The NCAA March Madness basketball tournament begins this week, and the coach of number one seed the University of Virginia says biblical principles have played a major role in getting them to this point.
UVA Cavaliers men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett explained how his faith impacts the way he coaches:
"My faith—that defines me. That's what gives me my meaning and purpose and how I try to treat people with my life," he said. "I make so many mistakes. The fact that I know I'm forgiven is probably the greatest joy that I have, but that is significant. That is the bedrock of my life and therefore the foundation of why I coach and how I coach, how I try to treat people and my perspective on this whole thing."
CBN News notes that Bennet uses five biblically-based pillars to teach his players lessons that will be of help to them both on and off the basketball court.
"They are life lessons and they are very specific to basketball in ways you wouldn't think," Bennett said.
"I really am thankful that we have a program that is building things of value that are basketball-oriented but life-oriented and family-oriented and career-oriented," he continued.
Roger Cheeks , the athletic director at Regent University, told CBN News that Bennett’s team is successful in large part because he teaches them about character before anything else.
"If you are willing to work with athletes and enhance their character, then wins will come," Cheeks said.
That certainly has been true for the Cavaliers so far. You can watch them play their first March Madness game on Friday against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Publication date: March 13, 2018
