in the same situation?'

"I' ve won," continues Dennis, then pauses. "And I've lost. I like winning a lot better, but the losing has taught me a lot more. I' ve had to look at myself, how far I'd come, what I'd done wrong. It's not a good feeling but it teaches me more."

And while Dennis struggled daily to strengthen his leg, Dan looked to be in top form. "Before the national championshi ps that July, I was in the best shape of my life," says Dan, now 25 and with Dennis a co-assistant coach in the wo men's program at Loui siana State University. "I wanted to glorify the Lord through my competition and I kept thinking of that conti nuall y.

When I didn't make the Olympic team I was disappointed, but I gained God's strength and a deeper faith."

Dan joyfu ll y recall s winni ng the Nati onal Championship following three straight second-place finishes, but physically feeling lethargic afterward"not my usual high energy level"-with symptoms of higher blood pressure and some swelling in his ank les that hampered his training. "For a while I thought it was a post-competition letdown. I just trained the best I could for the Trials and put my faith in the Lord."

But that faith would be tested.

In second place behind 1984 Olympi an Charles Lakes with two events to go, Dan felt his shoulder (which had been stiff earlier) pop out of place during his warmup. He managed to complete his parallel bars routine, scoring 9.3. The final high bar score (one of Dan 's best events) would determine the Olympic squad.

Needing only an 8.7, Dan courageously faced the bar and mounted, swinging rhythmically.

"With the pain I couldn 't go all out and feel the motion of the swing. The pressure was just too great at

Dennis prepares to execute a " peach basket" mount to a handstand on the parallel bars, one of his two best events, along with the still rings.

the bollom of the swing," he recalls. "On one particular trick (called the Kovacs), you have to go all out or it 's very difficult to catch [the bar]. I tried to keep my shoulder stable, but it forced me to hold back on my swing."

And he fell off the bar and out of contention. Twice.

Later Dan learned he could have resumed his routine without allempting the Kovacs again, ensuring him elf a sufficiently higher score and a berth on the Olympic team. Brushing aside the disappointment, he laughingly said he didn 't want to go to Seoul without Dennis. But the disappointment was sti ll there.

"A lot of people were disappointed for us and in us," says Dan. "But before I marched out for the announcements of the Olympic team, and by then I knew I wasn't goi ng, the Lord reminded me that there was something of a higher purpose in my life: my personal salvation. In the long run that's the onl y thing that counts. When you keep things in perspective and trust God that His plan is perfect, it makes things a lot easier to take."

While the men's Olympic gymnastics competit ion went on in Seoul, the twi ns, personable and candid, went on an internationall y syndicated television program and told how they dealt with their disappoint ment. "We got to tell millions of people about our trials in competition and about our faith . God's plan is perfect. Instead of going to the Olympics, we got to witness to millions of people," Dan says. "In the end , knowing Christ is what's important."

The Hayden twins share that resolve, each havi ng persevered through a manufacturer's list of injuries.

Denn is originall y injured his knee in the 1985 World Championships, then came back while wearing a cumbersome brace to fin ish third in the USA Championships behind Dan the next year. He made the tcmn for the Goodwill Games, and only a few weeks later in West Germany blew out his knee again while wearing the brace. He laid off for a year, preparing for the 1987 National Championships in hopes of making the world championships team, but missed the tenth and final spot by . 15 point. In December of 1987 he also broke two bones in his foot, which had to be surgically pinned. He thought his gymnastics career was over.

TRAINING TIP • WITH DAN HAYDEN

HANDS DOWN, YOU NEED AFIRM FOUNDATION FoR

THE LAST 6 YEARS, Dan and Dennis Hayden have coached at the internationally known Woodward Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania. Each week, 400 to 500 youngsters enjoy such diverse activities as gymnastics, BMX racing, and skateboarding. Dan offers these tips from his international experience. · In any sport, there must be a proper foundation in the basics. Training with Soviet gymnasts while I was in Moscow for the 1986 Goodwill Games sharpened that focus for me.

The Soviets are so good because they have developed a strong foundation. For instance, they do a tremendous amount of handstands. It's probably the most important single skill in gymnastics because the handstand position is used in every event.

They'll take a basic skill and do it for 2 or 3 years, developing it to perfection. With this strong base, other things can blossom a lot faster.

In America, we too often do a skill for 2 weeks and then go on to another one.

