SPORTS AND SPIRITUALITY : WHEN FAITH BECOMES A SUBSTITUTE FOR WORK
By Pastor Joseph Andishu
In the first part of this series, we asked a simple but important question. Is talent really enough?
For many young footballers, the answer is no. They believe they need something beyond their natural ability. For some, that something is prayer, faith or spiritual guidance.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that belief.
The difficulty begins when spirituality stops being a source of strength and becomes a substitute for responsibility.
This is where the conversation becomes uncomfortable.
Imagine a young footballer who has genuine talent. He can control the ball, beat defenders and score goals. But instead of spending extra time improving his weaker foot, studying the game or working on his fitness, he begins searching for someone who promises to reveal the spiritual secret behind his career.
The training ground gradually becomes less important.
The prophecy becomes more important.
The discipline becomes less important.
The spiritual promise becomes more important.
That is where a young player’s dream can become vulnerable.
Football is unpredictable. A player may train for months without getting a contract. Another may be dropped by a coach. A third may suffer an injury. A fourth may perform well but still not receive the opportunity he expected.
When disappointment comes, it can be comforting to have an explanation.
But not every setback requires a spiritual explanation.
Sometimes a player is not selected because another player is better prepared.
Sometimes a striker is not scoring because his finishing needs improvement.
Sometimes an academy player is overlooked because he needs more tactical education.
Sometimes the problem is fitness, decision making, discipline or consistency.
These are football problems, and football problems require football solutions.
Nigeria’s football environment makes this particularly important because young players are often competing for limited opportunities. Modern football increasingly demands structured training, technical development, tactical understanding, physical preparation and discipline. Talent must be developed before it can be sustained.
This does not mean spirituality is useless.
Research has found that religious and spiritual practices can help athletes cope with uncertainty, stress and anxiety and can contribute to their general well being.
But there is a crucial difference between saying that faith helps an athlete face pressure and believing that faith removes the need for hard work.
The first can strengthen an athlete.
The second can weaken him.
A young footballer should therefore be careful about anyone who promises success while making hard work appear unnecessary.
He should pray if prayer is part of his faith. He should seek encouragement when he needs it. But he must also return to the training ground.
Football rewards preparation.
A good spiritual life cannot correct a poor first touch. It cannot improve a player’s fitness without effort. It cannot teach a midfielder how to read the game. It cannot make a striker more accurate if he refuses to practise.
When the referee blows the whistle, the footballer still has to play.
That is the point many young players must understand.
Faith can give you confidence, hope and encouragement, but you still have to develop the talent you have been given.
The dream may be spiritual to you, but the work required to reach it is very real.
