This week’s Faith, Family, & Football feature is: Corwin Anthony, Former Player.
PE: Why is faith important to you?
Faith is important to me because it answers the, "Who am I" and the, "Why am I here" questions. I am a unique person who was created by God and is loved by God. I am here on purpose. I am not just another random accident. I have meaning and purpose. The greatest purpose is to know God and to make him known in this world through the revelation of His son, Jesus Christ.
PE: Tell us about your family and the impact they’ve had on your life?
I married my college sweet heart in 1992. My wife and I started dating early on in college and made a ton of mistakes during those years. We both got involved in the sports ministry on campus and began to change the way we interacted with each other. We were married in 1992 and now have 2 wonderful teenage sons. My wife and my kids have helped me to experience God's unconditional love and how to live a grace filled life.
PE: What does being a father mean to you?
The second most important role I have, behind being a good husband, is being a father. Being a father means having a consistent presence in the life of my sons; helping them to grow and develop into godly men while maximizing the potential and the gifts they have been given. It means listening to their hearts and protecting them from the unseen dangers until they are able to exercise wisdom and discernment for themselves. It means to love them unconditionally and challenge them to be their best and teaching them to allow God to use them for His glory.
PE: How has your faith and family helped you develop off the field?
My faith and family helped me to see that my identity is not in the job I have. My family is not impressed by my on-field accomplishments. They helped me to see that, "Winning" ALWAYS must first start at home. For these reasons, I want to pursue growth and change for the rest of my life so that I can be all that God created me to be and all that my wife and sons need me to be.
PE: How do you balance faith, family, and football?
I didn't have kids while I was playing football, but as an NFL chaplain for 10 years I witnessed a lot of guys who were in this situation. The guys that do it the best are the ones that sacrifice themselves during their career so that their wives and children are not always getting their left over time and energy. It could mean foregoing some fun activities or making sure they involve their wives and kids as much as possible on trips and team functions. Giving both quality and quantity time is crucial, especially during the offseason.
PE: What advice would you give to student athletes and current professional athletes in regards to their faith, family, and football?
Advice I would give current players is to:
1. Pursue your faith just as hard, if not harder, than you pursued your dream of playing football. I credit my faith and the biblical principles that I discovered with the fact that I have a strong marriage and family today (Not perfect, but stable and growing more healthy). It was because of the things we learned and the solid Christian community around us that enabled us to overcome some very challenging situations that typically derails a person's life and family after football ends.
2. Love your family and create an environment in your home where your wife and children can thrive. Laugh a lot. Let those who know you the best be the same ones that love, trust and respect you the most. Give room for failure. Learn how to give a balance of grace and truth in your interactions with your family members.
3. Then play the game with joy and peace of mind, knowing that you have taken care of your priorities. Fully devote yourself to being the best teammate you can be. Play for an audience of the One who gave his life for you. For Christ deserves your best. Enjoy the short lived game. Be wise in your decisions. Stay far away from potential disasters. Have people in your life who love you but are not impressed by you, people who care more about your personal growth and development as a person or child of God, than they do their own friendship with you.