{"id":2184,"date":"2011-12-31T16:00:55","date_gmt":"2011-12-31T21:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspiringathletes\/?p=2184"},"modified":"2012-01-06T01:25:31","modified_gmt":"2012-01-06T06:25:31","slug":"inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html","title":{"rendered":"Inspiring Athletes Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011 (#1-10)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click “Like” to share this story with your friends!<\/strong><\/p>\n

For your New Year’s Eve reading pleasure, Inspiring Athletes presents its final installment of the Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011!<\/p>\n

#10 Brad Stevens leads Butler to second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Men\u2019s Basketball Championship Game<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>College basketball fans are used to seeing teams like Duke, North Carolina, Connecticut, Kansas and Kentucky make deep runs in the NCAA basketball tournament. Oh, and we can\u2019t forget Butler.<\/p>\n

Butler?<\/p>\n

Yes, Butler.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to say if fans are getting used to seeing the so-called \u201cMid-Major\u201d darlings challenge the big boys. But thanks to significant leadership from head coach Brad Stevens, the Bulldogs made its second consecutive appearance in the Men\u2019s Basketball Championship Game and finished the season with a 28-10 record.<\/p>\n

During the past two years, Stevens has become almost as well known for his calm sideline demeanor as he is for Butler\u2019s improbable tournament success. In an online interview<\/a> with United Methodist Church national communications director Diane Degnan, Stevens talked about how faith guides his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it affects everything I do,\u201d he said. \u201cJust as I ask our team to try constantly to improve every day, I\u2019m trying to improve every day. And that being the most important aspect of my life, that\u2019s the part where I think I\u2019ve got the greatest room for improvement. I\u2019m really blessed to have not only this great opportunity here, but a great family and a great church family. We have been very thankful for that, and we hope to continue to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

#9 Blake Griffin steals show at NBA Slam Dunk Contest, wins Rookie of the Year honors<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I believe Blake Griffin can fly. Pretty sure he can touch the sky too. If you\u2019re not convinced, Google the words \u201cBlake Griffin\u201d and \u201cNBA slam dunk contest\u201d<\/a> or even the words \u201cBlake Griffin\u201d and \u201cdunk\u201d will probably do.<\/p>\n

After sitting out the 2009-10 season due to injury, Griffin provided Los Angeles Clippers fans hope for a bright future with his spectacular post play, defensive prowess and\u2014okay, let\u2019s not get too carried away. Griffin turned the 2010-11 season into the \u201cYear of the Dunk.\u201d Yes, he was pretty good at that other stuff too, enough so to earn him Rookie of the Year honors. But it was his rim rattling throw downs that gave the entire basketball world goose bumps.<\/p>\n

Even though a disappointed Griffin was benched that first year, the former Oklahoma Christian School and University of Oklahoma standout told Sports Spectrum<\/a> that he understood it to be part of God\u2019s plan for his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was ready to go, but everything came crashing down, so to speak,\u201d Griffin said. \u201cBut these things happen. That was God’s way of just humbling me.\u201d<\/p>\n

#8 Drew Brees breaks Dan Marino\u2019s 27-year old NFL passing record<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Drew Brees (AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2008, Drew Brees missed breaking Dan Marino\u2019s single-season passing yardage record by 16 yards. So when the New Orleans Saints quarterback found the 27-year old mark within reach again this season, he finished the job and left nothing to chance.<\/p>\n

In fact, Brees broke Marino\u2019s record in the next-to-last game, a Monday Night Football drubbing of Atlanta. Brees threw for 316 yards and eclipsed the mark of 5,084 yards with a nine-yard touchdown pass (his fourth of the night) to Darren Sproles.<\/p>\n

While Brees is most famous for his passing prowess and scrambling ability, the Austin, Texas native and former Purdue star has quietly been living out his Christian faith as a devoted family man and a committed community leader. Brees once doubted his future after an injury sent him packing in San Diego. Now, he can clearly see the big picture that God was orchestrating all along.<\/p>\n

\u201cI absolutely believe that everything happens for a reason and that God puts you in positions where you might be wondering, \u2018Why is this happening?\u2019\u201d he once told FCA\u2019s Sharing the Victory Magazine<\/a>. \u201cBut that\u2019s when you just trust and have faith and believe that it\u2019s all for the greater good. I truly believe that\u2019s what happened here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more about Brees and check out an FCA video interview by clicking the link below:<\/p>\n

