Coaches often preach to players about dealing with adversity, but Allan Trimble is delivering that sermon without having to say a word, said Jenks (Oklahoma) High School’s athletic director, Tony Dillingham.

Why is it that Coach Trimble’s message is especially impactful?

The success of the team that he’s coached gains the attention of many.  His Jenks Trojans have 13 state titles and a 235-36 record entering the current football season.  He is the most successful coach in Oklahoma prep football history.

His message of dealing with adversity is resonating with his players and many others because he is dealing with adversity in his own life.  In the summer of 2016, Trimble was diagnosed with myotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  It’s an incurable, progressive neurogenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

But he is still coaching… and teaching and influencing others.  This is his second season coaching after his diagnosis, and even though he is only 54-years-old, he has said that this coaching season is likely his last because of his diminishing energy.

In honor of Coach Trimble, the Jenks High School administrators changed the name of the football stadium in August to Allan Trimble Stadium.  During the renaming ceremony, Jenks’ school superintendent, Stacy Butterfield, spoke of the lessons Trimble had imparted on players that have come through the program.

“He has changed lives of countless students through leading by example and not only telling them, but also showing them what it means to be humble and how to find fulfillment through serving others,” Butterfield said.  “Even in the midst of his courageous fight with ALS, Allan has remained steadfastly committed to the things that matter most in his life — faith, family and football.”  And it’s in that order: faith, family, football.

Murray Evans reports: “Not long after he made his diagnosis public, members of Park Plaza Church of Christ [where Trimble serves as an elder] joined with the Jenks community in conducting a prayer service for Trimble at the high school gym. Nearly 3,000 people attended.  Trimble spoke and told those gathered that, ‘Long before I’m a football coach, I’m a follower of Jesus.’  He encouraged them to ‘just put God at the center of everything we do.’” *

Faith, family, football -- in that order.  Why put faith first?  Because faith in God is what carries us through the adversities of life and gives us hope beyond this life: to eternal life in heaven, where there is no ALS, no sorrow, no death (see Revelation 21:4).

God gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we can have forgiveness of our sins and receive the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

Coach Trimble says it’s all about putting first things first, and FAITH in God is first.

Are YOU listening to Coach?  Won’t YOU heed his words?  Won’t YOU follow Jesus?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “A Coach’s Real Success” by Murray Evans in The Christian Chronicle, November 2017.  Learn more about Coach Trimble’s journey living with ALS at www.trimblestrong.org.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org