What do you look for in a player?

by Donnie Bostwick

December 2, 2020

2863

Over the years the number one question I have been asked when it comes to recruiting is “What do you look for in a player?”. Some of my answers to that question include “a motor”, “a winnable heart”, and “a winner”.

I have coached some of the best shooters in the history of college basketball, so yes, I look for someone with the ability to shoot the ball, but I equally look for great defenders. Some of the biggest gems I have discovered were hidden under the title of defensive player of the year. They are almost always guaranteed to have a motor.

The truth is even if you are a great shooter or a great defender, if a player is not fearless, then he will be extremely limited. Fear of contact, fear of fatigue, and fear of failure are just a few of the fears that you have to avoid when recruiting.

It helps when a recruit comes from a good high school program, where he understands defensive concepts, the importance of being unselfish, and is coachable when in the heat of a battle. However, I have seen great players come from nearly every situation imaginable.

So that brings me back to the question., “What do you look for in a player?” I believe I have discovered my answer. I actually discovered it when asking God what music artist He wanted me to bring in for a Freedom Fire Revival Concert Event.

When I first started looking, I found out the cost of bringing a well known artist in was crazy expensive. That was mind blowing and very discouraging. I had never been called to put on a concert revival event and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So after I discovered the cost, I immediately started limiting my dream to who I could bring in.

My last sentence is exactly the problem with 99 percent of dreams that never come true. I was focused on who I could bring in and not on who God was calling to come be a part of His plan!

I have done the same thing in recruiting players. Thinking, “Why even waist my time talking to this recruit? There is almost no chance I get him to come play for me”. I have also almost looked over a player because he came from a small school, but thankfully I have learned to listen to that small voice of the Holy Spirit in me.

Limited thinking is such a curse, it controls and decides those who change the world and those who allowed their dreams to die prematurely.

Steve Harvey says, “’Your Imagination is the Evidence of Things Not Seen’. He also says your imagination is the key to unlocking the dreams God has placed in you.

Let me make it clear very quickly, you are gonna fail, at least in the world’s eyes. You can’t be fearless and be afraid to fail. Sometimes God is test your faith and obedience. If He can trust you will small things, then He will trust you with greater things! No great dream was ever manifested to reality without great faith. God wants to know if you are truly all about bringing Him Glory or yourself.

So what did I discover when looking for a music artist? Through that journey a couple mighty men, that thankfully God has placed in my life, reminded me to not limit God. Another of Steve Harvey’s Bible references, “You have not because you ask not…” has also become one of my favorite verses.

So I asked God, “Father, I know you are not interested in just another concert. So will you send me one of your messengers that carries a heavy anointing that will cause your Fire to fall and set people free?” When I wrote that decree down, I honestly asked myself, “Why did I just write the word messengers?” That is not a common word I often use and yes, you are to decree and write down what you are asking for or feel called to do for the King.

God blew my mind and through a story that you would not believe, God brought one of the top Christian music artist in the world, We Are Messengers, to lead a Revival Concert Event that only He deserves glory for.

Why this band God? There were many great musicians that He could have sent. When I asked a couple people that had been associated with the Christian Concert industry, “Which band or artist is more about changing lives than just putting on a concert?” Both responded with the answer “We Are Messengers”. My response was “I will never be able to afford them!” They both said, “You won’t know if you don’t ask”. One of the two people I had asked had worked with WAM before they had become popular and he said, “These young men have a story to tell and passion to share the Gospel.”

When I received the unexpected call on August the 20th from WAM’s manager, I remember his words distinctly, “Darrin and the band want to come, they miss the opportunity to minister.”

You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. I sadly have prided myself on being fearless, but I have wrestled fear just like the rest of you when deciding whether to shoot a shot or not.

The answer to the question “What do I look for in players?

I look for “An Anointing Carrier”.

Do you carry an anointing to do the will of the Father? You see we are all given a gift, but without the anointing that gift is limited by your own strength or more importantly your weaknesses. The Bible says that in our weakness the anointing makes us strong.

We are all broken jars of clay, but when the anointing of God is poured into us we are capable of becoming absolutely anything The Potter would like to make us.

With the anointing comes character, a desire to work, a hunger for more, and a deep desire to bring the King Glory. When God anointed David as a kid, sadly his father did not see his potential, but David’s future was in God’s hands. The key to David’s anointing increasing was the fact that the Bible says David was a man after God’s own heart. Saul lost his anointing, because he allowed selfishness to drive his decisions, instead of following the Prophet Samuel’s instructions from God.

After We Are Messengers came to minister, God led me to bring the highly anointed Beckah Shae in to fan the flame of the Fire that had fell so mightily on Rosh Hashanah September 19th. Both of theses artist answered the call in the middle of Covid fear, when nobody else was doing in person concerts.

My first National Player of the Year Brandon Cole was anointed on a level the world is not familiar with. I take this decree from Pastor Chip Brim of A Glorious Church Fellowship who mentored a young anointed Rotnei Clarke about how to walk and grow in an anointing that the world is not familiar with all for the Glory of God. Both Rotnei and Brandon went on to break records nationally and bring God Glory. All of my National Players of the Year learned to play for God’s Glory and walk in the anointing He placed on their life.

Are you An Anointing Carrier? Through Christ Jesus who gives us strength, we are capable of doing all things! You only have not, because you ask not!