The apostle Paul writes to
the church in Corinth and he
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had some very interesting,
and even sporting things to say.
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Listen to what he writes
in 1 Corinthians 9:24,25.
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He says, "do you not know
that those who run in a race
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"all run, but one receives
the prize? Run in such a way
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"that you may obtain it.
And everyone who competes for
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"the prize is tempered in
all things. Now they (that is
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"the athletes) do it to obtain
a perishable crown, but we
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"for an imperishable crown. "
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The crown that Paul is
writing about here is a laurel
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wreath that would be put
on the heads of the champions
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and the victors in
games like the Olympic Games.
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In fact the
Olympic Games themselves.
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Paul lived in a culture
that was very sport oriented and
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sport aware, a culture
in many ways like our own.
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Today Americans, for
example, are consuming sports on
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an unprecedented scale.
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In 2006 Americans spent
over $17 billion on tickets to
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sport contests
and sporting events.
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They spent $90 billion on
sporting goods, that is over
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double what they spent on books.
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Sports illustrated Frank
D. Ford called this mingling
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this co-mingling of sports
and Christianity sportcianity.
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He defined it as a mix of
locker room psychology and
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athletically slanted doctrines
of assertiveness and masculinity
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Unbeded by cherry
picked Bible verses prescreen
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to ensure that
they don't contradict
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the sports reigning orthodoxy's.
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Our program today is entitled
Sports and Spirituality.
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I'm David Asscherick your host
and my co-Host Shandra Ban is
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with us today and we are going
to be trying to navigate what
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roll if any should
sports play in the life of the
00:02:10.18\00:02:14.04
committed Bible
believing Christian.
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So Shandra just recently
you are reading an article and
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tell me about this article
and some of the things that
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were in it were just amazing.
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Yeah, I was reading this article
in Christianity Today about
00:02:24.38\00:02:26.71
this sportcianity and
there was this couple who was so
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infatuated with their
universities football team that
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they bought a $300,000 motor
home to travel to all of the
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games, and one of those
games just so happen to fall on
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their daughter's wedding
day, even though they had asked
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her not to have her
wedding on a game day.
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But they made it to the
reception and when someone asked
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them why did you
miss the wedding?
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He said well I just
love my football team.
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Let me get this right, they
miss their daughter's wedding
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day because there was a
football game on that day?
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Yes, yes. - at least they
made the reception though?
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Yes they made the
reception, the important part.
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This is what I just
heard you say that 2005- 2006
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professional football game,
NFL football game and during
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the football game there
is a fellow that goes running
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across the field, right he
is running across the field.
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Of course they are not allowed
to do that he wasn't a player.
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He was just somebody from
the stands and he is running
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across and as he is sort of
running there is like this bag
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a bag sack thing that is
behind him and as he is running
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across the field this as
white powdery stuff is trailing
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behind him so when the
authorities finally grabbed
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him and
apprehended him they said hey
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what are you doing man?
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What are you doing? He
was his mother's ashes.
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Oh my word. - it was his
mother's ashes and he said she
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always wanted to be a part
of whatever the football team
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was and I just wanted to
spread them during a game.
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- what a way to
go. - so here we are,
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this is the world we live in.
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This is the world we live in
and we got here a guest today
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a good friend of yours. -
yes. - a new friend of mine.
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We are going to try to help
us to make sense out of this
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sportcianity, we could
call it sport insanity.
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But introduce
us, who is our guest?
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Yeah this is my good
friend Tyler Coleman.
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I have known him for
several years and Tyler tell us
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where you are from?
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Sonar Ontario Canada. -
okay so you are Canadian?
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I'm very Canadian, I play
hockey, eat maple syrup, speak
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French. - so you
speak French? - yes I do.
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How would you say welcome
to the program in French.
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Benvenue o program.
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I think I speak French
too. I took French in school and
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I didn't even get that far.
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I took French in school
and I was terrible at it.
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I'm not Canadian but
you're two Canadian today,
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and were going to talk
about this hockey thing.
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Our program today is
entitled sports and spirituality
00:04:47.68\00:04:51.62
and you have heard
some of those statistics and
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you may not have known
the actual statistics but this
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is the world we live in.
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People running their
mothers ashes and missing
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their children's weddings.
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Help us to
navigate, why are you here?
00:05:02.57\00:05:06.36
Why would we have Tyler
Coleman on this program about
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sports, tell us a
little bit about yourself?
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Well I guess to go back
to kind of how it started,
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when I was three years
old and living in Canada there
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is not a whole
lot of stuff to do.
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I grew up in the
village of a thousand people but
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we had a hockey rink.
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My father and my brothers
all played hockey so I started
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at a very young age.
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I quickly progressed and also
grew very tall which helped.