To develop that strong foundation, whether in gymnastics, basketball, football, or anything else, an athlete should: e Develop strength Strength is one of the most important aspects of gymnastics. Gymnastics takes a lot of time and patience to learn, but if you want to improve your performance, you have to increase your strength. e Develop flexibility- throughout the whole body. Flexibility and strength reduce the possibility of injury, as well as increasing your confidence. e Develop your basic skills For example, I require my gymnasts to hold a handstand for 60 seconds against a wall. When they come into camp, they may not be able to do that, so we build up to it. Boys and girls can usually do the 60-second handstand within 2 weeks, conce ntrati~g on form, technique, and body awareness. • 18

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"I went back to therapy every day and endured the Flying toward the horse at same thing. My wife, Tanya, was going to go with me top speed, Dan heads into optional vault, the every day, but she couldn't stand to see me in so much his "piked cuervo" (a hand¡ pain. She stopped after the first day," says Dennis. "But spring in to a 1/2-turn and I came back. No one can know how much pain I went a back flip out), In winning through to get to the Olympic Trials. Sometimes I won- form at the 1988 National Championships. der whether it really was worth it."

Dennis recalls laying off once before, at age 17, to consider his gymnastics future. The pain of daily workouts and sore joints, sweating and sacrificing had to be weighed. "What else would I be doing if I weren't doing gymnastics?" became the key question, he says. His answer was finally resolving that "the Lord gave me this talent and I've done well at it. If He wants me to continue, then I' ll stay in it."

Dan's injury file includes a dislocated ankle during the 1985 World Championships and also a crushed vertebra that kept him out of competition for 18 months.

Through the ups and downs of pain and competition, ..................................................... the twins encouraged each other. th~ough "I knew I was just as good or better than Daniel, but I wasn't ab le to show it and that was hard," says Dennis. "I never was really out to beat Daniel, per se, T~ials. but I knew that if I was doing what he was doing in the gym I'd be right up there, number one in the nation. It was good that we were able to push each other and wonde~ stand by each other. We learned from one another."

Dan echoes those thoughts. "Dennis and I have always been a team in our training. A lot of people say whethe~ ~eally they don 't have a 'team' that encourages them and understands their competitive desires like a twin, but wo~th - Dennis really they do-if ttiey have Christ with them. Dennis and I like to compare the closeness and support in our relationship to what everyone can have- and that's a relationship with the Lord. Together we've tried to support and help each other in trying to find the truth, even in our everyday circumstances."

As teenagers, that desire led the 5-foot-7 blond athletes to search out different religions and philosophies in addition to gymnastic excellence. They had moved from their hometown of Buffalo, New York, to Tucson, Arizona, at age 15 to pursue an intensified training program. "When Dennis and I moved away from home, we talked a lot about how we knew this wasn'tjust a physical world. We studied meditation, clairvoyance, and ESP, along with other religions, and the question 'Why

"No one can know how much pain I went

to get to the

Olympic

Sometimes I it

it"

was

are there so many religions?' kept coming up. Why did so many people think so many different things? We felt there had to be one truth."

An older gymnast friend who was a freshman at the University of Arizona pointed Dan and Dennis toward Christianity. "Nothing but Christian ity had the truth and backbone to support it. The others may have been great philosophies or ways of life, but they didn't offer salvation, forgiveness, or eternal life."

Dan and Dennis both stress that strength of character and self-image come from the Lord, not from winning a championship or mak ing an Olympic team.

And that losing those things doesn't have to ruin your self-image. They share frequently at summer camps and other speaking engagements that God had a different plan for their lives than the one for which they had spent 18 years preparing. And they express gratitude that He helped them persevere through their toughest times .

"You can glorify the Lord through your success or your failure," says Dan. "I feel that I glorified the Lord through my success at the USA Nationals as well as [facing the disappointment] at the Olympic Trials. If I had started cursing up and down in frustration that it was God's fault I didn't make the team, I would have failed."

Dennis agrees. "People have to believe that God has given them everything they need to deal with every situation. If you believe in that and you believe in yourself, you can pretty much do anything you want to.

You have that confidence and a positive self-image," he says.

"I've been through a lot in my life and it hasn't been easy," Dennis continues. "Hardship and perseverance are part of life. That's what l want kids to realize today- that when hard times come and you get injured, or if something doesn't seem li ke it's going to work out, it 's not time to give up. It's time to get tough and look harder for the answer, and to keep things in God's perspective. When things get low and there seems to be no way out, there's one Friend who will always be there and that's the Lord." â&#x20AC;˘

Karen Rudolph Drollinge1; a graduate in journalism from the University of Missouri, is a former women's pro basketball p/aye1; a speaker at camps and clinics, and a frequent contributor to Second Look.

