Sports and Games

Chapter Three
 

One recreation activity is common to persons of all ages, races, nationalities, and times. The love of play as expressed through sports and games is universal. To the young child play is not just play; it is serious business, dominating much of his time and energy, shaping his personality and his social behavior, and contributing to the development of his overall personal growth.

 

Play Is Universal And Ageless. It is much the same today as it was in the earliest civilizations. To play is to experience freedom, to step out of the realm of reality into a world that has its own direction and meaning. Play is limited, always having a beginning and an ending. Play grows out of our customs and beliefs, and out of our very natural urge for physical activity.

 

Play Encourages Wholesome Personal Expression, and as an aid in developmental communication, it is helpful in fostering good interpersonal relationships. This positive role of play is evident not only at the local level but also on the international scene as evidenced in the Olympic Games. In communication with others through play, we create a feeling of being "apart together" with them. It is these feelings that move us into a world of our own making - a world that becomes creative and real and a living experience.

 

As The Child Develops Physically, Mentally, And socially, there is an increase in the complexity of the games he plays. The earlier "playtime" of the child is displaced by the more highly organized games and sports activities of his society.

 

Games are a significant part of our play. They limit and give direction to our play, and they are usually experienced and shared with other persons. They do not, however, cause an individual to lose his self-identity. In a good game well played, success and failure are so equally balanced that the participants themselves determine the outcome by their application of skills and knowledge aptly learned and practiced.

 

Sports and Athletics demand more specialization of skills than do other types of games. Generally sports are seasonal and, like games, find their roots deeply embedded in the past. Each sport requires specific skills; however, muscular coordination and emotional stability are prerequisites for the enjoyment of any sport.

 

The Patterns of Our Daily Living are akin to "game situations."  We live not only as individuals but also as members of a group, team, or even society-at-large.  The playing of this game of life in relationship to others is what the Christ-Like-Life is all about.  It is through these human relationships that we find opportunity to share and live Christ.  The result of this sharing and living will be the evident growth of Christian personality and the development of harmony among individuals and groups.

 

Greek Influence on Sports and Games.  To understand the importance of sports and games in the lives of a people and the impact of these activities upon a nation's culture, one must know something of Grecian history.

 

Our gymnasiums and stadiums, our athletics and Olympic games, trace their lineage to Greece. The Greeks were the only truly athletic nation of antiquity. It is not simple coincidence that some of the most notable eras in man's history - that, for instance, which produced the Parthenon - have been eras in which no gap existed between the appreciation of athletic excellence and the appreciation of esthetic excellence. Chief among the forces leading to the remarkable development of athletics among the Greeks was the desire to excel. This incessant pursuit of perfection dominated the Greeks as no other people have been dominated in the history of the world. Nor have any people ever been so fond of competition, which was not restricted to athletics but entered into every aspect of life. Contests were conducted in art, music, drama, poetry, sculpture, and oratory with such magnificent results that all civilized nations today are the richer for their incomparable Grecian heritage.

 

Individual Excellence Was the Goal of Greek Education and the ideal citizen was the man of wisdom and the man of action. History proves conclusively that when nations overemphasize the development of one aspect of man's nature to the neglect of the whole man, the results have been disastrous. Athens found the golden mean between the equally dangerous extremes of excessive specialization upon development of the physical only and the development of the intellect only. A sound mind in a sound body was the Greeks' national goal, and the means by which the early Greeks sought this goal were designed to promote the well-being both of the individual and of the state. Thus, there was no conflict in Athens between those who looked with favor upon athletics and those who emphasized the importance of the intellect. Plato expressed the Athenian point of view when he stated that the individual who is only an athlete is too crude, too vulgar, too much a savage; and he who is a scholar only is too soft, too effeminate. The ideal citizen is the scholar-athlete, the man of thought and the man of action. ¹

 

Sports and Games Influence Every Part of One’s Life.  We should conclude, therefore, that sports and games can and do make a definite and positive contribution to a nation's culture and to the qualities and characteristics of its citizens.

 

The Athletic Spirit.  Another value inherent in sports and games and of importance to the national scene is called "the athletic spirit." "The athletic spirit cannot exist where conditions of life are too soft and luxurious; it cannot exist where conditions are too hard and where all the physical energies are exhausted in a constant struggle with the forces of man or nature. It is found only in physically vigorous and virile nations that put a high value on physical excellence. ²

 

"America Needs Desperately a Revival of the Athletic Spirit on a nation-wide scale, a renaissance of the athletic ideal that will permeate every aspect of our lives.  Athletics constitute one of the last strongholds of the rugged life in a nation wherein the corrosive effects of luxury and soft living are threatening the welfare of both the individual and the state.  The quest for excellence and the willingness to pay the price of greatness in terms of unremitting toil, self-denial, and self-discipline are almost nonexistent in the lives of many Americans who have accepted the easy option and mediocrity as their standards.