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Through the minor ranks
up to the point when there
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was a draft for a league called
the Ontario Hockey League.
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This league is the biggest
theater league to the NHL.
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- just for some of our
viewers what is the NHL?
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- what does that stand for?
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It's the National Hockey
League and the viewers might
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not even know what hockey is.
00:05:58.20\00:06:01.20
That's true this is a worldwide
program and somebody could
00:06:01.24\00:06:03.81
be living in equatorial Guam.
00:06:03.85\00:06:05.40
A lot of places they played
field hockey and those kind
00:06:05.43\00:06:09.22
of things, there's
frozen water and ice rink.
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There's two nets - 2
teams and you're trying to get
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a puck in the net. - right.
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Five players plus
and Goalie on each side.
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It is a fairly violent
sport, there is body checking.
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Traditionally there
has been fighting involved.
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But in Canada they eat it
up, it is the number one sport.
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Is it the national sport?
- 1 of - it's one of, that
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is correct Shandra, Lacrosse
an Ice Hockey are the national
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sports of Canada,
and everybody plays.
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So you Tyler as you are
growing up, it's not whether
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or not you are going
to play hockey, it is when
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you are starting? - correct.
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I mean if you are living
in a village with a thousand
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people what else
are you going to do.
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Hey lets go play hockey.
- Yeah and there are quite
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obviously some people in
Canada that don't play hockey
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but in my small world town
that is what everybody did.
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So that is when I started.
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So you not only played in
the same way maybe that Shandra
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might've played, no
offense Shandra, you were good?
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I mean you progressed, you
grew and all of a sudden your
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are in the OHL which you
say is a feeder league for the
00:07:15.99\00:07:20.09
NHL, it's like the
top league, it's like
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the professional league.
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It is the best league in
the world, the National Hockey
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League, the league
that I played in was
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the best league in the
world for players between the
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ages of 16 and 20.
00:07:30.56\00:07:32.59
So it is a real developmental
league and that is where
00:07:32.63\00:07:35.36
they picked players who will
eventually go on to the NHL.
00:07:35.40\00:07:38.11
So it's like the minor leagues
baseball almost, it feeds
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into the major
leagues a little bit?
00:07:40.86\00:07:42.56
Not exactly, but you
could think that way.
00:07:42.60\00:07:44.09
So for me, the uninitiated
I will think of it that way.
00:07:44.13\00:07:47.42
It is closer to the level
of the NCAA is with football
00:07:47.45\00:07:50.50
were they are younger but
that is where they take them
00:07:50.54\00:07:53.56
from to
eventually go onto the NFL.
00:07:53.59\00:07:55.61
So the goal was to become an
NHL player, was that the plan?
00:07:55.64\00:08:00.38
Well for me I was
always playing for fun.
00:08:00.41\00:08:03.66
I enjoyed playing with my
friends, we traveled quite a
00:08:03.69\00:08:06.94
bit, a family thing that
we did together but eventually
00:08:06.98\00:08:10.20
it got to the point
where all of a sudden
00:08:10.23\00:08:12.65
there were agents
coming to my house.
00:08:12.69\00:08:15.04
There were certain list
that ranked the players who
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are eligible because there
is actually a draft into the
00:08:18.20\00:08:21.27
Ontario hockey league as well.
00:08:21.30\00:08:22.93
I was rated fairly high in
fat so I was having people come
00:08:22.97\00:08:25.91
to my house advising me
on the next step and tell me
00:08:25.95\00:08:30.40
basically you know given my
size and my skills there was
00:08:30.43\00:08:34.23
a good chance that I would
make it onto, eventually make
00:08:34.27\00:08:38.04
it to the
National Hockey League.
00:08:38.07\00:08:39.45
It that
something you wanted to do?
00:08:39.49\00:08:40.83
Is that what you wanted to do?
00:08:40.87\00:08:43.37
Well every kid in Canada grows
up watching those games and
00:08:43.41\00:08:46.71
it wasn't necessarily,
being from a small town, there
00:08:46.75\00:08:51.26
weren't a lot of NHL players
around to look up to think
00:08:51.29\00:08:55.77
to do that someday.
00:08:55.80\00:08:57.31
When this happened all of a
sudden, and there were players
00:08:57.34\00:09:00.66
coming, former NHL players
coming to my house and telling
00:09:00.69\00:09:04.49
me that I may be good enough
then that is when it dawned
00:09:04.53\00:09:08.30
on me that this could
be more than just for fun.
00:09:08.33\00:09:10.99
This could be a career
for the rest of my life.
00:09:11.03\00:09:13.62
- so Tyler where in all
of this of you playing hockey
00:09:13.65\00:09:16.09
in this league, when did
you become a Christian or
00:09:16.12\00:09:18.53
were you raised a Christian?
