'Building a Wall'

I'll always remember walking off the court in the league tournament championship game. 

I'll never forget the feeling of disappointment that came from losing to a team for the third consecutive time.  Bigger than that disappointment was the frustration that was vent up inside of me.  If frustration is best defined as 'unmet expectation,' I wasn't about to accept a close loss to the #1 team simply because I had high expectations for my team.  As I walked into that locker room I knew that if we could change our defensive mindset, this team had a chance to make a run in the National Tournament. 

I remember telling each guy in that locker room...

Diving into the Word and onto the floor

I’ll always remember how we grew the week leading in to our national tournament run. 

I couldn’t believe how committed everyone on the team was on and off the floor. We had some of the toughest practices I can ever remember, but also some of the most meaningful prayer times.

The coaches really pushed us that week...

ON THE BUS

I’ll always remember watching the 2014 national championship game while we were on the bus to Branson.

The national tournament is a culmination of a lot of hard work and energy over the course of a season.  As a reflective person, I spent the bus ride to Branson thinking about all of the memories that were created during the season.   From a basketball perspective I thought of every preseason workout, every practice, every conference game, every suicide, every film session, every loss, and every win.  Spiritually, I remembered the moments spent in prayer, the moments searching God’s Word, the tears shed and the moments of joy that we shared as teammates.  I wondered how all of this preparation would reveal itself.  

While we were on the bus...

Story Time  

I’ll always remember being on the other side of ‘story time’--as a coach.

Being just a year removed from playing at IWU, I was invariably asked throughout the year what it was like to now be a part of the coaching staff. I could discuss at length how impressed I was by everyone’s work ethic and basketball IQ, but what stands out the most to me was their diligence in prayer. It was humbling to be surrounded by men who consistently set aside time to meet with the Father.

For four years, I showed up for film sessions, meetings, practices and games, with a limited knowledge as to just how much preparation and prayer went into everything. Needless to say, I was surprised the first time...

The Prayer walk

I’ll always remember the prayer walk that Josh Mawhorr and I took before the night before our first national tournament game.

It had been a frustrating season for me as I had high hopes of playing a big role on the team after putting in hundreds of hours of work in the off-season.  I knew it was going to be a breakout season for me, and I played well to start the year, but my minutes went down as the season went along.  The ten games leading in to the tourney were some of the most frustrating of my career, as I had not played more than 3 minutes in a game.  I had many sleepless nights...

Backyard dreams

I’ll always remember my mind flashing back to playing alone in the driveway, my mom calling me inside for dinner way too early.  I’d yell back ‘Not until I win this game!’

As a kid, I always dreamed about hitting the “big shot.”  Night after night, I would hit one game winner after another until mom’s voice got a little more serious.  And so when the stage was actually set for my chance to hit a “big shot” in a meaningful game, I had already been there. I had already thought about that moment and what move I might make and the feeling I was going to have after the shot went down.

Before every game in the last half of this season, I would...

Big shot jonny

I’ll always remember feeling sorry for the guy who was guarding Jonny.

It was a one point game, with just under a minute left and I was sitting on the edge of my seat watching Jonny dribble the ball at half court.  I was not wondering IF he was going to make a winning play—I was wondering what winning play he was going to make.

Having guarded him every day in practice, I knew first hand that there’s really not much a defender can do when Jonny decides he is going to score...  

The huddle

I’ll always remember the timeout huddle that shook me to the core.

I had a unique opportunity as a redshirt to observe our leaders carefully and I watched no one harder than Jonny Marlin...

CHURCH!

I will always remember how we spent our off day in Branson.  We went to church!  

I came to IWU last year anxious to learn about what made the program so successful.  I will never forget the first piece of advice I got from Coach Tonagel...

TRUE GROWTH

I’ll always remember how I grew more off the court than on it during the National Championship run.