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EC IL FIELDER of the

Usuall y he sa id rather modestly, "[ just

Detroit Tigers returned from

hope 1 keep gelling good pitches to hit."

the relati ve obscurity of the

No talk about being the best or being poor-

baseball parks of Japan to

ly treated in the past. Just gratitude for a

tear up the American League

break and a good season.

with hi s hot bat. Three

Not all athletes are like that. Muhammad

months into the 1990 season

Ali shocked the sports world and the nation

he was the league leader in

with the boldness of his proclamation, "I

homers and RBI , and wa s

am the greatest!" And everyone know s

among the top five in hits, batting average,

about the self-confidence expressed by the

total bases, and on-base-percentage. Only a

Brian Bosworths, the George Bells, and the

part-timer at Toronto before his "exile" in

Jim McMahons of

Japan, now he was headed for the All-Star

the athletic world.

game. Sportswriters and fans hounded him.

Admittedly, it's dif-

Busloads of Japanese reporters and photog-

ficLllt not to believe

raphers arrived regularly at Tiger Stadium

FIELDER: Just lucky to get good pitches to hit?

and the West Coast cities for interviews and

your

ow n

press

releases about why

photo sessions. Hi s story was carried in major newspapers

you ' re the best in a very tough and

and sports magazine throughout Japan.

demanding sport. This is the case

How did Cecil respond to this turn-around in celebrity?

whether you can dribble and shoot a basketball like Michael Jordan, throw

P E R S P EC T I VE

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

a baseball with pinpoint accuracy at

When examining your sense ofpersonal worth, it is always wise to consider the source

BY DAVE EGNER

20

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All : Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, was anyone greater than he?

- -,

McMAHON: Most outspoken quarterback award?

speeds exceeding 95 miles-per-hour,

tell us how we should think about ourselves. And when

or run 100 meters in less than lO

we see ourselves as He sees us, when we acknowledge

seco nd s. The media i s th ere to

Hi s gifts to us, and when we walk with Him in humility,

remind you of your importance. The

love, and obedience, then we wi ll have a healthy, strong,

fan s continu e to chee r. Pi ctures,

and accurate self-image.

req uests for autographs. big dollars.

Here is the secret: Have a right relationship with God, and

and television appearances all come

the self-image factor will take care of itself. Personal worth

your way. Wherever you go, people

has its source in acknowledging and pleasing the Lord. It

recog nize you. It's

does not come with the roar of the crowd,

easy to begin to think

the admiration of teammates, or the great

th at you reall y are

feeling that comes from beating the best in

pretty good; that you are number one.

the world. Otherwise only a very few people could feel good about themselves: those

â&#x20AC;˘ Our Worth Comes From God

who are the best in their chosen field. And

But our worth does not come from our

they could only feel that way until someone

athletic abi lity- nor from our good looks

better came along, or until they were unable

or havi ng lots of friends or any other skill

to maintain their prominence.

or abi li ty we may possess. At the most

Our personal worth comes from a sensi-

basic level our worth comes from God. He

bl e and balanced view of sel f as revealed

is the One who made us. He is the One

by God. When we have this perspective,

who gave us our athleti c and other abil ities. He is also the One with the wisdom to

JORDAN: Can anyone be the "air" apparent to Michael's flights of fancy ?

our sel f-esteem will not be too hi gh or too low; it becomes neither self-centered nor

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rr

self-denying. The chart below illustrates that only God gives us a right view of ourselves. This view is real istic because it is based on truth. He alone sees us as we really are, and as our Creator values us immeasurably. We cannot base our self-image on how we compare with others. It will be too high if we see ourselves as superior, and too low if we think everyone else is better than us.

Both of these unhealthy views have their source in ourselves, and ultimately in the deceiver, Satan, and they are fueled by input from images in the world's media.

An athlete's world is unbelievably brinle.

To the fans and your manager, you're only as .....................................................

TYPE OF SELF-ESTEEM

SELFAPPRAISAL

APPRAISAL OF OTHERS

SOURCE

Too High

Unrealistic

"lam Superior"

Self/World/ Satan

Healthy

Realistic

"I am Equal to others"

God

Too l ow

Unrealistic

"I am Inferior"

Self/World/ Satan

Dave Dravecky, former pitcher for the National League Champion San Francisco Giants, is an example of this balance. While at the top of his game, he developed ann problems that were caused by cancer. After successful surgery to remove the tumor and a difficult rehabilitation, be went back on the mound. The fans cheered his courage and ability. He was pitching well- until his weakened arm snapped while he was delivering a fastball. It soon became obvious that he would never toe the mound in the major leagues again. !low did he feel about his experience? Did he lose his self-esteem because his career in the big leagues ended too soon? Did he drown his sorrows in alcohol? Certainly not! He experienced peace and contentment because Dave knows that his worth as a person comes from God. Dravecky talked with Second Look earlier this year (SL January/February 1990) and asked, "Why didn't my arm break before August I0, when I came back? Why didn 't it break during those three rehab games? And why was I allowed to come back and pitch as well as I did, and then to break my arm 5 days later?"