00:09:18.56\00:09:20.48
Well growing up my family
and I went to the Catholic
00:09:20.52\00:09:24.63
Church and I wouldn't say
I was a believer at the time.
00:09:24.66\00:09:28.54
I did attend with my
family and there were times that
00:09:28.58\00:09:33.01
there were conflicts, like
if I had to miss church for
00:09:33.05\00:09:37.45
for a practice or
something like that.
00:09:37.48\00:09:40.95
Sometimes that would hold me
back but I wouldn't say I was
00:09:40.98\00:09:43.89
Christian at that time, I
wasn't necessarily a believer.
00:09:43.93\00:09:48.06
I was quite secular and
ended up becoming a Christian
00:09:48.10\00:09:50.98
through friendship evangelism
I guess would be the way to
00:09:51.02\00:09:53.87
describe it. - love that.
00:09:53.90\00:09:55.26
I met a really good friend
in high school and through her
00:09:55.29\00:09:59.13
and her family I eventually
came to know the truth of the
00:09:59.17\00:10:02.97
Bible and began
accepting them in my own life.
00:10:03.01\00:10:08.60
So you were how
old, 17 at the time? 18?
00:10:08.63\00:10:11.73
It was more over a span
of time, I guess it would be
00:10:11.77\00:10:15.61
between the time I was 15
and 20, so it was happening
00:10:15.64\00:10:19.44
at the same time.
00:10:19.48\00:10:20.62
- so you knew this
family the whole time?
00:10:20.66\00:10:21.87
Yeah I knew the family from
the time it was 15 and I still
00:10:21.91\00:10:26.68
know them today obviously.
00:10:26.71\00:10:28.28
But yeah actually parallel
things were happening with my
00:10:28.32\00:10:31.15
Christianity and my hockey.
00:10:31.19\00:10:33.54
Did that start
affecting the way you played?
00:10:33.58\00:10:35.56
It did affect how I played a
little bit, I was never a big
00:10:35.59\00:10:39.50
goon or anything, I wasn't
going out and slashing people.
00:10:39.53\00:10:42.61
- you may not be a big goon
but you are kind of big I do
00:10:42.65\00:10:45.64
think we need to point
that out because height is an
00:10:45.67\00:10:48.63
advantage in hockey?
00:10:48.67\00:10:50.12
Yes it definitely
is, I'm 6 foot four.
00:10:50.16\00:10:53.06
So about my height? - ha
ha - plus about 12 inches.
00:10:53.10\00:10:56.75
Shame, shame. But you
have a good hockey build.
00:10:58.47\00:11:02.62
That is a desirable 6
foot three or 6 foot four.
00:11:02.65\00:11:06.73
That's at the time, maybe
things have changed a little bit
00:11:06.77\00:11:10.29
while I was getting drafted,
but that would seem as the
00:11:10.33\00:11:13.45
ideal 6 foot three, 6 foot
four where you are a little
00:11:13.48\00:11:16.79
about people when you are
hitting people or getting hit.
00:11:16.82\00:11:20.09
You are not
getting hit in the chin,
00:11:20.13\00:11:22.23
yeah there is
some advantages to it.
00:11:22.27\00:11:24.30
So you not only have the
talent thing going for you,
00:11:24.34\00:11:26.11
you have the correct
physic and build for it?
00:11:26.14\00:11:29.47
I was a little bit skinny
but they looked at my dad and
00:11:29.50\00:11:34.41
he was a big man and
figured I would get there.
00:11:34.44\00:11:35.91
Now I want to come back to
this thing, so when you say
00:11:35.95\00:11:38.27
friendship evangelism I
mean you really mean it.
00:11:38.31\00:11:40.14
You know this family for
years that just over time when
00:11:40.18\00:11:43.36
you were just getting to
know them, was it something you
00:11:43.39\00:11:46.16
saw in them? Were you
have in Bible studies at their
00:11:46.20\00:11:48.81
house? Can you just see
set out a little bit for us?
00:11:48.84\00:11:51.42
Sure it was a
combination of a lot of things.
00:11:51.46\00:11:53.75
There were Bible
studies, they invited me to an
00:11:53.79\00:11:56.02
evangelistic series and
just seeing God working in their
00:11:56.05\00:12:00.80
lives as they
went on mission trips.
00:12:00.84\00:12:02.30
Their father is a dentist
and you could just see that
00:12:02.34\00:12:05.55
God played a part in
their everyday lives.
00:12:05.58\00:12:09.48
It wasn't just a
once a week kind of thing.
00:12:09.51\00:12:13.34
So you said these events
were simultaneously is happening
00:12:13.37\00:12:17.76
here, so you have NHL players
coming over to your house,
00:12:17.80\00:12:22.16
professional players saying
hey you might make the cut.