Cutting down the nets with my teammates was a memory I’ll never forget, but the growth I experienced in prayer is what I will take away from Branson.  I learned that there is something special that happens when you pray in unity with a group of men who are all passionate about seeking the Lord. 

When Josh Mawhorr got up and shared with the team and led us in prayer time the morning before we took on Davenport, something clicked inside of me...

The ASSIGNMENT

I’ll always remember when my teammates had my back after I was given the biggest defensive assignment of my life.

After I saw that we were going to play Davenport in the Final Four, I instantly felt a tinge of anxiousness. I knew how good Davenport was, and I remembered specifically one player from when they knocked us out in the Elite 8 last season.  Dominez Burnett. This dude was good, I mean really good. He won NAIA National Player of the Year two years in a row and was the all time leading collegiate scorer in the state of Michigan, scoring over 2800 points. 

I had a feeling that I was going to be given the responsibility to guard him, and thinking about doing this on my own created some nervousness... 

Late night film sessions

I’ll always remember the late night runs to Krispy Kreme with DJ.

When our coaching staff prepares for a regular season game, we will spend dozens of hours watching film of our opponent to put our guys in the best position to succeed.  That becomes a lot more challenging when you are getting ready for your fourth game in five days, like we were when we were getting ready to take on Davenport in the Final Four.  With such a jam-packed schedule, the coaches cram as much film as possible into the time available, and my roommate DJ Bettinger and I often watched film late into the night.

After the coaching staff finished our pregame prayer with just under 20 minutes showing until the game started, I sat alone in the locker room and opened my Bible...

WAKE UP CALL

I’ll always remember when God woke me up early on a Saturday morning in Branson.

It wasn’t unusual for the coaches to wake up after three or four hours of sleep while we were in Branson, typically with game film on our minds.  But early Saturday morning, it was a passage of Scripture that was laid so heavily on my heart that I knew I wouldn’t be able to get any more rest until I went to the Word to see what the Lord wanted to say.  I'll never forget how clearly I felt compelled to type out some specific thoughts as I read through Acts 4 that morning.  As we walked in to the locker room after beating Davenport a few days later, it was those thoughts from the Lord that I couldn’t get out of my head...

WHY I CAME HERE

I’ll always remember when the national title game lost its importance.

It was the night before the biggest game of the year, and we had not gone over the game plan yet.  I walked in to the meeting room anxious to know what we were going to do differently after going 0-3 against our opponent during the season.

The coaches got in front of the room and didn't talk basketball...

True Inner Workings

I’ll always remember praying with the Men’s Basketball team before their national championship.

As Athletic Director at IWU, one of my favorite parts of the job is the opportunity I have to watch all of our teams compete. I love all sports and get a true enjoyment out of watching our talented athletes use their gifts in a sport that they love. Traveling to the national tournament to watch our team brings that enjoyment to an even higher level because our coaches are gracious enough to invite me to join them in their team meetings. These meetings consist of game video analysis, strategy talks, devotional thoughts and prayer time. When I sit in these meetings, I feel like I am observing the “inner workings” of Wildcat Basketball…the non-glamorous component necessary for any team to be successful but a part that many non-team members never have the opportunity to see or understand.

Monday night after the semi-final win against Davenport I was sitting in just such a meeting...

powerful prayers

I’ll always remember praying with my dad the morning of the national championship game. 

Our team was focused all week in prayer.  Leading up to the trip and while we were in Branson, we would break up into small groups every night and pray. Sometimes these prayer times were led by coaches but usually they were led by players.   We prayed words straight from Bible verses, we prayed for our teammates, we prayed for our coaches, we prayed God would move in powerful ways and we prayed we would have courage to share what He was doing.  All of these times were very powerful and the Spirit was present at each one, but the prayer session that meant the most to me was the one I was able to share with my dad...

March 15, 2016

I'll always remember March 15, 2016.