Drew Brees breaks Dan Marino\u2019s 27-year old passing yardage<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

#7 Robert Griffin III wins Heisman Trophy<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Baylor may be in a major conference, but let\u2019s not kid ourselves here. When Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy while playing for a private school not known for gridiron greatness, it made an incredible statement to the college football establishment: it\u2019s officially time to quit blindly handing all the post-season hardware to traditional powerhouses like Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU and Florida.<\/p>\n

Yes folks, the little guys are ready to take a seat at the adult table.<\/p>\n

Of course, it wasn\u2019t hard for voters to give Griffin (famously known as \u201cRG3\u201d) the nod. His Playstation stats and game changing moments were the stuff of highlight reel legend. RG3 finished the season with 4,293 passing yards, 37 touchdown passes and 10 more touchdowns on the ground. Baylor\u2019s 45-38 victory against Oklahoma provided one of the season\u2019s most incredible moments when a broken play with :08 left in the game led to Griffin\u2019s Houdini-like escape and subsequent 34-yard touchdown strike to Terrance Williams.<\/p>\n

To read more about Griffin and his connection to award-winning Christian recording artist David Crowder, click the link below:<\/p>\n

David Crowder talks up Robert Griffin III<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

#6 Tim Thomas leads Boston Bruins to Stanley Cup<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Heading into the 2010-11 season, it had been 29 years since the Boston Bruins last won a Stanley Cup. For you NHL historians out there, that takes us all the way back to the Bobby Orr era.<\/p>\n

So when the Bruins earned the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Boston fans were hopefully cautious for a return to hockey\u2019s grand stage\u2014the NHL Finals.<\/p>\n

Tim Thomas is no Bobby Orr. But the goalie ultimately helped lead the Bruins to that elusive Stanley Cup title with a record-breaking, award-winning year. Thomas beat Dominik Hasek\u2019s save percentage record by .001 and claimed the Vezina Trophy (for best goalie) and became just the second American-born player (and the oldest at age 37 years and 62 days) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the Stanley Cup Finals MVP.<\/p>\n

In the Eastern Conference Finals, he shutout the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 and proceeded to shutout out the overall top seeded Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Thomas also broke a 66-year old record for fewest goals (eight) allowed in a Finals series that went seven games.<\/p>\n

Off the ice, Thomas is a quietly faithful Christian who attends Burlington Church of Christ in the Boston area with his family and whose brother Jake Thomas is a youth minister in Texas. Pastor Tony Thompson told The Christian Chronicle<\/a> that the congregation enjoyed watching their fellow congregant\u2019s recent success.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, much more important than his athletic prowess is the fact that Tim loves the Lord and the church and is devoted to his family,\u201d Thompson said.<\/p>\n

#5 U.S. women fall short at 2011 World Cup; Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath, Heather O\u2019Reilly shine on the international stage<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>ABC\u2019s now-defunct series \u201cWide World of Sports\u201d had an iconic line from its opening sequence that talked about \u201cthe thrill of victory\u201d and \u201cthe agony of defeat.\u201d Perhaps no better words could describe U.S. women\u2019s soccer team at the 2011 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n

From Abby Wambach\u2019s exhilarating late game-tying goal against Brazil (a game that the Americans won on penalty shots) to the shocking championship game loss against an inspiring Japanese team (also decided by penalties), the World Cup was full of incredible highs and unbelievable lows for Team USA.<\/p>\n

Some of the brightest spots came from a contingency of Christian athletes led by Tobin Heath, Stephanie Cox, Heather O\u2019Reilly and Lauren Cheney. O\u2019Reilly scored a goal in a 3-0 victory against Columbia while Cheney scored a goal in the 2-0 victory over North Korea and another goal in the 3-1 semifinals win against France. For her efforts, Cheney was named to the World Cup All-Star Team.<\/p>\n