00:12:22.20\00:12:25.54
You are the kind of guy
that is playing in this league
00:12:25.57\00:12:28.83
which is a feeder league
and then you have agents calling
00:12:28.86\00:12:32.08
you convergence of
this commitment to Christ.
00:12:32.12\00:12:36.96
They are going
to meet aren't they?
00:12:37.00\00:12:39.57
Yeah, in the locker room
in a very secular environment
00:12:39.61\00:12:45.86
you are playing in
front of 4000 fans.
00:12:45.89\00:12:49.38
You are seen by your
peers as reaching an apex and
00:12:49.42\00:12:54.58
I wasn't at the point where
I was getting any satisfaction
00:12:54.62\00:12:57.64
out of that anymore.
00:12:57.67\00:12:59.23
After playing in that league
for three years I realized
00:12:59.27\00:13:03.59
that I was going to pursue
academics and that I wasn't
00:13:03.63\00:13:07.87
going to go to the NHL but
I had played with a number of
00:13:07.90\00:13:11.58
people who did and I had an
interesting experience there.
00:13:11.61\00:13:15.25
I did see people who
went on to the NHL and what
00:13:15.28\00:13:19.26
it was like to be a
professional hockey player on
00:13:19.29\00:13:23.23
a smaller scale
when you are a teenager.
00:13:23.26\00:13:25.71
But what I ended up doing
was going to a different league
00:13:25.74\00:13:30.30
where they ended up
paying me some money.
00:13:30.33\00:13:31.95
They were paying me a
substantial amount of money and
00:13:31.98\00:13:36.53
giving me a car in various
other things to play for them.
00:13:36.56\00:13:41.07
At this time where they
are meeting I was coming to
00:13:41.11\00:13:47.38
believe in the
seventh day Sabbath.
00:13:47.41\00:13:50.12
That was one of the things
that was becoming true in my
00:13:50.15\00:13:53.02
life. - so they are
just not going to meet
00:13:53.06\00:13:54.88
their going to collide here?
00:13:54.92\00:13:56.38
Yeah and basically
that is what happened.
00:13:56.42\00:13:58.98
Our home games were on
Friday nights for this team that
00:13:59.01\00:14:03.06
I was playing on and was
given me all these bonuses and
00:14:03.10\00:14:07.11
the car that, but I was
already at the point where
00:14:07.15\00:14:12.11
I was believing in the
Sabbath and was convinced of it.
00:14:12.15\00:14:15.35
What happened was at the
end of that season when I played
00:14:15.38\00:14:18.05
with them I told them that
the next year I would not be
00:14:18.08\00:14:20.72
able to play on the
seventh day Sabbath anymore.
00:14:20.75\00:14:23.93
That would mean I would
miss all Friday night games and
00:14:23.96\00:14:26.37
I would miss Saturday if
there was afternoon games.
00:14:26.41\00:14:30.50
I would feel like a hypocrite
when I was in college and
00:14:30.53\00:14:34.55
wasn't taking exams say on a
Saturday exam, but I was playing
00:14:34.59\00:14:38.23
the hockey game the night
before and that was my part-time
00:14:38.26\00:14:42.51
job so I end up having to
tell them I'm not going to be
00:14:42.55\00:14:46.76
able to do this.
00:14:46.80\00:14:48.16
- how do they respond to that?
00:14:48.19\00:14:49.73
Well the first response to
it was actually pretty positive.
00:14:49.77\00:14:52.09
They were thankful that I
told them at the end of that
00:14:52.13\00:14:55.72
season, I had done my
commitment for the year and they
00:14:55.75\00:14:58.45
were going to try to work
out the schedule for next year
00:14:58.48\00:15:01.86
to work it out and I saw
that as God showing me that
00:15:01.89\00:15:05.01
He was looking out for me
in this might actually work.
00:15:05.04\00:15:08.94
There was a call to
stand to be baptized very soon
00:15:08.97\00:15:12.83
afterwards in the
church I was attending.
00:15:12.87\00:15:14.25
Just seen how God was working
in my life and the things
00:15:14.29\00:15:18.09
I have learned I really
felt like God was speaking to me
00:15:18.13\00:15:21.90
through the picture
and I stood to be baptized.
00:15:21.93\00:15:24.39
- Amen. - Amen, hallelujah!
00:15:24.43\00:15:26.31
He was the best decision I
ever made in my entire life.
00:15:26.35\00:15:30.05
So did you continue
playing after that then?
00:15:30.09\00:15:32.10
Well what I originally
made that decision and said I
00:15:32.13\00:15:35.81
wasn't going to be able to
play on Sabbath anymore, I had
00:15:35.84\00:15:39.74
thought it out that it may
be a situation where I am going
00:15:39.78\00:15:43.26
to be done with hockey
beat not able to play somewhere
00:15:43.30\00:15:46.54
because when you are playing
in these leaks the majority
00:15:46.57\00:15:49.78
of the games are going to
be on the weekends. - right!
