Tallahassee Storm Girls Basketball

Relentless

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” - Romans 12:1-12 NIV

As I have shared before, for a number of years, I started and coached a girl’s spring/summer travel basketball program - The Tallahassee Storm.

Though we traveled some, we tended to focus on fundamental development versus playing a national schedule (as some programs might). Thus, our kids tended to be those learning the game and developing basketball skills to be able to make their school team… or they were more developed players that didn’t want to travel that much to play and improve (or they played on another national team along with our regional team.)

Each year, we developed a t-shirt to commemorate the year. It was fun seeing them wearing them around town year’s later.

One year, our shirt said . Charging us all to chase greatness in our game and in life.

The T-shirt the year before that had one word on the front that best described the way our girls played - RELENTLESS. Though we didn’t always win, we were relentless in our effort. We relentlessly competed.

Relentless ~ continuing without becoming weaker, less severe, etc.: Remaining strict or determined: showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace : unrelenting

However, more importantly, the back of the shirt better explained the word choice... the deeper meaning, if you would:

Storm Creed
Relentlessly striving to glorify God through:
How hard we play
How well we do
And how much fun we have doing it

I wonder what might happen if we as individuals took up this creed in our day to day activities.... in our work... in our family life... in our faith life?

Relentlessly striving to glorify God through all that we do:
How hard we play (pray, work, love)
How well we do (compete, study, work, live, love, walk as Jesus walked)
How much fun we have doing it (letting our joy shine on the world around us)

I wonder what life might be like if we lived RELENTLESS?

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem

Storm Family -
My buddy JT Escobar is doing great basketball training in Tallahassee for girls.

He’s a former D-1 basketball player (Ole Miss and North Florida), Tallahassee raised, a solid man of God and a difference maker. He does it the right way. I think y’all will love him.

Reach out and make the connection

TRAINING | Equalshot In need financial assistance for training? No problem, click "Request a Scholarship" below and a member of our team will be in contact with you.

The Assist
(23rd Anniversary Edition)

As we continue to celebrate the 23rd Anniversary of the Old Lazy Dog - Great Day Addendum and www.oldlazydog.com, today's GDA is another one of my favorites from years gone by. Keep the Faith - Marty

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” - Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

I remember very little about my years of basketball. Very little about high school or college games or opponents. Just a memory here and a memory there. Most of it flushed away as we went from game to game.... year to year.

That being said, I do have one strong memory of my favorite play in college.

It happened my senior year in college. Our point guard had been injured the game before and our backup point guard wasn’t quite ready for that full time responsibility. So, this 6’6” swingman stepped into the floor general role for our Homecoming game.

During the first half of that game, I stepped in front of a pass and started going the other way to lead a fast break. As I was approaching the free throw line, from my peripheral vision I could see one of my teammates on my right streaking toward the basket. So, I dribbled the ball between my legs and went to the left side of the free throw line, the step back pulling the defender toward me and thus opening up the right side of the floor.

Then, without slowing or thinking, I pulled my dribble up and floated a no-look pass toward the rim. At that moment, my teammate leaped toward the basket, caught the ball and dunked the alley-oop pass.

BOOM!

And the crowd exploded in a thundering ROAR. The loudest I had ever heard in my years as a player.

I wasn’t the one that scored. I got no glory per se.

I just made the pass.

And though I had worked on the ball handling move many, many times over the previous summer (primarily to be able to be able to take my own shot), my teammate and I had never practiced that play... that pass and dunk. It just sort of happened.

And it’s my favorite basketball memory of my playing career. Not scoring but making the assist.

Making the assist is like sharing my faith. You see at that moment, my job was to distribute the ball to another. At the moment that I accepted Jesus as my Savior, my “job”, if you would, became to grow in my faith... and then share it with others.

My assists now are in helping to lead others to Jesus. Some may accept right now and ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior at the very moment I share. Some may hear and not yet respond until another or another share with him as well.

My job is to make the assist, share my faith, let others know where I stand and what I believe.

There is great joy in making the assist... great joy when someone prays to accept Christ. It’s emotional and exciting and a memory that lasts a lifetime... and an eternity changing moment for the one who accepts and believes, for the one who accepts the pass and scores.

And the angels in heaven celebrate... with a thundering ROAR!

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem

https://youtu.be/vus3-foN0Nk

A Pep Talk from Coach Driscoll Matt Driscoll, Head Coach of Men's Basketball at the University of North Florida, talks about his favorite book, leap year, God's timing, and why we should "...