"In the opportunity to cultivate the athletic spirit as it existed in ancient Athens lies one of the most vital of all the challenges to the recreation leader.”³

 
I.        Definition and Purpose

 

For the purpose of definition, sports and games include any type of physical or mental game or' contest where a team or an individual places his skills and abilities in opposition to those of his opponents for the purpose of competition and enjoyment, for fellowship with other persons, and for the physical exercise of the body."

 

Sports are Americas Favorite Pastime.  The multiplied billions of dollars spent annually in this country on sports participation give support to the fact that there is no other area of recreation that has the attention and interest of Americans to the degree that sports have. We should say that today the most popular recreation activity in these United States is sports. More than ever, people are watching major sports events at stadiums or on television. We have become a spectator society.

 

With the advent of tennis, golf, bowling, and other outdoor sports activities on television, millions of people are daily involving themselves in sports-centered recreation activities. Church Recreation Can Help fill a serious sports void in the lives of many children, youth, and adults by helping them learn how to play - not only the organized team sports, but also the individual games they can enjoy throughout life. "It is our duty to give every citizen - particularly our young girls and boys - the opportunity to learn the skills of 'lifetime' sports. We must give proper emphasis to teaching these sports, and thus equip all Americans to reap the physical and mental benefits of sports participation.

 

The Moral Benefit of Sports and Games.  "We must remember, too, the moral benefits of regular participation in sports. Young men and women will find outlets in these activities that they might otherwise seek in less desirable pursuits. They will meet other young men and young women in the proper atmosphere. They will learn how to lose, as well as how to win. Competing within the rules, against themselves or against friends, will toughen their moral fiber."

 

The Place of Sports in the Church can be readily seen as the church ministers to the total man. God's interest in us includes our wholeness (or completeness) as persons.  This means he expects our growth and development as individuals to be representative of our mental, social, spiritual, and physical needs.  A church appropriately using sports activities in its ministry will indirectly be contributing to the building of healthy minds and bodies.

 

"The Scriptures declare that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Therefore, it should be made strong, attractive, and worthy in every way."⁶

 

Physical and Moral Benefits Are Only Part of the Story of sports participation. The late Dr. William Menninger said the best-adjusted person very likely is one who plays a sport and takes it seriously.  He emphasized the value of instruction when taking up a sport and said that such play is highly beneficial in relief of tensions, anxieties, and emotional stresses.

 

In Urging All Communities to Develop Sound Sports and Recreation Programs, Menninger said: "An effective community recreation program is just as important to mental health as sanitation is to physical health."⁷

 

Christ Centered Influence.  If the focus and emphasis of a church-sponsored sports program are properly directed, the results will be positive, Christ-centered. It will encourage children, youth, and adults to identify themselves more boldly with the mission of their church.

 

"A Sports Program Can Reach and Hold People In The Church. It can help find and develop new leadership for other church responsibilities. It can provide an opportunity for weekday application of Christian principles talked about in Sunday School and church. "⁸

 

Offer a Variety of Sports Activities.  A church should give consideration to providing a variety of sports activities for its members to enjoy. These sports activities in the local church are usually categorized as team sports, such as soccer, flag football, softball, baseball, basketball, and volleyball; and lifetime sports, broken down into archery, bicycling, boating or sailing, golf, hiking; individual sports, including the activities of riflery, hunting and fishing, gymnastics, skating, skiing, bowling, and horseback riding; and dual sports, such as tennis, badminton, horseshoes, table tennis, handball or racquetball, and croquet.

 

The sports program of a church should provide opportunities for all ages and for both sexes to participate. "Boys, girls, men, and women participate in games, sports, and athletics primarily to have fun. The urge to play for enjoyment, satisfaction, accomplishment and fellowship accounts for the vast numbers in our population who engage in these activities."⁹

 

The Sports Program for the Unskilled Athlete.  A Church should also make provision for helping those persons who are lacking in athletic skills. "Many people won't go bowling with friends or family because of the lack of ability or skill. They have never tried it. They don't want to be embarrassed, and they know they won't enjoy bowling poorly. It's the same with racquet sports, water sports, winter sports, outdoor sports, or dozens of other individual games and activities, and all for basically the same reason ­what a person does poorly adds up to more frustration than fun.