00:15:49.82\00:15:51.95
Because of other commitments
and stuff like that they just
00:15:51.98\00:15:54.87
have to be, so I had taken
that into consideration and
00:15:54.91\00:15:57.72
what ended up happening was
my coach, and the management of
00:15:57.76\00:16:00.67
the team weren't able to
arrange the schedules to allow
00:16:00.71\00:16:03.59
me to play on Sabbath
on that particular team.
00:16:03.62\00:16:05.86
Instead of coming to me
with it they went straight to my
00:16:05.89\00:16:08.59
parents and so my
parents weren't happy.
00:16:08.63\00:16:14.43
- they didn't share your
commitments about the seventh
00:16:14.46\00:16:17.07
day Sabbath? - no they
don't, but they were happy I had
00:16:17.11\00:16:20.57
found a faith, but they were
looking at it okay he is not
00:16:20.61\00:16:24.58
going to church on Sunday
but Saturday and that's it.
00:16:24.61\00:16:27.47
But now it is going to affect
my money that I'm going to
00:16:27.50\00:16:30.78
get to pay for my schooling,
the drive to work every day
00:16:30.82\00:16:33.45
because I still had the car
from the team and it wasn't for
00:16:33.49\00:16:36.09
me and my brothers and
now it was effecting me.
00:16:36.13\00:16:38.43
So there was a lot
of tension at the time.
00:16:38.46\00:16:41.21
- there was a lot of
pressure? - yes pressure and to
00:16:41.24\00:16:44.72
change my decision on that.
00:16:44.76\00:16:46.23
I had considered these
things before and there was no
00:16:46.26\00:16:52.72
change, I was very
convinced that was the truth.
00:16:52.76\00:16:56.61
- not just because, I do
want to clarify, not just
00:16:56.65\00:16:59.89
because the preacher
said so but because you were
00:16:59.92\00:17:02.13
convinced that this is
what Scripture teaches?
00:17:02.17\00:17:04.31
Right, through my studies
in the study with pastors,
00:17:04.34\00:17:09.35
friends and I was
very convinced of it.
00:17:09.39\00:17:12.56
And what I see is there
is a difference between being
00:17:12.59\00:17:16.28
being convicted. And for me
actually standing for something,
00:17:16.32\00:17:19.44
the Sabbath or
anything else that you believe
00:17:19.48\00:17:22.14
that God wants you to
do that allows you to be
00:17:22.18\00:17:24.77
convicted a lot of times
and you can see God working your
00:17:24.81\00:17:27.99
life and the way God ended
up working through my hockey
00:17:28.03\00:17:31.96
was that I spent the majority
of my time away from school
00:17:31.99\00:17:35.89
playing hockey growing up.
00:17:35.92\00:17:37.76
God met me where
was in used hockey.
00:17:37.80\00:17:41.97
What ended up happening
was there was a team in Nova
00:17:42.01\00:17:45.21
Scotia which was 19 hours
away, a 19 Hour Drive from my
00:17:45.24\00:17:48.41
house and it was on the
other side of the country.
00:17:48.44\00:17:50.13
There was a team out there
who have been calling me and
00:17:50.16\00:17:53.37
I was thinking I was done
with hockey and I told them
00:17:53.40\00:17:56.34
the Sabbath thing and they
wouldn't be calling anymore.
00:17:56.37\00:17:59.03
It turned out when I said
I would be able to play on
00:17:59.07\00:18:02.43
Sabbath they had a former
player who had recently had
00:18:02.46\00:18:05.43
a conversion and believe
the same thing so they were
00:18:05.47\00:18:08.40
at least aware of it. - really!
00:18:08.44\00:18:09.92
It's almost like
paving the way a little bit?
00:18:09.95\00:18:12.66
Exactly, and I found out
that there was an undergraduate
00:18:12.70\00:18:15.34
school that was ranked very
highly in Canada in terms of
00:18:15.37\00:18:17.98
undergraduate schools
for what I was studying.
00:18:18.02\00:18:20.94
Which was? - I was
studying science at the time.
00:18:20.97\00:18:23.65
But you are a lawyer
now? - I'm a lawyer now.
00:18:23.68\00:18:26.29
Will maybe come back to
that in just a bit but continue
00:18:26.32\00:18:28.42
with this story.
00:18:28.46\00:18:29.65
So I ended up going out
to this town in Nova Scotia
00:18:29.69\00:18:34.61
called Amherst which
was the greatest blessing,
00:18:34.64\00:18:39.53
exactly what I
needed at that time.
00:18:39.56\00:18:41.27
It was a fantastic
church that was very supportive.