Dave's answer: "These are questions where I see the hand of God. So for me it wasn't 'Why, God?' but 'What is going to happen next? There is something big going on here, and I'd like to. know what it is."'

Then, speaking for his wife Janice and himself, he testified, "We're going in a new direction. We're going to stm1 a new life. God has given us peace about that, and the desire of our hearts is to do His will."

• Self-esteem and Performance Dave Dravecky was able to keep his self-image separate from his performance on the pitching mound. He knew that his value did not come from his athletic ability; nor did it come from his win-loss record. It comes from God. That's the key to keeping a healthy self-esteem in the high-pressure, ego-inflated world of big-league sports.

While this is also true in school, at work, and in relationshi ps with people, it's easy to see in sport. An athlete's world is unbelievably brittle. When you're on top, it feels great. You can earn an astronomical salary, and 22

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good as your last performance

everybody wants to talk to you. But to the fans and your manager, you're only as good as your last performance.

What happens when you lose a few miles-per-hour off your fastball? Or when a bad bounce embarrasses you on national TV? A kid comes out of college who can get the job done a little better than you can. An injury puts you out of the lineup for a while. You're a step slower.

You're losing it. How quickly the cheers tum to boos!

But are you worth any less as a person than when you were on top? Of course not. And perhaps you begin to see that what is most important in life is what is left after the ability is gone.

An athlete- or anyone-who realizes that his selfworth does not come from being number one, but from God, doesn't need to lose an ounce of self-esteem, even when a rookie takes his starting position away, or when he's traded for two minor league players.

• What The Bible Teaches About Self-esteem Here is what the Bible says: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought [to think]" (Romans 12:3).

It also says, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else" (Galatians 6:4).

A healthy self-esteem does not come from wi nning.

Nor does it come from being better than everyone else.

It comes from being the best we can be with the abilities God has given us. It comes from "running the race" in such a way that we have the approval of God (see I Corinthians 9:24 and 2 Timothy 4:7).

Today's world doesn't see it that way. On one hand are the huge egos and the exaggerated feeling of worth that are based on athletic prowess, business success, romantic conquests, or some other artificial measure of personal value.

-

Where Do You Stand?

PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE to feel better about yourself, but you don't want to answer to anyone else. After all, plenty of people seem to be content with themselves, right? Be careful. Looks can be deceiving. If their sense of self worth is based on anything but God, the slightest change in that base could be disastrous. If it's financial success, what happens when they lose their job? If it's having friends, what happens when they're separated? And if it's sports, what happens when someone better comes along?

All of these things can and do happen. But if your self-image is based on what God says about you, there is nothing to fear, for He never changes.

Yet ever since Adam, because of sin, we have been incomplete: men and women are unable, on their own, to have the fulfillment of fellowship with God. That is why He made provision for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). He also said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Apart from Christ, it is impossible to experience the fullness of God's design for your life. But in Jesus, you can begin to experience all you were created to be. Start by praying something like this: God, I know You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to this world to die so that my sins could be forgiven and that I could experience the abundant life of fellowship with You. Thank You for this wonderful act of forgiveness and love that allows me to become complete in You. /love You and give my whole heart and life to You. The Second Look staff is interested in helping you answer any questions about God and your spiritual life. Write to us at Second Look, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, Ml 49501-3566. •

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

On the other hand is a self-esteem that is far too low.

Let's face it. When life is based on perfonnance, the rest of us nonstars don't measure up. We can't shoot every round of golf in the mid-70s. We' ll never average 9.6 yards per pass reception or 268 in bowling. We can't afford the $100,000 sports car. We're not among the beautifu l people and the big-time performers.

Because appearance and performance are so important today, many people suffer from low self-esteem.

Average anything is looked down on. We ordinary people are in danger of being overwhelmed by feeling of weakness; of inferiority.

And that isn't right either. This is because our worth comes from God, who treats all people without partiality (see Romans 2: II and Ephesians 6:9). Handsome or plain, skilled or inept, advantaged or disadvantaged, we are all equal before God. No matter what we look like or what we can do, our worth comes from Him. The person with a rotten self-image has no more right to feel that way, in God's eyes, than the person who feels superior.