It’s never been about the trophies... but it’s always more fun to win.

“Striving to glorify God through how hard we work, how well we play, and how much fun we have doing it.”

A message for all my and facing finals this week... And for all of us in our day to day life, work, and battles.

Friends - Many of you have asked over the past few weeks/months what I was doing now, why I was doing it and how you could support our team’s efforts...

Below is a short video that explains it pretty clearly - With just around the corner, we would love for you to consider becoming our partner... Today, Tuesday or Sometime thereafter

Thanks and Keep the Faith

www.nationsofcoaches.com

https://vimeo.com/349534003

The Reason for Nations of Coaches Tommy Kyle, Executive Director, explains the purpose and vision of Nations of Coaches. Coaches Roy Williams, Frank Martin, Murray Garvin, and Tubby Smith share how…

Friends - Many of you have asked over the past few weeks/months what I was doing now, why I was doing it and how you could support our team’s efforts...

Below is a short video that explains it pretty clearly - With just around the corner, we would love for you to consider becoming our partner.

Thanks and Keep the Faith

www.nationsofcoaches.com

https://vimeo.com/349534003

The Reason for Nations of Coaches Tommy Kyle, Executive Director, explains the purpose and vision of Nations of Coaches. Coaches Roy Williams, Frank Martin, Murray Garvin, and Tubby Smith share how…

The Assist

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” - Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

I remember very little about my years of basketball. Very little about high school or college games or opponents. Just a memory here and a memory there. Most of it flushed away as we went from game to game.... year to year.

That being said, I do have one strong memory of my favorite play in college.

It happened my senior year in college. Our point guard had been injured the game before and our backup point guard wasn’t quite ready for that full time responsibility. So, this 6’6” swingman stepped into the floor general role for our Homecoming game.

During the first half of that game, I stepped in front of a pass and started going the other way to lead a fast break. As I was approaching the free throw line, from my peripheral vision I could see one of my teammates on my right streaking toward the basket. So, I dribbled the ball between my legs and went to the left side of the free throw line, the step back pulling the defender toward me and thus opening up the right side of the floor.

Then, without slowing or thinking, I pulled my dribble up and floated a pass toward the rim. At that moment, my teammate leaped toward the basket, caught the ball and dunked the alley-oop pass.

BOOM!

And the crowd exploded in a thundering ROAR. The loudest I had ever heard in my years as a player.

I wasn’t the one that scored. I got no glory per se.

I just made the pass.

And though I had worked on the ball handling move many, many times over the previous summer (primarily to be able to be able to take my own shot), my teammate and I had never practiced that play... that pass and dunk. It just sort of happened.

And it’s my favorite basketball memory of my playing career. Not scoring but making the assist.

Making the assist is like sharing my faith. You see at that moment, my job was to distribute the ball to another. At the moment that I accepted Jesus as my Savior, my job, if you would, became to grow in my faith... and then share it with others.

My assists now are in helping to lead others to Jesus. Some may accept right now and ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior at the very moment I share. Some may hear and not yet respond until another or another share with him as well.

My job is to make the assist, share my faith, let others know where I stand and what I believe.

There is great joy in making the assist... great joy when someone prays to accept Christ. It’s emotional and exciting and a memory that lasts a lifetime... and an eternity changing moment for the one who accepts and believes, for the one who accepts the pass and scores.

And the angels in heaven celebrate... with a thundering ROAR!

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem

Passion ~ Read today's Great Day Addendum

Passion — Old Lazy Dog “Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”” - John 2:17 NLT What’s your passion? What is it that you enjoy doing or being a part of more than just about anything? For me, it is basketball. Whether playing, coaching, refere...

Friends -

Many of you have asked about my new job, so I wanted to communicate what’s happening in our world...

As many of you have seen/heard, we will soon be moving to Decatur, Alabama.

I am the new COO for a national ministry based there called Nations of Coaches. A ministry that focuses on men’s college basketball head coaches, their wives and their teams.

The role seems to fit my passions of faith, ministry and basketball... and takes advantage of what I’ve been able to do and learn over my career.

And the NoC folks really seem to genuinely love Amy, my girls and me.

We’ll be in and out of Tallahassee until the house sells. We would truly appreciate your prayers through this transition and for the sale of the home we’ve had for over 15 years.

Thank you for your friendship and support over the years and thank you for all that you do.

Keep the Faith
Marty