There is a technique in football called “Jam.” A “Jam” is a defensive move and happens when you get your hands on a wide receiver to disrupt the timing of the route he is running. It’s something all defensive backs (DBs) are taught, but if you can master it you will become a pretty good DB.

I taught this to my son Nathan when he started playing football. When he was younger he would play off the receiver and he would let him run past him. I told him, “son, you need to go up and get in front of him and jam him up!” The first time he did it he pushed the kid down and we got a sack on the quarterback! One of the greatest joys I have as a father is to pass down the wisdom that was handed down to me about this game.

As a child I grew up playing football in the state of Texas — football is a religion down there. It goes like this, God, family, and football. I started out playing pee-wee ball and I was small in stature and afraid to get hit! But God gave me speed. Because of that gift of speed I got noticed going into middle school. Our local high school coaches would drop by our games. They singled me out pretty quickly based on talent.

When I arrived in high school I was ready to play Texas high school football. It seemed like everybody was good and that you had to play your best at all times. This pursuit of excellence opened the doors for me to play for Penn State, and then a short stint in the pros.

And now my son Nathan is on this same path. I helped coach his pee-wee team, and now I watch film with him and teach him techniques that I didn’t learn until college and the pros. I’m believing that I can pass the baton to him so he can run farther and faster than his dad. Now that he is entering high school, I believe the best is yet to come!

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

This verse isn’t talking about football training, but the principle is the same. Whatever wisdom and insights you have, if you pass them down to someone, they will reap a reward from what you taught them. A coach’s job is to take their knowledge and give it to the players to make them better.

You don’t have to be a parent or coach for this Proverb to apply to you. We all have been given influence in someone’s life — sometimes it is obvious, and sometimes we need to look around at who God has placed in our lives. Being a mentor in any capacity can greatly transform someone’s life.

This verse is an encouragement. If we put in the time and energy into another person, it will pay off. They will grow, and we will have impacted them. People respond — especially people younger than you — when you show them that you want to help them grow because you truly care about them. A kid’s face will light up when you tell them that you believe in them and that they can be even better than you are.

To pass the baton is simple. Find ways to mentor, train, or build up others in something that you are good at. You have knowledge that can benefit someone who is coming up behind you — knowledge that could change the trajectory of their life.

We were created to make a difference in our communities and so I encourage you today, find someone in your life that you can pass the baton to.