• How To Have AHealthy Self-Image It 's ironic. According to the Bible, the way to get a healthy self-image is to lose it. That's right. We give it up to get it. As soon as we see that our worth is not in ourselves and is not based on our performance but that it comes from God, then we have it. When we give ourselves up to Him, then He in turn gives us a healthy and balanced view of ourselves that works out success fully in life. The Bible spells it out this way:

"Submit yoursell'es, then to Cod . ... Humble yoursell'es before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James

[

4:7-10).

And how is that done? Here is what the Bible says: I. Admit that you cannot meet God's standard of perfonnance without His help (Romans 3:23).

2. Realize that your worth comes from God through Jesus Christ ( l Peter I : 18, 19).

3. Rest in God's acceptance of you in Christ (Romans 8: I; John 8: II).

4. Realize that God's love for you is not based on your skill or beauty or last name or good works, but on His Son's perfomlancefor you. He lived the sinless life you could never live, then died for you on the cross ( I Corinthians 15: 1-4).

5. Do the best you can to walk in faith, love, and obedience. Rely on Christ to make up the difference between God's standard of holiness and your inability to meet it.

Follow the process of repentance and forgiveness He has prescribed for us ( l John I :9).

When you fo ll ow th ese steps, your life will be anchored in God. Your sel f-image can be a healthy one.

A bad game, a weak performance, or a crippling injury will not throw you into the pits of depression, because you'll know that's not where your true worth as a person comes from anyway.

Even more, you'II have the kind of healthy, realistic, God-honoring sel f appraisal that will make you more pleasant to be around, and you' ll be better able to cope with whatever life brings you. And you will also know that it is really Jesus Christ who is the greatest. •

Dm•e Egner is Senior Staff Writer for Radio Bible Class in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a frequent contributor to Second Look.

BIBLE STUDY • A SECOND LOOK AT SELF IMAGE

H ow you view yourself will have a tremendous bearing on your future. If your view of self is more or less than it should be, you're headed for problems. But what should your self-image be? The Bible can answer that question.

I . According to Philippians 2:5- 11 , how did Jesus view Himsel f? ...........

2. According to Philippians 3:4-8, how did the apostle Paul view himself?

3. How do you think Timothy viewed himself, according to the apostle Paul 's comments found in 2 Timothy I :7? ........................................... .

4. According to the following verses, how does God view His children?

e Romans 5:8 ......................................................................................... eJohn 15:13 ..........................................................................................

• 2 Timothy l :9 ................. ........................................ .. ........................ ..

• Acts I :8 .................................................................. ........................... .

• Colossians I : II ; 2:10 ....................................................................... ..

• Ephesians 4:22-27 ......... .....................................................................

5. With these verses in mind, do you think it's right to believe anything less about yourself than what God says is true about you? ................. ..

6. According to the truth of Hebrews II : I and 6, how do you go about changing your self-image? .................................................................... .

7. How does Philippians I :6 relate to these things? ....... .......................... .

- Ralph K. Drolliuger

Pest Strip Personality

- By Darrow Parker

P ERHAPS YOU'VE SEEN this guy before. He glides across campus with a distinct air of self-importance. Crowds cling to him like flies to a pest strip.

He's a VIP, and he makes sure everybody knows it.

But most of us feel like just the opposite-Very Insignificant Persons. Well, God doesn't want us to feel that way. And He also doesn't want us to walk around expecting trumpet fanfares wherever we go either. A right view of self falls somewhere in the middle- we are valuable because God loves us, yet we ne~d a good supply of humility.

Not long ago, I heard about an athlete who charged $15 for his autograph.

At one sports memorabilia show he made $1 0,000 just for signing his name 667 times! That seems like a classic example of overblown self-importance.

In a real sense, there is only one VIP- Jesus Christ. But notice something.

Although He was the most important person who ever lived, He was also humble. He said that He "did not come to be served, but to serve ..." (Mark 10:45). To illustrate this attitude, Jesus washed the disciples' feet. Imagine that! The Creator of the universe- the holy Son of God- washing the dirty feet of sinful men!

So where does that leave us? It should remind us that if we want to honor the Lord, we will exercise enough humility to take the spotlight off ourselves and shine it on Him. He alone deserves praise and honor. • Adapted by permission from Our Daily Bread Campus Journal, <:1989. This helpful devotional series is available free of charge from Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49555, or call 1·800·722-3398.

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