 

Sports Void Personalities.  "The result is millions of adult Americans who do not know how to play, and who are reluctant to try because they feel they won't do it well enough to like it. Even worse, the prospect is that many millions of young Americans today will grow up with the same sports void - not knowing how to use their ever increasing amount of leisure time profitably and pleasantly"¹⁰

 

III. Church Sports and Games

Churches Need to Minister to the Unskilled Athletes.  Churches should join hands with school and community recreation agencies in making special efforts to meet the skill development needs of these unskilled sports enthusiasts.

In thinking about sports and games, church folk need to consider this question: Is winning our sole motivation for sports participation? It has been said:

 

To be victorious in a game of competition is a hope and even a yearning dream because it means that «me is best.

 

In any contest there will be a winner, and there will be a loser. No one who has any competitive spirit wants to end up in the loser's position.

 

The purpose of participating in a game is to see who is the best.

 

Trying to win and the will to win: are most important.  Competing to the highest possible level in every contest of life, whether it be in sports, personal goals, or the Christian life is a must, else we become failures to our own selves.

 

All people, and especially young people, need to develop the attitude of winning. Some church leaders have wrongly taught and continue to teach the halfhearted philosophy "Give it a try, but if you do not win, so what?"

 

The experience of life, like athletics, is certainly not a nice bed of roses -. Life is tough, fierce, and even cruel at times. When one "suits up" for a sports contest, he knows there is going to be competition, rugged and hard. Every day of life God gives one to live, he will face similar obstacles. The world is not just a pansy; it is competition.

 

Always Strive for the Best.  The Bible teaches that the disciples, apostles, and especially Jesus himself played every moment in the contest of life with all that they had to the best of their abilities. They were determined, strong-willed individuals who fought off discouragement with words like, "I can do all things in him [Christ] who strengthens me" (Phil. 4: 13, RSV). ¹¹

 

Playing the Game to the Best of Our Ability, striving to win without winnings becoming the sole motivation of our participation - this is a good approach. Thus, the giving of one's best effort will become the motivating factor of competition. This will be true whether the contest be on the playing court or in the daily living of life. ¹²

 

The Objectives of Participation in a Church-Sponsored, Christ-centered sports program will include for the individual an opportunity to give or receive a positive Christian witness. Opportunities for joyous Christian fellowship will also abound. With a view to building strong, Christian character, each individual participant will have continuing opportunity to develop the personal qualities of honesty, dependability, patience, self-control, perseverance, courage, responsibility, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

 

The Following Statement Provides Added Insight To This Philosophy:

Under good leadership, promotion, and conduct, many opportunities exist to influence the development of desirable qualities in the individual. They may also contribute to his role in society and the part he is to play in the life of the community in which he lives. Leaders should review the following objectives when considering the organization, promotion, and conduct of games, sports, and athletic programs:

1.    Wholesome fun and relaxation

2.    Sociability and fellowship

3.    Social adjustment in attitudes and behavior

4.    Improvements in playing skills in specific sports

5.    Participation in a wide variety of games, sports, and athletics

6.    Practice in leadership and cooperative enterprises

7.    Freedom in choice of an activity·

8.    The practice of good physical and mental health habits

^9.        The learning of fundamental motor skills.¹³

 

"Churches Must Maintain A Recreation Attitude Toward All Sports Activities.  Sharing the objective of the program with the players and coaches and gaining their support is vital if this is to be achieved. Providing adequate opportunities for those who wish to play 'just for the fun of it' is vital.

 

"The Benefits of Sports Programs to Individuals and to Churches are many and varied, and the road to success is rough.  If (church) recreation programs are going to be responsive to the needs of the people, quality sports programs must be provided.  Continuous evaluation of these programs will insure consistent progress toward the development of 'the whole man’^”14

 

In addition to the traditional organized sports activities normally included in a church's sports program, here are some unique program ideas and games for consideration:

 

 

IV. How to Use Games

 

Peanut Patch Olympics

 

Peanut Patch Olympics Is a Potpourri of Competitive Group Activities, usually consisting of two types of events:

·         “team events” like softball, basketball, flag-football, volleyball, bug-but;

·         “Individual events” like tennis, horseshoes, chess, checkers, archery, and Ping-Pong.

 

The Use of Peanut Patch Olympics is especially appropriate for week-long camps, the shorter time-span of retreats, or just a one-day fellowship feature at the neighborhood park.

