Winning Plays For Life
From the perspective of a Hall of Fame sportswriter & former athlete
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Having sweated profusely over sports stories that usually totaled 500 to 1,000 words for more than fifty years, contributing to a book sounded overwhelming.
A book? When I often struggled to find a lead paragraph for an eighteen-inch article.
But Long-time and persuasive friend Pat Teague, a former football star who ministers in the Raleigh, NC, area, submitted a theme and suggested teaming up on a book during a conversation at the Finley YMCA in Raleigh, NC.
Having known Pat since his glory days at NC State in the 1980s and aware of his deep faith, I agreed to join him on this endeavor. With much prayer and reliance on the Lord, we focused on what Pat titled Winning Plays for Life.
My role and hope was to find a way to weave a few athletic examples into this devotional publication bearing a strong Christian emphasis.
The list below, which will be explored in more detail later, is a snapshot of important keys to achieving a high level of living spiritually and practically.
Winning Plays for Life:
* Direction
* Determination
* Diligence
* Discipline
* Discernment
* Destination
* Diesel
In his progression as an athlete, a devoted husband and father, professional engineer, and minister, Pat has long practiced what he has preached. He was a stellar three sports standout at Raleigh’s Sanderson High School and football star at NC State, where he set the school single-game tackles record (unofficial 29 stops) against North Carolina. Later he played in NFL before returning to Raleigh when his pro career was short-circuited by an injury.
It was special for Wolfpack fans to watch Pat play. It has been more rewarding to interview him, when he would share his faith and give glory to God.
As the following pages illustrate, application of Pat’s “Winning Plays For Life” supporting Bible verses and questions can be helpful in virtually every area of a person’s life: Faith, family, profession, sports, and most any other endeavor. I pray this book will be spiritually enriching and that it will lift all of us to a more devoted, fulfilling Christian life and toward the ultimate destination, Heaven. To God be the glory.
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About the Book
Do you realize you are always “one play away from a big play”? Would you like to know the secret of how to go from good to GREAT? Where are the examples throughout sports history of victories and defeats? How do you prepare for your moment in the sun? How do you get in position for the “big plays”? Our goal in this book is to prepare you for that moment of opportunity. That “big play” can happen on an athletic field, or in the home, or in the workplace, or out in the community. This book will take these principles or “plays” from the abstract to practical application which can be applied to each area of your life. In these pages you can find the diesel that can fuel your tank to avoid burn out. Take a time out and sit down with us and look through the eyes of a former athlete and through the writings of a Hall of Fame sports writer for a pep talk that can take your game to a championship level for a lifetime! Your destiny is waiting!
About the Author
A.J.’s journalism career began at an early age in his hometown, Wallace NC. As a student at Wallace-Rose Hill High School he wrote for the local “Wallace Enterprise” and also had a rewarding athletic career in baseball, football and basketball. His passion for sports and writing continued for more than 50 years, including 42-plus years at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. He covered sports at all levels, recreation, high school, college and pro and won several National and State awards, including two N.C. Sportswriter of the Year honors. He is in three Halls of Fame — The George Whitfield Clinic Hall of Fame, Guilford College Sports Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
A.J. and his wife Nancy, who married in 1965, still live in Raleigh near their two sons — Greg and Brad — daughters-in-law Danette and Caroline and (five) grandsons Huntley, James, Mason, William and Baker. They are life-long Methodist and have been active members of Millbrook United Methodist Church since 1972.
Pat Teague grew up surrounded by standout athletes —the love of sports is in his DNA. God used sports to teach Pat spiritual life lessons. Those lessons helped him earn Hall of Fame status at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, NC, where he excelled in track, basketball, and football. Pat became an All-ACC Linebacker for N. C. State University and then played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For many years, He has shared the lessons that he learned on the field with individuals, groups, and churches. Pat is an ordained Christian Minister, Motivational Speaker, Professional Engineer, Founder of The Lettermen’s Club, and the Director of Sports Missions Outreach which is based out of Crossroads Fellowship in Raleigh, NC. He is happily married to Sheila and is the father of three great children, Brianna, Ethan, and Rachel.