00:18:41.31\00:18:44.55
The team was accommodating
to my beliefs and I only ended
00:18:44.59\00:18:50.75
up missing seven or eight
games out of 48 or 58 game
00:18:50.78\00:18:54.60
schedule, so it
wasn't too big of a problem.
00:18:54.63\00:18:57.99
It was just a great
experience and I really saw
00:18:58.03\00:19:01.35
God leading in it.
00:19:01.39\00:19:02.86
- so you sort of
maybe not said it expressly,
00:19:02.89\00:19:06.69
you are sort of touching
on something that I think many
00:19:06.72\00:19:09.26
people experience in their
walk with Jesus and that is
00:19:09.29\00:19:12.60
that He meets us where
we are an sort of coaches us
00:19:12.63\00:19:15.52
through, guides us
through, walks us through baby
00:19:15.55\00:19:18.41
steps on top of the
mountain, and we can make
00:19:18.45\00:19:21.27
a decision further down
00:19:21.31\00:19:23.04
the pike that we
wouldn't have been able
00:19:23.07\00:19:24.28
to make right at the beginning.
00:19:24.31\00:19:25.95
God is meeting you here
and giving you the support of
00:19:25.98\00:19:28.09
church and environment and
etc. and you are standing for
00:19:28.12\00:19:30.47
the Sabbath, you are standing
for the Sabbath and that's
00:19:30.51\00:19:32.83
awesome, it was not just
the peer pressure but the
00:19:32.86\00:19:35.79
parental pressure sounds
like and financial pressure.
00:19:35.82\00:19:39.80
He stood for what you
believed in and I can't remember
00:19:39.83\00:19:42.88
who it was, it might have
been Mark Luther King Jr.,
00:19:42.91\00:19:45.92
someone said if you
don't stand for something
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.05
you'll fall for anything.
00:19:48.08\00:19:49.75
So you had that experience
of standing for something?
00:19:49.79\00:19:52.67
Yeah and it turned into a
fantastic experience out there.
00:19:52.70\00:19:55.55
The team, now these
guys are, but were some guys
00:19:55.59\00:19:58.67
that were goons and to see
somebody standing for faith,
00:19:58.70\00:20:01.64
these were the kind of
people that I would think might
00:20:01.68\00:20:04.50
mock me about it or something
but they actually really
00:20:04.53\00:20:07.32
respected my decision.
00:20:07.35\00:20:09.19
Now I have heard you
guys use that term twice, goon
00:20:09.22\00:20:11.23
the kind of hockey-est term?
00:20:11.27\00:20:14.15
Yeah a goon is somebody who
is there not so much for his
00:20:14.18\00:20:17.71
skills with scoring goals
or getting points, more so for
00:20:17.75\00:20:21.25
fighting and playing very rough.
00:20:21.28\00:20:25.19
I see, so when you make
this stand, will look at
00:20:25.23\00:20:28.51
the pretty boy
Christian kind of the thing,
00:20:28.55\00:20:31.21
you anticipate that?
00:20:31.25\00:20:32.39
I don't know about the
pretty boy, but yet something
00:20:32.43\00:20:34.61
like that. -
wimpy boy Christian?
00:20:34.64\00:20:37.21
Yeah something like that,
but they were very respectful
00:20:37.25\00:20:40.83
of it, the church was
glad to come and support me.
00:20:40.86\00:20:44.50
They were fantastic and at
the end of the year ended up
00:20:44.54\00:20:47.79
being with daylight savings
living up north eventually
00:20:47.83\00:20:51.05
sundown on Saturday
start earlier and earlier.
00:20:51.08\00:20:57.24
Our last home game was actually
going to be, sorry later
00:20:57.28\00:21:01.04
and later, our last home
game was during the playoffs
00:21:01.07\00:21:04.11
in the league finals he
was actually going to be during
00:21:04.14\00:21:07.15
the Sabbath hours.
00:21:07.18\00:21:08.20
It was supposed to start at
seven or 7:30 and the sun was
00:21:08.23\00:21:10.52
going down until five to eight.
00:21:10.56\00:21:12.99
- this was the last
home game of the year.
00:21:13.02\00:21:15.31
We had made it to the finals
and were very popular in the
00:21:15.34\00:21:18.34
area and they were putting
for 5000 people in the stands.
00:21:18.37\00:21:22.78
They actually change the
time of the game because I was
00:21:22.81\00:21:27.19
following the
Sabbath. - wow! - well my team.
00:21:27.22\00:21:31.04
- halleluiah! -
yeah it was one of the,
00:21:31.07\00:21:36.33
it was a great experience
for me to see how God was able
00:21:36.37\00:21:39.00
to use my hockey to
witness to other people.
