If you were to pose the question to someone in their final days on this earth, Which outcome do you feel has been more relevant in your life, gathering fame or leaving a legacy—what do you imagine some of the responses might be? If you were granted the opportunity to ask a person who has spent their career invested in the world of sports, it is my sincere hope that you would be regaled with an answer similar to those shared recently at the Jackson Madison County Sports Hall of Fame celebration. For this guest in the audience that evening, she heard an emphatic answer to the Fame or Legacy question. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, in each of the inductees’ stories, the common theme woven throughout was not of the number of winning seasons they achieved, the emphasis remained on the relationships formed across their lifelong sports journey.

Yes, in the world of sports, we do maintain records, the score matters. I’m an individual who is particularly grateful for Keeping Score because that simple task has allowed me the opportunity to cross paths with many of the faces included in the pages of the JMSHOF program, whether it was a coach, a player, or an official. Their lives impacted mine, and this would not have occurred without the wonderful world of sports. As I pondered the overwhelming number of people they have influenced throughout their careers, I was reminded of how vital it can be to leave a Legacy that cascades from one generation to the next, impacting lives of young and old, and in my humble opinion, there are few vocations (excluding ministry) that have the power to transform lives the way that athletics does.

And I admit to feeling some concern for future generations of young people as I see fewer and fewer people willing to accept the calling on their lives to coach and work in sports. The sacrifice is real, as many of the inductees alluded to, as they voiced their appreciation for family and friends who sacrificed time and money for the sake of the team(s). Perhaps our current culture is shifting the focus away from the transformation of lives. Are we Changing the Metrics in a such a way that the focus becomes more about achieving Fame than guiding a Legacy in developing skills and attributes that will reap benefits throughout an athlete’s life? Will there be dedicated individuals that choose to serve their communities through sports or will our culture drive people away from pursuing these types of careers?

As the night of honoring these individuals elapsed, as the crowd laughed at the stories shared, as each of us pondered in our own minds those coaches and athletes that personally impacted us, I found myself, not only grateful for my personal experiences, but hopeful that future generations will sit in the same chairs decades from now and be able to share the Legacy of today’s servants currently providing guidance, discipline, and encouragement on a field, court, pitch, course, or just some small patch of grass. We need to continually encourage people to consider careers in sport, those who are willing to mentor across generations, and offer their gifts and talents in the service to others.

Aware of how varied the tales shared that night were, depending on who was doing the telling, one factor remained evident throughout: there was a humble pride shared by all. Humble pride in that all were clearly aware that the accomplishments achieved depended on the performance of others, but also that striving for excellence in an all endeavors matters as well. All of us stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, on those who choose to invest time and energy in us, but we also have a grave responsibility to steward the gifts and talents that God bestows upon us. The individuals honored on that particular night, along with many sprinkled throughout the crowd across the civic center, have demonstrated emphatically through their actions the answer to their Fame or Legacy question. May we continually honor and recognize the dedication of many, to our children, to our communities, and to our culture!

It’s no secret that sports have played an influential role in my life and I would enjoy hearing how the relationships formed through sport have impacted yours. Please consider sharing a story or two in the comments below of how you have witnessed the Fame or Legacy question answered.