The day had been circled on my calendar for a year.  I had in my head that March 15 would be the day that IWU would be playing for the NAIA National Championship.  March 15 would provide the fitting ending to the countless hours of hard work in the weight room and the early morning wake up calls for the 'junkyard workouts' that Coach Whaley has become famous for.   March 15 would be the payoff for a coaching staff that put so many hours into preparation for each opponent to provide the players the best opportunity to succeed.  Yes, March 15th would be a special day.  

In my mind, March 15 would best be remembered watching the team, and in particular my son Jonny, cutting down the nets at approximately 8 PM.  

Well…isn't it just like our great and awesome God to give us the desires of our heart but in the process provide us with something even more rewarding?  You see, March 15th became a day I will always remember not because of cutting down the nets at 8 PM, but what happened hours before the tip of the championship game.  Let me explain...

Playing in freedom

I'll always remember remember the sense of peace and freedom I had before the tipoff of the national championship game.

As I sat in the locker room, I reflected on what had happened over the past 24 hours...

The housekeeper

I’ll always remember when I saw Sonia walk in to watch the National Championship game.

We were blessed during the week to have our hotel rooms cleaned by Sonia, a sweet, elderly Latino...

Halftime

I’ll always remember where Josh Mawhorr’s mind was during halftime of the national championship game.

If someone asked me if the week in Branson was about something more than basketball, the answer would be a resounding "YES!"  Our mission was obvious.  Every scout, walkthrough, pregame, practice, and game was focused on Christ in one way or the other. Our coaches and player leaders were constantly pushing us spiritually.  They are some of the most faithful men I have encountered, and they made basketball more than just a game.

Basketball was a form of worship.  Literally, we were worshipping the Lord during games...

we aren't going to lose this game

I’ll always remember how confident I felt because of the way our team had grown in toughness.

What had once been an 11-point lead had turned in to a 1-point deficit with under four minutes to play.  This was a moment where our team may have folded a month before, but I knew there was no way we were going to lose this one...

The rebound

I'll always remember the final timeout of the season.

We were sitting on a one-point lead after turning the ball over against the Saint Francis press.  In the huddle, we focused on everyone’s responsibilities if the ball went in the post. As we broke the huddle, I grabbed Josh Mawhorr's arm and said, "If you get this rebound, we win the game!"  

I'll never forget the certainty in Josh’s voice as he stopped dead in his tracks and looked me in the eye... 

The final prayer

I’ll always remember the last time the team prayed together.

Counter-Cultural

I’ll always remember how different this team was from what cultural tells us a basketball team should be.

On top of the ladder

I’ll always remember climbing the ladder to cut down the nets...

The Celebration

I’ll always remember what I was doing at 3 AM after winning the national championship.

I had wondered the night before what national champs do to celebrate.

Do they throw a party? Maybe. 
Do they pop bottles of champagne in the locker room? Maybe. 
Do they smoke a cigar like Michael Jordan did after his championships? Maybe. 

But that’s not how we celebrated our national championship...

Digging Ditches

I'll always remember "digging ditches." 

Our team learned a very important principle that has shaped our lives and will impact us forever.  This season taught us the principle that small steps and hard work often precipitate a movement of God!  That human action prepares the way for supernatural favor.  Sometimes God asks us to make preparations for receiving a miracle.  John Wooden once said that"when opportunity comes, it's too late for preparation."  I wonder if the same concept can apply to our spiritual lives? 

I'm always asking myself: Why do some teams never reach their potential?  Why do some seem to get stuck?  Why is this person not reaching his potential? Why is he stuck?

In his book Greater, Steven Furtick would say it comes down to two simple concepts. 

1.     We often don't think God is big enough.

2.     We aren't willing to start small enough.

Most of us don't think how big God is and what he wants to do in our lives.  He has big dreams for our lives but too often we settle for less.  I wish my default thinking was Ephesians 3:20 and I always believed God's could do more than I could ever ask or imagine!

If God really does have big dreams out for us, how do we see it through?