According to midfielder Tobin Heath, faith helped the squad deal with the disappointment amid such lofty expectations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a rollercoaster ride, but it was neat to just see (God\u2019s) hand on that (situation),\u201d Heath said. \u201cIt\u2019s more than just winning or losing. There are so many relationships that go deeper than that. He has a plan in it all. You have to trust that. Even though it\u2019s not the ideal outcome\u2014I mean, everybody wants to be winners\u2014you have to trust that God has a greater plan for this even when you can\u2019t see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more from Heath\u2019s Inspiring Athletes interview by clicking the link below:<\/p>\n

A conversation with Tobin Heath<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

#4 Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman (NL Comeback Player of the Year) lead Cardinals to World Series title; Pujols later signs with Angels<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As if the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series as a Wild Card entry didn\u2019t provide a dramatic enough finish to the 2011 Major League Baseball season, things got even crazier when team icon Albert Pujols became a free agent.<\/p>\n

Lance Berkman, who was named National League Comeback Player of the Year, had re-signed with the Cardinals earlier in the season, and most expected Pujols would do the same. But the process went haywire with large sums of money being thrown around by suitors from Miami, Chicago and ultimately Los Angeles where the future Hall of Famer headed to presumably finish his career with the Angels.<\/p>\n

Although Berkman and Pujols\u2019 stint as teammates only lasted for a season, it was a season that Cardinals fans won\u2019t likely forget soon. In the World Series, St. Louis defeated the Texas Rangers in seven games. Pujols hit three home runs in his team\u2019s 16-7 Game 3 victory while Berkman batted a team-leading .423 in the Series and .313 throughout the entire playoffs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Inspiring Athletes has been fortunate to interview Albert Pujols once and Lance Berkman three times. Both men are impressive stalwarts of the Christian faith and equally notable for their commitment to family and community outreach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think you can overstate the importance of using your platform or using the position that you\u2019ve been given to affect good in every circumstance that you\u2019re in,\u201d Berkman said. \u201cObviously, the only reason I\u2019m where I am is because God has gifted me and He has seen fit to put me where I am. I have to honor that by using my influence and my status on the team and in the game of baseball for good and to His purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more about Berkman, Pujols and the Cardinals\u2019 championship season by clicking on the links below:<\/p>\n

A conversation with Lance Berkman<\/a><\/p>\n

Albert Pujols hits 2,000th career hit<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

#3 Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings lead Green Bay to Super Bowl victory and dominant 2011 regular season<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Aaron Rodgers (AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Throughout the 2010 season, the Green Bay Packers were never considered favorites to win the Super Bowl much less represent the NFC in one of the world\u2019s biggest sports spectacles. In fact, Green Bay entered the playoffs with a 10-6 record and the #6 seed.<\/p>\n

But thanks in great part to a trio of Christian athletes, the Packers made history by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV.<\/p>\n

Strangely, it was Aaron Rodgers\u2019 least impressive season as a starting quarterback, but once the playoffs rolled around, the former University of California star pulled out all the stops including a stellar effort in the title game. Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Jordy Nelson (AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All three of those touchdowns went to a pair of Christian teammates. Greg Jennings caught four passes from Rodgers for 64 yards and two scores (including the one that put Green Bay ahead for good) while Jordy Nelson led the team with nine receptions for 140 yards and one touchdown.<\/p>\n

Nelson wrote about his Super Bowl experience and his burgeoning faith in a piece for FCA\u2019s Sharing the Victory Magazine<\/a> earlier this year:<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we won the Super Bowl last season, my wife and I reflected on how far we\u2019d come as believers in Christ,\u201d he wrote. \u201cYes, the team had reached the pinnacle of the sport, but personally, we\u2019re still the same people we\u2019ve always been. It just proved that life is about so much more than football. Now, as a husband, father and, most importantly, as a Christian, I can see the Super Bowl Champion label with a greater perspective. I know it\u2019s an opportunity to share the most important truth of life: the gospel of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Greg Jennings (AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Green Bay entered the 2011 season with much higher expectations and the team has certainly lived up to the hype. The Packers went 13-0 before a shocking 19-14 loss at Kansas City. Going into the final game of the regular season, Rodgers had passed for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns while Nelson was having a career season with 59 receptions for 1,101 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jennings (who compiled 67 catches for 949 yards and nine touchdowns) suffered a sprained MCL late in the season and was expected to return in time for the playoffs.<\/p>\n

