NextPlay Sportsmanship Initiative

Inspired by Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman

In a recent interview with The Sports Rush (Jan. 20, 2025), Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman shared a perspective that captures the very essence of Delone Catholic’s NextPlay initiative.

“I figured out early in my career that coaching is about leading people,” Freeman explained. “It’s about serving others. That’s how you fall in love with it.”

Those words echo the heartbeat of NextPlay—a call for our athletes, coaches, and parents to approach every moment not just as a chance to perform, but as an opportunity to serve. Like Coach Freeman, we believe that true leadership begins with humility and faith. It’s about helping others become their best, even when our own plans take unexpected turns.

Freeman’s story is a testament to the NextPlay mindset. After his promising playing career was cut short by an enlarged heart condition, he faced a crossroads. Instead of letting disappointment define him, he turned the page and began a new chapter as a graduate assistant at Ohio State. Fifteen years later, he now leads one of the most prestigious football programs in America—not by chasing glory, but by living out his faith and serving others through his vocation. His journey reminds us that God’s plans may not always match our own, but His next play for us always leads to growth and purpose.

In that same interview, Freeman shared another insight that deeply resonates with our mission at Delone Catholic: “When you're at Notre Dame, faith is something that's openly talked about... Amongst our program, it's promoted. I'm not saying you have to be Catholic, but we want our young people to grow in their faith.” That, right there, sounds like NextPlay material.

At Delone Catholic, our athletes are called to the same vision—to grow in heart, mind, and soul, and to let their faith shape how they play, lead, and respond. Whether it’s a tough loss, a personal setback, or a moment to lift up a teammate, NextPlay reminds us that each response reveals our character. Like Coach Freeman, we are called to lead with compassion, to serve with purpose, and to see every challenge as God’s opportunity to write the next chapter of our story.

So, as we look ahead to the rest of our fall season, let’s take inspiration from a coach who embodies what it means to love God through the way we compete and lead. Let’s play—and live—with the kind of faith that says, “Whatever comes next, Lord, I’m ready for the next play.”

NextPlay Reflection

Coach Freeman reminds us that leadership begins not with authority, but with humility and service. His journey from personal setback to spiritual leadership invites each of us to consider:

How can I serve others through the role God has given me — as a coach, teammate, or competitor — in a way that reflects His love?

Take a moment this week to pray for the grace to lead and compete with a servant’s heart. Ask God to help you see your sport not just as a platform for success, but as a calling to lift others up.

Team Challenge

Before your next practice or game, gather your team and ask:

“What does it mean for us to serve one another on this team — not just in words, but in action?”

Then, choose one tangible way to live it out this week — whether it’s encouraging someone who’s struggling, helping a teammate after practice, or showing grace to an official.

That’s what Next Play leadership looks like: faith in motion, service in action, and hearts ready for whatever God calls us to next.