Article January 1, 1999 ISSUE

Soccer what a kick!

with contributions from Travis Thomas

The Herald interviewed Travis Thomas, from Flint, Michigan, who's played soccer for many years. Travis can't hide his enthusiasm for the game.

Travis: I had an older brother who played soccer, and it was a natural progression for me to play the game. Throughout school, soccer seemed to be the sport I enjoyed the most.

Herald: What did you like specifically about it?

Travis: The biggest thing was that it was so different from other sports because in soccer you use your feet to move the ball.

Herald: What levels of soccer have you played at?

Travis: The highest level I played at was college. And for about 10 years, up to high school, I played year-round — both outdoor and indoor soccer. It was a full- time commitment. And I got to travel around the country for tournaments.

I played in college for four years. It was a terrific experience, playing at a very competitive level. I went to England for one year as part of our training program. That was a great experience. The talent there was phenomenal. And since college, I've played in a lot of leagues just to stay with the game because I enjoy it so much.

Herald: What are some of the challenges you've faced?

Travis: Well, playing sports at any level is challenging. I've sustained injuries over the years. But each of them gave me an opportunity to rely on God for healing. Athletics gave me the opportunity to put to work everything I had learned spiritually.

Herald: Do you remember a specific incident where you applied what you learned?

Travis: One example that stands out was when I was in high school. During practice, I fell and broke my wrist. It wasn't a very neat thing to look at. About this time, I had just come out of another injury — to my knee. I had relied on God for healing for that, and had a complete recovery. So I had a strong confidence in God. I knew He was caring for me.

My parents weren't home, but I had one of the coaches take me there. I was very calm. I joked with my coach the whole time. When I got home, I called a Christian Science practitioner to pray with me. Then I started reading Science and Health. I decided that prayer was the way I was going to handle the situation. And through my reliance on God, the break was almost completely healed within a four-day period.

I had to go to a sports doctor to get a cast so I could keep playing soccer. Looking at the X-rays, they were dumbfounded that I hadn't had the bone set. The bone was healing completely in line. They were also amazed that I hadn't had pain. But after the first night, there had been no more pain. They put on a protective cast, but there was no medical treatment. A few weeks later, the wrist was completely healed. It was as though it had never happened.

Herald: What's special to you about team sports?

Travis: Team sports teach you a lot about yourself — and how to work with other people. You have to put differences aside. Team sports is a great opportunity to practice what you understand of God and His laws. You can't just say, “I don't like this person so I'll just ignore him.” You have to see every player on your team as God's perfect child, and see past any faults.

Herald: Do you pray before games?

Travis: Before any type of competition, I take a moment of quiet time to know God is protecting me and every player on my team — and every team. I don't ask God to give my team a victory, or for me to score goals. I pray for the whole activity, the whole sport. Then I know the game will be a good experience for everybody.:)

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CALM AND INSPIRATION DURING A DIFFICULT MOMENT
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