Last week, a shocking report came out of Sayreville, NJ, regarding the hazing of 4 freshmen by 7 
players, ages 15-17.
The allegations involved attacks that took place over a period of 10 days last month. The Seven students face sex-crime charges stemming from the alleged hazing. Three were charged with aggravated sexual assault, criminal restraint, hazing and other crimes stemming from an act of sexual penetration upon one of the children. The other four students were charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact and other crimes. At this point, no coaches have been charged and it is not clear regarding their knowledge of the situation.
In the wake of the horrific situation, the school superintendent canceled the remainder of the football season and is considering whether to make that cancellation permanent for this 3-time NJ state championship team. His decision angered team parents but drew applause from advocates who called it the kind of bold stand necessary to confront hazing.
While everyone agrees with the corrupt nature of the attacks, some would say this isn’t a statement about the brokenness of sports but of the brokenness of those teenagers. While I agree that this says a great deal about those students’ brokenness – particularly about the way they think about themselves, the way they think of others and the way they think about laws/rules – I think it is important to point out part of the environment from which this abuse came.
Modern football – particularly the way players are often motivated to play at the highest level – involves tactics where a violent mindset and a disregard for the value of people could be propagated. In addition, more and more coaches teach a disregard for rules and a superior attitude among their players in their pursuit of winning. This teaching, if carried too far, could reinforce the kind of mindset that led to this kind of abuse.
These motivational tactics and this kind of coaching need to change. Football, along with sports in general, needs to be redeemed.
When we at CSO often say this, we follow up with – “What does that redemption actually look like?” and “How do we fight the cultural pressure to win at all costs and live out this redemption?” Here is where the rubber meets the road and the confusing looks come. While those looks are not limited to football, the challenge is great and the confusion deep because of the nature of the game.
We want to change that confusion. We want to give a clear picture of that redemption for sports and competition. This general picture would serve as a foundation upon which coaches and players in the particular sports could then individually build a construct for that redemption.
One of our efforts to provide that picture is the 3-part video series – For the Love of the Game.
“This video series has given me a wonderful perspective on the world of sport and theology in general!…. These videos are a thoughtful distillation of eight years of wrestling with God on the topic we love: competition and sport. For the Love of the Game video series is a perfect resource for anyone involved in the world of sport.” Steve Connor, Director – Sports Outreach International and former NFL player
Please pray with us about this growing problem – the brokenness of sports. We know the challenge is great, but we move in the hope that Jesus Christ, our Great Redeemer, IS making all things new! He is bringing about this redemption. He is doing a redemptive work that in its beauty stands in stark contrast to the shocking report of this week.