I

Teams and Individuals participating in the Peanut Patch Olympics are given the names of the characters in the "Peanuts" comic strip. Divide the participants into teams with the names of the Peanuts characters:

                          (1) "Charlie Brown             (2) Lucy                                  (3) Snoopy

                          (4) Red Baron                     (5) Linus                                  (6) Schroeder

                          (7) Patty,                               (8) Shermy,                           (9) Great Pumpkin,

                          (10) Violet,                           (11) Sally,                              (12) Pig Pen.

 

You may not need all twelve teams if enrollment is not large enough to demand it.  Team size is determined by the number of players needed to play the largest game selected for the Peanut Patch Olympics.  It is best to have more in each group than is actually needed to field a team because substitutes will be needed, and some team members will participate in the individual sports and games which will be conducted at the same time as the other activities.

 

The teams should be balanced, both in terms of total number of members and in the number of male and female members on each team. Each team should elect a captain. This is the person who leads the group in the assignment and scheduling of events.

 

The scoring system is simple. Team events score 15 points for a win, 10 point for a loss, 15 points for winning by forfeit, and minus 10 points for the team which loses by forfeiting. The individual events score 2 points for winning an event and 1 point for playing.

 

In arranging the Peanut Patch Olympics schedule, see that each team has an equal number of opportunities to play each sport. Individual games are arranged on a show-up basis. The time and place for an individual event is announced or posted, and all who show up are allowed to play against individuals from the other groups. An individual is allowed to participate only once in each individual event.

 

A chalkboard layout or a poster of the daily team schedules and the locations of the contests should be put in a prominent place. If you print up a schedule of the daily contests, it could look something like the following:

 

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

 

Team Events –

·         Volleyball (Boys) Court #1

                        1:30 Great Pumpkin vs. Red Baron

                        2:30 Linus vs. Charlie Brown

                        3:30 Schroeder vs. Snoopy

·         Softball (Boys) Field #1

                        1:30 Lucy vs. Sally

                        2:30 Great Pumpkin vs. Red Baron

                        3:30 Linus vs. Charlie Brown

·         Basketball (Boys) Tennis Court

                        1:30 Schroeder vs. Snoopy

                        2:30 Lucy vs. Sally

·         Volleyball (Girls) Court #2

                        1:30 Great Pumpkin vs. Red Baron

                        2:30 Linus vs. Charlie Brown

                        3:30 Schroeder vs. Snoopy

·         Softball (Coed) Field #1

                        1:30 Schroeder vs. Snoopy

                        2:30 Lucy vs. Sally

                        3:30 Great Pumpkin vs. Red Baron

·         Bug-out (20 players maximum) Coed Field #2

                        1:30 Linus vs. Charlie Brown

                        3:30 Lucy vs. Sally

·         Individual Events (Coed) - 1:30

                        Ping-Pong

                        Chess            Indoor Recreation Area

                        Checkers

                        Archery          Archery Range

·         Tennis (Boys) - 1:30, Tennis Courts

·         Tennis (Girls) - 3:00, Tennis Courts

 

Playday

 

Are you looking for that special event which will complement the other recreation activities of your church? Or perhaps there is a need to provide an opportunity for fun and fellowship for the elementary, youth, or adult groups of your church with like groups of other churches.

 

A playday, or variation of it, is the thing!  Churches throughout our Convention and many civic organizations are having much success with this type of activity. Church members, young and old, are getting to know one another and forming new bonds of friendship as a result of extended recreation activities. Others have been attracted to the "way of life" of a Christian by having joined in the activities of a church-sponsored playday.

 

A quick check will reveal no set pattern for a playday. Although it was originated as a day-long affair, it has been adapted in many different ways to serve varied needs. Even though there are "57 varieties" of the playday, there are some identifying characteristics of such an occasion.

1.    This is a "special event," not a weekly or even a monthly activity. One of the appeals is that it is something special. There is no long term commitment. If the playday activity is used too often, it loses its appeal.

2.    A playday is a result of a need. It may be a need for one or more age groups to become acquainted with similar groups from other churches in the association.

3.    Perhaps it's a need to provide a special time of fellowship and fun for one specific age group within the church.

4.    Maybe there is a need for the youth of the church to better realize that many of the activities in which they normally compete may be enjoyed when playing just for the fun of it.

5.    Those participating in the activities should enter with the attitude of playing with and not against other groups. The thrill of winning or the satisfaction of doing one's best is adequate reward, and the desire to win should not be over stimulated by trophies or other expensive prizes.