#2 Trevor Bayne wins the Daytona 500<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>No one saw it coming, especially Trevor Bayne. On the day after his 20th birthday, Bayne pulled off one of the greatest upset victories in NASCAR history with a final lap win at the Daytona 500. After just his second career Sprint Cup start, Bayne was thrust into the national spotlight where his steadfast Christian faith shone through.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I was doing this not for a purpose but just to race, then this year, I would\u2019ve been a disaster,\u201d Bayne said. \u201cBut when you have a purpose to work for something\u2026it changes your whole perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Click on these links to read more about Bayne from the Inspiring Athletes archives:<\/p>\n

A conversation with Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne<\/a><\/p>\n

Trevor Bayne talks about his wild year<\/a><\/p>\n

Trevor Bayne wins first Nationwide Series race<\/a><\/p>\n

#1 Tim Tebow generates controversy by winning, praising God<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Tim Tebow (AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Was there any doubt which athlete would top 2011\u2019s list of biggest Christian Sports Stories? From the hypersensitive criticism to the overbearing praise (not to mention the creation of that international sensation we all love called \u201cTebowing\u201d), Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow became a lightning rod for discussions on religion, football mechanics and a renewed emphasis on the value of athletes as role models.<\/p>\n

Up until now, Inspiring Athletes hasn\u2019t commented on the phenomenon for a couple of reasons: 1) Not much has been left unsaid during the oversaturated conversation, and 2) It\u2019s been too much fun sitting back and enjoying the crazy fourth-quarter comebacks along with the broadcast media and Internet blowups that inevitably ensue.<\/p>\n

While no one knows for sure how long the football part of this story will last, one thing is for certain. Tebow\u2019s impact on the \u201cfaith and sports\u201d debate won\u2019t be going away any time soon.<\/p>\n

Although I\u2019ve never personally interviewed Tebow, he did answer some questions via email back in 2007 (as a member of the Florida Gators) for an FCA book I was working on at the time called Serving<\/em><\/a>. Looking back at his responses, it\u2019s amazing how his mild-mannered tone and selfless devotion to family and praise for their role in his life is so similar to the way he speaks over four years later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am fortunate to have family members, coaches and teammates around who can help me stay focused on the right things for me to be successful,\u201d Tebow said. \u201cSeeing how my parents have raised us and provided everything we can possibly need is a comforting feeling. I have been so blessed to have an amazing support group and knowing how passionate they are about God and their children has inspired me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Check out the other stories selected for the 2011 Top 30 list by clicking the links below:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out stories #11-20 from this Top 30 list by clicking HERE<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