00:21:39.03\00:21:41.54
Now did mean that everybody
went out and got baptized or
00:21:41.57\00:21:46.33
anything like that but He
was able to use me and show me
00:21:46.37\00:21:51.09
that people still
do stand for things.
00:21:51.12\00:21:56.05
People still stand for Christ.
00:21:56.09\00:21:57.98
So Tyler you just mentioned
there that you are able to use
00:21:58.01\00:22:00.57
hockey as a witness, do you
still play hockey now and if
00:22:00.61\00:22:03.56
so, obviously not at this
level you used to, but how can
00:22:03.59\00:22:06.51
you use that as a witness?
00:22:06.54\00:22:08.06
Yeah I have taken it down
a lot of notches but I think
00:22:08.09\00:22:11.35
being a candidate there is
not a whole lot to do in the
00:22:11.39\00:22:14.22
winter and I love playing
and probably will play until my
00:22:14.26\00:22:17.06
body won't let me anymore.
00:22:17.10\00:22:19.11
Which will probably be at
least a couple years away.
00:22:19.15\00:22:21.16
- yeah, until my
knees are a little creaky.
00:22:21.19\00:22:23.30
No it has been a witness
because after being away for
00:22:23.34\00:22:27.65
a long time I am now back
in the area where I grew up.
00:22:27.69\00:22:31.97
We're all my friends
are involved in hockey. -
00:22:32.00\00:22:34.97
oh I see this is a
bit of a success story.
00:22:35.00\00:22:37.45
I mean you are among
your friends. - yeah!
00:22:37.49\00:22:39.87
I mean you're not playing
NHL but professionally in these
00:22:39.91\00:22:42.78
other leagues, you're good, you
must been pretty good if they
00:22:42.81\00:22:46.07
moved the whole, you don't
have to say you I was so good.
00:22:46.10\00:22:49.32
But I mean if they moved
the game you must've been
00:22:49.35\00:22:51.70
a significant
contributor to your team.
00:22:51.74\00:22:54.64
So you come back
home and that is cool.
00:22:54.67\00:22:57.51
Yeah, I don't know if
they see that necessarily as a
00:22:57.54\00:23:01.18
success, but they like to
have me on the team back home
00:23:01.22\00:23:04.83
because I can still
play at a decent level.
00:23:04.86\00:23:07.36
- So are you a fighter now?
00:23:07.40\00:23:08.50
I'm not a fighter at all,
but it is a chance to meet these
00:23:08.53\00:23:12.86
friends, they still are my
friends and are great friends
00:23:12.90\00:23:17.20
that I care about deeply.
00:23:17.23\00:23:18.77
Playing on a sports team
with a chance to relate to
00:23:18.80\00:23:24.32
them, to speak with them
on their level and witness
00:23:24.35\00:23:29.79
just in the way I act towards
the other team and towards
00:23:29.83\00:23:34.87
my teammates and all
those kinds of things.
00:23:34.91\00:23:36.43
While the passage of scripture
I read right there at the
00:23:36.46\00:23:39.62
beginning, 1 Corinthians
chapter 9 where we run and only
00:23:39.65\00:23:42.77
one person wins, the
verse just before that very
00:23:42.80\00:23:45.88
interestingly Paul says
to the Jew I become a Jew,
00:23:45.91\00:23:48.92
to the Greek, a Greek, to
those that are under the law,
00:23:48.96\00:23:51.27
under the law and so I
guess to the hockey players
00:23:51.30\00:23:54.21
you've become a hockey player.
00:23:54.24\00:23:55.55
You are meeting people,
this is your culture, this is
00:23:55.59\00:23:58.51
your culture and you are
meeting people in the context
00:23:58.55\00:24:01.63
of that culture as somebody
who has stood for something
00:24:01.66\00:24:04.56
and who is still gifted
and talented at what you do,
00:24:04.59\00:24:07.42
but you are unashamedly,
unabashedly a follower of Jesus.
00:24:07.46\00:24:11.67
Definitely and its, and
also because I play with those
00:24:11.71\00:24:15.89
levels I can go back
to these leagues now and
00:24:15.92\00:24:18.30
I don't take it crazy serious.
00:24:18.34\00:24:21.65
They talk about those old
competitions and stuff where
00:24:21.68\00:24:25.27
there would be one winner,
when you are playing for just
00:24:25.31\00:24:30.05
fun now, I don't play for
glory, I don't play for a bunch
00:24:30.09\00:24:34.80
of fans, my mom came to
one game and that is the
00:24:34.83\00:24:37.47
extent of the fans we get.
00:24:37.50\00:24:40.38
But your mom is
a pretty good fan.
00:24:40.41\00:24:41.87
My mom is good fan, and
she's loud to sometimes.
