There is perhaps no one else within football, that has as important a role or with whom it is necessary to earn and maintain trust as the athletic trainer or phyiso. It is this role which keeps the athlete fit and healthy. It is the trainer who often takes up the mantle of helping an athlete continue on a path toward recovery after a surgery or struggling through a particular type of injury or strain. The athletic trainer also cooperates to promote and cultivate prevention of physical injury. This prayer is a blessing for the hands of the trainer. It is a prayer of blessing that a chaplain might pray over a trainer at the start of a season or

The beginning of the football season is a wonderful time filled with a mix of emotions. For some footballers, they are still trying to earn a spot on the team or they are in a year when they need a new contract. For some it may be their first season in the sport and for others it can be their last — whether due to age, injury, or another reason for retirement. This prayer is based on Deuteronomy 20:1-4 and Psalm 121. In ancient times, before the nation of Israel would head off to spring time war — a time of securing borders and making sure that the farming lands were secure — the instructions were to call for the

With the draft now concluded and preseason camps underway, the next major event in the life of Major League Soccer is completing the new MLS CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). The MLS CBA is the league's agreement with the MLSPU (MLS Player's Union) and usually is a 3-5 year labor agreement. The current MLS CBA is set to expire January 31, 2015. On point for this CBA round of talks are two main emphases - (1) increasing the lower and middle wages of players in the league and (2) free agency. Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC reported that free agency isn't even present in the current MLS CBA proposal, despite many players and former players calling for a change in

The maelstrom of fan discontent surrounding the recent firing of popular, Red Bulls Head Coach Mike Petke is enough to have team executives call a town hall meeting to try and placate season ticket holders. Major League Soccer contributor Dan Itel, in his The Sideline blog, on Thursday, noted the outpouring of fan support - including a fundraising campaign to purchase billboard signage to express fan disapproval with the firing. Pundits will argue about the seeming waywardness of the move for who knows how long. The New York, New Jersey soccer club has been besieged with a history of poor decision making and the sacking of successful, popular coaches as this fan blog mentions; and, until recently, this club has been somewhat of a

It's a new year and with a new year, come new resolutions - whether a goal to lose weight, spend more time with family, become a better soccer player, or to win a championship - all sorts of things make our initial list to try and "resolve." For the Colorado Rapids, they have some new year resolutions on the field and off the field. And, even for this Rev, there are a few "resolutions" that I have been considering myself. To be honest, though, I am not a big believer in making annual resolutions - unless they have some "SMART"-ness to them; SMART standing for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. New Year, New Resolutions Out of Control? Of course, sometimes we