Check out stories #21-30 from this Top 30 list by clicking HERE<\/a>!<\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click “Like” to share this story with your friends! For your New Year’s Eve reading pleasure, Inspiring Athletes presents its final installment of the Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011! #10 Brad Stevens leads Butler to second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Men\u2019s Basketball Championship Game College basketball fans are used to seeing teams…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":418,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[383,387,3,474,384,385,398,388,473,4],"tags":[348,483,557,17,865,43,906,146,899,893,333,897,867,904,820,151,149,908,210,895,214,21,900,905,278,915,484,335,277,745,898,894,18,910,257,902,558,252,913,903,10,37,901,892,211,8,9,896,625,609,822,567,19,322,478,914,909,916,73,202,321,485,917,141,912,145,907,911,173],"class_list":["post-2184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-baseball","category-basketball","category-christian-athletes","category-fifa-world-cup","category-football","category-hockey","category-milestones","category-racing","category-soccer","category-sports-news","tag-aaron-rodgers","tag-abby-wambach","tag-alabama-crimson-tide","tag-albert-pujols","tag-atlanta-falcons","tag-blake-griffin","tag-bobby-orr","tag-boston-bruins","tag-brad-stevens","tag-butler-bulldogs","tag-conn-smythe-trophy","tag-connecticut-huskies","tag-dan-marino","tag-darren-sproles","tag-david-crowder","tag-daytona-500","tag-denver-broncos","tag-dominik-hasek","tag-drew-brees","tag-duke-blue-devils","tag-fca","tag-fellowship-of-christian-athletes","tag-final-four","tag-florida-gators","tag-green-bay-packers","tag-greg-jennings","tag-heather-oreilly","tag-heisman-trophy","tag-jordy-nelson","tag-kansas-city-chiefs","tag-kansas-jayhawks","tag-kentucky-wildcats","tag-lance-berkman","tag-lauren-cheney","tag-los-angeles-angels","tag-los-angeles-clippers","tag-lsu-tigers","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-miami-marlins","tag-monday-night-football","tag-nascar","tag-nba","tag-nba-slam-dunk-contest","tag-ncaa-mens-basketball","tag-new-orleans-saints","tag-nfl","tag-nhl","tag-north-carolina-tar-heels","tag-oklahoma-sooners","tag-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-robert-griffin-iii","tag-sprint-cup-series","tag-st-louis-cardinals","tag-stanley-cup","tag-stephanie-cox","tag-super-bowl-xlv","tag-tampa-bay-lightning","tag-tebowing","tag-texas-rangers","tag-tim-tebow","tag-tim-thomas","tag-tobin-heath","tag-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011","tag-trevor-bayne","tag-us-womens-world-cup-team","tag-vancouver-canucks","tag-vezina-trophy","tag-wide-world-of-sports","tag-world-series"],"yoast_head":"\nInspiring Athletes Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011 (#1-10) - Inspiring Athletes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inspiring Athletes Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011 (#1-10) - Inspiring Athletes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Click “Like” to share this story with your friends! 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For your New Year’s Eve reading pleasure, Inspiring Athletes presents its final installment of the Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011! #10 Brad Stevens leads Butler to second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Men\u2019s Basketball Championship Game College basketball fans are used to seeing teams…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html","og_site_name":"Inspiring Athletes","article_published_time":"2011-12-31T21:00:55+00:00","article_modified_time":"2012-01-06T06:25:31+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspiringathletes\/files\/2011\/12\/bradstevens.jpeg"}],"author":"Chad Bonham","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html","name":"Inspiring Athletes Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011 (#1-10) - Inspiring Athletes","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspiringathletes\/files\/2011\/12\/bradstevens.jpeg","datePublished":"2011-12-31T21:00:55+00:00","dateModified":"2012-01-06T06:25:31+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/#\/schema\/person\/95c3e9443bb9bfa81645d8daef1193c1"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspiringathletes\/files\/2011\/12\/bradstevens.jpeg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspiringathletes\/files\/2011\/12\/bradstevens.jpeg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/2011\/12\/inspiring-athletes-top-30-christian-sports-stories-of-2011-1-10.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Inspiring Athletes Top 30 Christian Sports Stories of 2011 (#1-10)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/","name":"Inspiring Athletes","description":"Beliefnet Voices - Chad Bonham","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/#\/schema\/person\/95c3e9443bb9bfa81645d8daef1193c1","name":"Chad Bonham","description":"Chad has been working in mass media for over 20 years. Chad\u2019s professional journey began at the University of Tulsa where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (1993) while working extensively in athletic media relations and serving as a sports editor for The Collegian. Since then, he has written extensively for such publications as Relevant, CCM, Christian Retailing, New Man, Charisma, Today\u2019s Christian, Ministries Today, Breakaway, Brio, Sports Spectrum, Christian Single, Faith & Friends, Sharing the Victory and Gospel Today. He has authored, co-authored or ghost written and edited 13 books including Life in the Fairway (New Leaf Press), Glory of the Games (Cross Training), Wrestling with God (River Oak), Spiritual Journeys (Relevant) and the four-part Fellowship of Christian Athletes Core Value Series; Excellence, Teamwork, Serving and Integrity (Regal Books). Chad is currently working on five new books including Sooner Legacy, Husker Legacy and Lessons From Sooner Football (Cross Training) as well as The Faith of Stock Car Racing (Judson Press). When he's not writing, Chad lends his efforts to various independent television and film projects. He was the coordinating producer for Choosing Life (2010) and Life Happens (2011). Chad is currently serving as producer on a forthcoming documentary about Super Bowl champion Brian Kinchen. Chad and his wife Amy live in Broken Arrow, Okla., with sons Lance (September 2003), Cole (February 2008) and Quinn (February 2011).","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/author\/cbonham"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2184"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2217,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2184\/revisions\/2217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspiringathletes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}