I'll always remember overlooking the New River gorge in West Virginia with all our fathers.  It was the last day of our Father-Son Retreat.  We had an absolute blast spending time in the wild with our dads.  We laughed, played and had some incredible talks around the fire.  On that Sunday, as we watched the fog burn off the mountain side, one of our seniors passionately shared that he believed God was calling this team to something "greater."  Nervous but with affection in his voice, he challenged all of us to begin "digging ditches!"

The team was challenged with a "blue collar faith."  The vision was big and audacious but the steps to take were small and ordinary.  This wasn't any ordinary team discussion.  You could sense God was in this circle.  It was obvious the team's faith was moving beyond a state of mind and into a course of action. Faith was about to become work in the form of "digging ditches."

Nobody understood this ditch digging faith more than Elisha.  In 2 Kings 3, the story unfolds.  Israel finds itself with it's back against the wall.  As par for the course, they decide that they now need a miracle from God.  If they don't get one, they will die of thirst stuck out in the desert.  Elisha steps up and receives a word from God.  Just as a coach gathering his team, Elisha summons his men and boldly lays the plan.  "Get out your shovels boys and start digging ditches.  For tomorrow, the Lord will deliver the rain."   Pretty odd game plan considering the circumstances, right?  As history has it, the Israelites dug all night and the next morning the ditches were full of water.  This was enough to fuel their eventual victory over their enemies. 

I'll always remember the way the message resonated with our team that morning.  God is about to do something big.  Don't sit around and wait for it.  Put your work gloves on, grab your shovel and start digging.  And we ought to dig ditches using every means available. We can dig ditches with our words, our prayers, our expectations, and even with our thoughts.  We would dig them in our locker room, our dorms, the gym and in the weight room. We, like the Israelites, were going to make the "valley full of ditches!"

Prayer became our ditch-digging. It took on a whole new meaning in our season! We prayed bold prayers.  We prayed specific prayers.  We prayed expectant prayers!  I'll always remember Lane stopping the team before making the triumphal entry into the gym for pre-game warm-ups.  The band was playing, crowd cheering but all would be on pause until the team was done praying.  I'll always remember meeting Grant Zawadzki at 6 AM Thursday mornings in our locker room to hit our knees for his teammates.  Those prayers changed me as much as anybody we were praying for.  I'll never forget the stories of Father-Son relationships being strengthened because they were praying and the joy that brought upon the face of a young man.

It wasn't always easy.  There were moments when we began to question God's faithfulness.  Things didn't always seem clear.  When the injuries piled up, we began to wonder if the rain was coming.   Doubt and fatigue encircled us after losing to the same team for the third time.  It was during these times that God was developing our spiritual muscles!  It wasn't time to put down the shovel, it was time to keep digging.  Small steps, hard work, expecting rain...

I'll always remember the ditch we dug the night before the championship game. I needed that prayer time more than anybody.  Sleepless night combined with the stress of post-season play will attack and leave any coach vulnerable.  As we transitioned from our Final Four victory and onto the National Championship, the only thing on my heart was revenge.  However, God's desire for fearless coaching couldn't coincide with a vengeful heart.  Through a powerful prayer time with our team, He transformed my heart from revenge to redemption.  Isn't that the story of the Gospel? Focus shifted off of our opponent and onto the work God had been doing in our team throughout the year.  It amazes me the circumstances God chooses to reveal to us his nature. 

We walked into the gym the next day with unified hearts and fearless minds. We had spent months digging ditches. When the horn sounded it was a spectacular sight to experience the rain.  Instead of running to the cameras and making a statement that this victory was about us, the team gathered and knelt to make a statement that this moment was about His redemptive work in our lives.  Yes, we think God is big enough and yes we were willing to start small enough in order to experience His greater things for our lives!

God has a downpour scheduled for all of our lives.  The question is, what ditch is God calling you to dig so you are ready for the rain?

 -Coach Greg Tonagel