6.    The activity is considered a leisure activity and is scheduled at a time when the age group is free to come.

 

With these characteristics in mind, look at some of the possible forms a playday may take.

1.    One church had a bicycle derby, inviting all bike riders in the church and community to come and enter the scheduled events. Each event stressed skills and deemphasized speed and trick riding. Also included in the day's activities were a bicycle inspection and a short talk by a representative of the police department.

2.    Another type of playday is the "Sports Day" or "Track and Field Day." Several church groups join together to spend an extended period playing team and individual sports. A day such as this should not find one church playing against another, but each team should have on it a few players from each church, with care being taken in selecting teams to make sure they are balanced. Often these days are combined with a short clinic period, when a coach or well-known sports star comes to give instruction in playing skills.

3.    For elementary age children, a "Field Day" might be conducted. Activities such as races, tug or war, kickball, dodge ball, swimming, and skating would appeal to this age group.

4.    Young people and adults enjoy team sports such as volleyball and softball, as well as croquet, badminton, miniature golf, and shuffleboard. An evening of activity usually meets the needs of these older age groups.

5.    Other playdays might center around bowling, swimming, boating, a pet show, or roller skating. The only limitations in range of activities for playday events are the interests and creativeness of the age group and its leadership.

6.     

For all age groups the program may be climaxed with a social recreation period and a devotion tying together the ends of a wonderful time spent together. Oh, yes, do not forget refreshments!  No playday would be complete without them.

 

Toppleball¹⁶

 

Toppleball is a teamwork game in which all players participate equally.  It can be played with seven to twenty-four players for age eight through young adult.  It can include all male, all female or be a mixed group

.

An area sixty feet by sixty feet is sufficient to play the game outdoors. It can be played indoors on a half basketball court.

 

Here's how the game is played.

 

                        Batter's objective:     to get maximum number of runs before the toppleball .is                                                                          knocked off the batter's post by the playground ball.

                        Fielder's objective: to get the batter out and reduce his runs by knocking the topple                                 ball off the batter's post. Fielders rotate at bat.

                        Runs:                   The batter earns runs by hitting the playground ball over or                                             through the players, allowing him to run to the edge of the                            playing circle and back, leaving the post unprotected.

 

 

Bug-out¹⁷

 

 

Equipment:

·         One utility ball (volleyball, basketball, soccer ball, or some other type large inflated ball)

·         Eight markers (these may be knotted rags, plastic bottles filled with water or sand to keep them from being blown over

·         The lines may be drawn in the dirt and no markers used at all).

How to play the game:

·         Any number can play this game. Usually it is best not to have more than fifteen players on each side.

·         Simply divide the group into two teams

·         Mark off a field 50' x 80' (see diagram). Two end zones are marked off across the field 15' from the end boundaries, leaving a 50' area in the middle.

·         One team stands in the field; the other team is up to bat.

·         The "batter" must kick the ball, which is rolled or pitched by the pitcher on the opposing team.

·         To be a fair ball, it must go past the 15' line and between the two end markers of the 15' line at the batter's end of the field.

·         The "batter" stands behind the boundary line (outside the end zone) and the pitcher must stand in the field outside of the 15' marker.

Rules of the Game

·         The object of the game is for one team to score more runs than the other. This may occur by a person kicking the ball and running to the far end zone and returning.

·         The team in the field tries to catch the ball

1.    a fly ball that is caught is an automatic out

2.    a kicked ball that does not go outside of the end zone is an automatic out

3.    When a ball goes behind the 15' marker it is an automatic out

4.    The fielders must throw the ball hit the runner to tag him out.

5.    A fielder may not take more than three steps after he has touched the ball before throwing it at the person who is running, or passing it to another of his teammates.

·         After a person kicks the ball, he has four options:

1.    To run to the far end zone and back

2.    To run to the far end zone and wait until a teammate kicks the ball.

3.    After the batter kicks the ball the runner  in the end zone may run home

4.    After kicking the ball, the kicker may step to the side and wait until another batter has kicked the ball and run in with that kicker.

·         Three "outs" constitute one half of an inning, and the teams change places.

·         An inning is completed after both sides have "batted."

·         Seven innings constitute a game.

·         If time is a factor, any number of innings may be played.

·         With small children, the playing field may be reduced and a lighter ball used.

·         Also, remember that once a player leaves either safety zone, he cannot return to it, but must run and dodge and try to make the other safety zone.