00:24:41.91\00:24:44.00
In a good way, but yet it's
a place where you are able to
00:24:44.04\00:24:51.54
speak to people, for me
anyway, better than in their
00:24:51.58\00:24:56.95
living room, better than
round a large group of people
00:24:56.99\00:25:01.52
because you are sitting
there after being tired and you
00:25:01.55\00:25:06.02
help them out might have given
them a pass they scored with.
00:25:06.05\00:25:09.76
You're helping them on the ice.
00:25:09.80\00:25:12.14
Your teenagers know you are
a Christian? - yeah they do.
00:25:12.18\00:25:15.65
So this something more you
have to be timid or hide your
00:25:15.69\00:25:19.50
faith, obviously you are
not. - no, it's not like every
00:25:19.54\00:25:23.32
day I hit them
with Bible by any means.
00:25:23.35\00:25:25.74
It is more so the way I
conduct myself on the ice.
00:25:25.78\00:25:30.74
The way I talk to referees,
the way I conduct myself after
00:25:30.78\00:25:34.34
the game. In Canada when
you're playing in these leagues
00:25:34.37\00:25:37.21
after you are not really
playing competitive anymore,
00:25:37.24\00:25:39.91
they are cold beer leagues
and the reason is because
00:25:39.95\00:25:43.05
after the game they toss
around a beer to everybody
00:25:43.08\00:25:46.15
and I just don't partake.
00:25:46.18\00:25:48.41
Even as something as small
as that cause they sometimes
00:25:48.45\00:25:52.77
you don't drink? No I don't,
no I don't and as for couple
00:25:52.80\00:25:57.09
of reasons, health wise
but also because of my faith
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.30
I don't think it's a
good thing to put in my body.
00:25:59.33\00:26:01.47
Hmmm, Praise God
that's a great witness.
00:26:01.50\00:26:04.03
So there is a lot of
opportunities like that were
00:26:04.06\00:26:07.46
something small will turn
into this brief discussion,
00:26:07.49\00:26:11.40
and it is not where you're
hitting them over the head
00:26:11.43\00:26:15.31
with theology or
anything like that.
00:26:15.34\00:26:16.93
In the world today and in
that sport culture in Canada
00:26:16.97\00:26:21.48
anyway, in the hockey world
there is not a whole lot of
00:26:21.52\00:26:25.99
emphasis put on,
there's not the sportcianity,
00:26:26.03\00:26:32.47
you just play
sports go for the glory.
00:26:32.51\00:26:35.41
I love it, I love the
way you are sort of bringing
00:26:35.45\00:26:37.84
the program back around.
00:26:37.87\00:26:38.88
Go ahead Shannon. You mentioned
earlier you were talking
00:26:38.92\00:26:41.41
about how you were attaining
for this life, this glamorous
00:26:41.44\00:26:43.90
life of becoming a NLH star,
00:26:43.94\00:26:46.47
and it reminds me of
this Bible John 10:10 in
00:26:46.51\00:26:49.97
the latter half where it says,
00:26:50.00\00:26:51.46
"I have come that they
may have life and have it more
00:26:51.50\00:26:54.34
"abundantly. " Now have you
found, and can you take these
00:26:54.38\00:26:56.98
final moments just tell our
viewers what you found to be
00:26:57.02\00:26:59.59
the more abundant life?
00:26:59.62\00:27:01.43
Yeah remember sitting around
campfires with my peers and
00:27:01.46\00:27:05.98
friends when I was playing
in OHL, and it was something
00:27:06.01\00:27:10.49
they were actually
paying to go to the games.
00:27:10.53\00:27:13.71
I would tell them I'm
tired of this, I was practicing
00:27:13.75\00:27:16.65
every day and it became a job.
00:27:16.68\00:27:18.18
There was
pressure's to perform and all
00:27:18.21\00:27:21.24
that kind of stuff.
00:27:21.28\00:27:22.25
That isn't what I wanted,
what I was looking for as
00:27:22.26\00:27:25.31
I wanted to play gave all
the time and all of a sudden
00:27:25.35\00:27:28.40
it didn't turn out the way
they expected. It's not all
00:27:28.44\00:27:32.35
glory and glamour it's a
lot of work and wasn't for me.
00:27:32.39\00:27:36.27
In turning to God my
life has been so amazing,
00:27:36.31\00:27:42.70
I've traveled I've met a
amazing people and there has
00:27:42.74\00:27:47.31
been a peace since
I made that decision.
00:27:47.34\00:27:50.29
So chooses this promise
has been true in your life?
00:27:50.32\00:27:52.38
He has given you an abundant
life and we are so thankful
00:27:52.42\00:27:56.43
to have had to
on the show today.
00:27:56.46\00:27:57.74
Thank you for helping
us to strike that balance.
00:27:57.77\00:27:59.82