A New Weekly Resource for Sports Leaders

On August 31, SportsLife Leadership launched a new resource called The Play of the Week. President Dan Britton and Chief Leadership Officer Jimmy Page lead the weekly devotional series, bringing decades of experience creating high-level sports ministry content.

“Our job is to develop and disciple sports leaders so they can build sports communities for Kingdom impact,” Page said.

“We infuse life into sports leaders around the world, and The Play of the Week is going to be a central tool.” – Jimmy Page

The devotionals follow what Page calls a “1-2-3 format.”

“Sports leaders will get one devotion for the week,” he explained. “Then we’re going to recommend two resources from our leadership pipeline. And finally, three spiritual leadership quotes from significant faith-based people that tie into the theme for that week.”

Each devotional includes challenging questions for reflection or group discussion, with every topic tied to SportsLife’s ministry pillars.

“What makes us unique is we merge faith, sport, and leadership,” Page said. “Those are our big three. And so we speak a very unique and targeted language.”

First and foremost, the new devotional resource is meant to minister to those leading the ministry charge.

“We want to put Christ-centered, world-class resources in the hands of sports leaders that will disciple them and help them grow. The devotionals will be written from the competitive mindset for the believer.” – Dan Britton

It is also built for ongoing discipleship.

“This is a resource that sports leaders leading life groups can use right now in the field,” Page said. “They can print it out or pull it up on their phone and use it as weekly or monthly material within their sport community.”

Britton and Page also see it as a rallying point for the SportsLife community.

“There are thousands of people that are a part of this ministry—staff, volunteers, coaches, athletes, prayer partners, supporters, family members,” Britton said. “The Play of the Week is going to connect those people through this weekly touch point.”

For Britton, the unique language of SportsLife Leadership is what will set it apart.

“The Play of the Week is going to be a cornerstone resource that creates common language, pulls people together, and fosters tight-knit community,” he said.

Page points to another impetus: what he calls “a resurgence toward traditional Christianity” and a desire for “more depth” and “a solid foundation.”

“We are in this squeeze-it-in culture where people squeeze the Word into their day a little bit here and there,” Page said. “It becomes a pick-me-up, but it doesn’t last. People don’t want sound bites anymore. They want certainty. They want stability.”

The Play of the Week goes out every Monday by email or text to anyone who signs up on the SportsLife website under the Resources tab, where past devotionals are archived.

“People are buried with emails and devotions,” Page said. “We don’t want to bury people with more information but instead give them content and resources that bring transformation—tools that feed their spiritual life and cut through the clutter and noise.”