 
Four Square ¹⁸

 

Equipment

Volleyball court, kickball field, or any kind of floor or outdoor area.

 

How to play the game:

·         Draw a 14' to 20' square on a floor or outdoor area. (The most common size seems to be a 16' square.) This square is divided into four squares of equal size.

·         The object of the game is to get into the server's square and stay there as long as possible.

·         There are four players, each one standing in a square with any number up to 30 waiting their turn outside and away from the playing area.

·         The player in the serving square (No.1) starts the play each time by hitting the ball underhand to square 2, 3, or 4

·         After it has bounced once in the server’s square, the server can use one or both hands to hit the ball into an opponent’s square.

·         The player who receives the serve tries to keep the ball in play by hitting it underhanded, after it bounces once, to another square other than the square from which the ball was received. (This will keep two players from monopolizing the game by playing the ball only to each other.)

·         The game can be made more challenging by adding a one-foot square in the center of the four squares.  This area of the playing court is called "sudden death." Any player hitting this square with the ball is out of the game and goes to the back of the waiting line.

·         Play continues after each serve until a player misses the ball or fails to return it properly. The players who miss are out of the game and go to the end of the waiting line of players. The player behind the offending player moves up one square.

·         Fouls are committed when the player:

1.    fails to return the ball after one bounce

2.    fails to keep the ball in motion

3.    hits the ball down, or with the fist (the ball should be arched up)

4.    plays in someone else's square

5.    lets the ball touch one's body (except the hands, of course)

6.    hits any line, except on a serve

7.    hits the ball too hard or causes it to go outside the playing area

8.    returns the ball to the same square from which it was received

9.    steps over the server's line while serving

·         Waiting players will line up behind “square 4” since this is the square where new players must begin.

FOUR SQUARE COURT DIAGRAM

16’ X16’

1 SERVER’S COURT 4’ X 4’	2     4’ X 4’
4     4’ X 4’	3     4’ X 4’

           

 

 

 

            X

        X   Line of

        X   Players

        X

 

 

 

 

It would be impossible to share in this brief time all types of sports and games and ways they may be used by churches and other groups.  For in-depth, detailed guidance in planning and conducting sports activities in a church, read A Guide to Using Sports and Games in the Life of the Church by Bob Sessoms. Specific, practical, detailed, step-by-step guidance is given for playing many sports and games, participating in league sports, organizing and conducting tournaments. Many other facets of this interesting subject are also treated in this book. Contents include:

                                                Chapter 1, Sports and the Church

                                                Chapter 2, A Guide to League Sports

                                                Chapter 3, A Guide to Lifetime Sports

                                                Chapter 4, A Guide to Novelty Sports

                                                Chapter 5, A Guide to Games

                                                Appendix A: Resources

                                                Appendix B: Rulebooks and Guides

(This Book is no longer in print and will be Adapted in future articles on this site.)

 

V.          Footnotes

(Tim, this link is from the menu on the left side of the page above)

 

¹ Danford, Howard G. From Creative Leadership in Recreation (Boston, Allyn and Bacon, Inc.)

² Gardiner, E. Norman. From Athletics of the Ancient World (Oxford, The Clarendon press, 1930)

³ Danford. Ibid., p. 189

⁴ Sessoms, Bob. Adapted from "Sports Base Design," The Sunday School Board of the             Southern Baptist Convention, 1976 .

⁵ Wilkinson, Bud. Adapted from "Sports for a Lifetime," from Church Recreation Magazine, The             Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.

⁶Pylant, Agnes. Church Recreation (Nashville: Convention Press, 1959),

⁷ Menninger, William C. "Recreation and Mental Health," Recreation. November, 1948,.             \

⁸ Price, Marshall. "Sports in the Church," from Church Recreation Magazine, The Sunday School             Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.

⁹ The Recreation Program (Chicago: The Athletic Institute, 1954

¹⁰ Wilkinson, Bud. Ibid.

¹¹ Shows, Bobby. Adapted from "Sports Comradery," Church Recreation Magazine, The Sunday             School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.

¹² Sessoms. Adapted. Ibid

¹³ The Recreation Program

¹⁴Raus, Robert. From "Sports and You," Church Recreation Magazine, The Sunday School Board      of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.

¹⁵ Raus, Robert. Adapted from "Playday - That's the Thing!" Church Recreation Magazine, The             Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.

¹⁶ Church Recreation Magazine The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention             Used by permission.

¹⁷ lndoor-Outdoor Recreation Pack Ibid.