Champions of the Spirit - THE GAME OF MY LIFE by Bill Velasco

The annual visit of the Champions for Christ has a special meaning for me. Though we don’t share the exact same beliefs, we have a lot of common ground. And their visit in 1987 was particularly memorable for me. It was my first scoop as a raw field reporter.

The Los Angeles Lakers had just won the National Basketball Association championship, and although it was credited to the irrepressible and flamboyant "Showtime" brand of basketball hinged on Magic Johnson’s incandescence and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s enduring excellence, one large contributor remained quiet and steadfast in banging the boards.

A Green, now the owner of three NBA championship rings (all with the Lakers, the last one last season) was in Manila scant weeks after that remarkable championship. And I had the scoop. It was a thrill to see him at the Letran gym with the CFC squad, a mix of collegiate champions who bring the Gospel to lay people and athletes worldwide.

Two days later, I met A and leaders of the delegation again, this time, on my turf, the TV studio to interview the team on the morning program "Magandang Umaga." Unfortunately, I had a really bad head cold, and wasn’t feeling up to it.

A suggested they pray over me. Now, it did sound unusual, since I had never experienced it before. And it felt strange having a group of towering foreigners lay their hands over me in a corner of the studio. I didn’t know which felt more awkward, their all being much taller than me ( at 6’2" I was usually taller than most people I interviewed at that point) or the strange energy that filled me afterward. It worked.

Champions for Christ was formed in 1985 by ministers Greg Ball and Rice Broocks to meet the specific needs of the American college athlete. Through the years the ministry has broadened its focus to include not only collegiate athletes, but also high school and professional athletes. In 1990, Champions for Christ became a non-profit ministry incorporated in the state of Texas.

Green is the most popular athlete in the Champions for Christ. A frequent Manila visitor, the 6’9" forward was the Lakers’ first-round choice (23rd overall) in the 1985 college draft, and was known all throughout the league as a tireless workhorse. He has been in the league for 17 seasons. Now reunited with his former Lakers coach Pat Riley in the Miami Heat, Green has entered the league’s record books as the NBA "Iron Man." As of January 19, Green played a total of 1,151 straight games. The Oregon State alumnus has not missed a game since the 1986-87 season. His longevity surpasses the 907 straight appearances of Randy Smith, whom he passed on November 20, 1997 while playing for the Dallas Mavericks.

Leading former NBA cagers like Al Coleman, Dave Jamerson (Houston Rockets), David Wood (San Antonio Spurs) and European League veterans Kevin Singleton and Darryl Flowers, A conducted seminars and workshops in the University Belt two years ago. But at the same time, they also shared their love of Jesus with Filipino college players. In a recent chat with people across the globe, Green credited God for his fruitful NBA career.

"First, it’s the blessing of God over my life. That’s foremost. Secondly, I have a lot of good trainers over the years as well as coaches. They keep my body together, make sure I’m playing the right amount of minutes. I eat right, I work out, do a lot of cardiovascular work as well as weight training. Anything to keep my mind, body and spirit at its top level," said Green, who turns 38 in October.

"Champions for Christ can be basically summed up to reaching athletes and raising leaders. And these athletes can only experience changed lives if they have an encounter with the Lord through His Gospel," said CFC national director Joseph Carodan at the National Sports Grille. Pepsi has also been very supportive of the CFC.

At the press conference were some of local basketball’s icons, too. Four-time PBA MVP Alvin Patrimonio, SEA Games team captain Romel Adducul, two-time PBA MVP Benjie Paras and coach Eric Altamirano, who recalled the impact being with the group made on his life.

"When I was still a rookie coach, the first thing that came to my mind was, Lord, I’m a very young coach. I’m just 29 years old. Will the players respect me? Will the league respect me? The pressure on me was great. But then I prayed that God would give me strength in my career, and He answered it. In fact, I won a championship right in my rookie year as a coach. I was very happy because even my players acknowledged God in the team."

Patrimonio, whose turbulent personal life has found calm, adds "Maraming temptations talaga, pero through Champions for Christ, natutulungan nila akong maging matatag at mas lumakas yung faith ko kay Lord. For now, it’s character that the Lord is building in me. Napapatawad ko na yung mga ibang taong nakasakit sa akin nuon. Pati asawa ko, nali-lead ko na."

Through the years, the Champions for Christ have proven that faith breaks boundaries, builds bridges, and wins friends and championships. The lasting kind.