Key Verse:

Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must [forgive]. Above all, [put on] love—the perfect bond of unity.  
Colossians 3:12-14

UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close isn’t intimidated. Even though it’s her first season at the helm of a major college program and the first head coaching job of her career, Close believes she’s equipped for the challenge. For the past 18 seasons, she’s gained confidence and skill by assisting some of the top coaches in the game, and thanks to their influence—and more importantly the power of the Holy Spirit—Close has learned more than just the X’s and O’s of basketball. She’s learned how to help young women pursue excellence in all areas of life—including matters of faith.

When an athlete reaches the pinnacle of a sport, the new pedestal changes their vantage point. No longer are they looking up to others; everyone is looking up to them. It’s a powerful shift that alters every aspect of their lives.

What’s interesting about Lauren Cheney, though, is how far from that observation shift she lives. As one of the stars of the U.S. women's national soccer team, Cheney has, by contrast, spent most of her life looking up to and learning from others. Only recently has she realized that, while she’s been focused on others, the world has been focusing on her.

In his 25 years of coaching, Mercer University Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Hoffman has seen it all. From high school to the pros, men’s hoops to women’s, he’s experienced everything from the highs of national titles to the lows of losing seasons. But one constant for Hoffman amid the many changes has been his focus on Christ—the One who placed him in each coaching seat to share His glory and love with every player and coach along the way.

Charlotte Smith’s illustrious collegiate playing career included a national championship, a Final Four Most Outstanding Player award, and a retired jersey in the rafters at the University of North Carolina. Now, after nine years assisting her former coach, Sylvia Hatchell, Smith is in her second year calling the shots at Elon and looking to replicate the same on-court success she experienced years ago while imparting God’s wisdom and love to her players from the bench.

Every Saturday in the fall, young men don their helmets and pads and suit up for their days of glory on the gridiron. They play with unyielding determination, heart and passion. They are RELENTLESS!
This fall, we interviewed college football players around the country who are passionately pursuing more than just worldly trophies and treasures. Beginning with Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, each answered the question, “Considering your relationship with Christ, what does it mean to relentlessly pursue Him?”