Quote

Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.
- Mario Andretti

Real Life

Brandon Burlsworth was an uncomplicated kid who loved his mum, his Lord, and Arkansas football. There was nothing he wanted to do more than represent Arkansas on the football field. He talked about it from when he was little and it was all he saw for his future. However, throughout high school, Burlsworth wasn’t someone you would think of as an outstanding football player. He was quiet, extremely polite, above average height but not huge and didn’t look particularly athletic. In his final year at high school, his coach convinced an assistant from Arkansas to drive over and interview Burlsworth. During the interview the assistant remembers thinking, “if you want to come, come, but there ain’t no way you’re ever going to play”. How wrong he was.

Burlsworth started playing for Arkansas in 1994, and within four years, through sheer determination and phenomenal levels of commitment, he was described as the most dominant interior lineman in the country. He trained harder than anyone the coaches had seen before. He was polite and respectful in all circumstances and everything the coaches told him to do, he did with his whole heart. The coaches told him he needed to be bigger – he put on 36 kgs in a year, the coaches told him to work on his leg strength – he ended up squatting 317 kgs and when the coaches turned up for work at 6am, Burlsworth was already there. Throughout all of this, Burlsworth’s conduct was exemplary. He never swore or complained, he always gave one hundred percent, he was compassionate and considerate and he never gained an ego. At the height of his career someone once said to Burlsworth “Burls, guess what? You’re famous”. Burlsworth replied “No, I’m just me”.

Bible Verse

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will received an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3: 23-24

Thinking About It

In sport, it is easy to think that the only way to truly achieve excellence is to become self-absorbed and entirely focused on your career without consideration to anyone else. Many a superstar athlete has been described as egotistical, selfish or arrogant and we can make the assumption that that self-absorption is what enabled them to achieve so highly. Yet Brandon Burlsworth demonstrates that this does not need to be the case. His politeness, compassion, consideration and integrity were as well-known as his commitment, determination, fitness, power and skill. He did not compromise his character or his walk with the Lord to achieve his sporting goals. He did not compromise his commitment to his family and his studies and yet was unbelievably committed to his sport. Burslworth shows us that you do not need to compromise in character or compassion to achieve great heights as an athlete. In fact, if we hold onto and invest in our character, our walk with God and our love of others, then we are in a far better place to achieve all we can on the sports field. As the verse in Colossians reminds us, it is the Lord Jesus we are serving.

Prayer

Lord thank You for the example of people like Brandon Burlsworth who show me I can achieve great success without compromising on the important things. Lord I know You want me to be the best I can be in all areas of my life, please help me to honour You by choosing Your way in my personal life and in my sporting life.

Author: Sarah Auld   |   Content Editor: Phil Pawley