The Gospel In The Game Sports Podcast
Conversation and stories about real athletes and the journey thru sport, faith and life.
Connecting athletes, sports families and the church. Build bridges and telling real stories to help repair, build and grow people.
Hosts Dan Dromarsky and Dave Dawson
The Gospel In The Game Sports Podcast
Colin Doherty - Finding God in the Hockey Grind
What does faith look like on the ice when you're battling injuries, homesickness, and the constant pressure to perform? Colin Doherty pulls back the curtain on the reality of being a young Christian athlete in today's competitive junior hockey world.
As a player returning to the Grand Prairie Storm (breaking news revealed exclusively on our podcast!), Colin shares how his childhood in a Christian home provided foundation, but it wasn't until facing the isolation and challenges of junior hockey that his faith truly deepened. "Moving away and playing junior hockey has only excelled that feeling," Colin explains, describing how his mother's wisdom to "remember who you are" has shaped his approach to balancing team culture with personal values.
The conversation delves into the mental toll of competitive sports – from production pressure and lineup uncertainty to the crushing disappointment of playoff losses. Colin reveals his powerful habit of turning to scripture in difficult moments, including a pivotal bus ride after a devastating loss that led to his return to Grand Prairie. His pre-game ritual of prayer during the national anthem provides a window into how faith practically intersects with athletic performance: "I just feel like all the stress and all the pain just gradually goes away."
Perhaps most refreshing is Colin's authentic approach to being a Christian in hockey culture. Rather than separating himself or appearing judgmental, he focuses on finding the good in teammates while acknowledging his own imperfections. His perspective challenges the stereotype that Christians in sports are disconnected from team dynamics, offering instead a model of genuine relationship-building that honors both his faith and the sport he loves.
Ready for an honest, thought-provoking conversation about faith, hockey, and finding purpose beyond the scoreboard? This episode delivers powerful insights for athletes, parents, coaches, and anyone navigating the complex relationship between spiritual identity and competitive achievement.
okay, colin, big question, this one's high priority. If you had to have something with bacon on your sandwich, what would you put with it?
Speaker 2:something with bacon. Hey, I don't know, probably just turkey bacon and bacon and cheese sandwich.
Speaker 1:I'd say, oh, add in the cheese. See you know what it's funny? Because everything kind of goes with bacon, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, there's lettuce tomato on there.
Speaker 3:I actually had some friends who made me a bacon chocolate cake for my birthday about 10 years ago and I went oh okay, well, I mean I challenging that thought that maybe everything doesn't go with bacon and what's it. Well, they didn't cook the bacon, so it was. It was, I think they had cooked like the cake, expecting that the bacon would get cooked into it so if they're listening to this show.
Speaker 3:Maybe it was a prank, I don't know, but I mean I'd be curious to see what that would taste like with cooked bacon. That kind of put me off for it. Happy birthday you get food poisoning. Absolutely.
Speaker 1:You are listening to the Gospel in the Game sports podcast with Dave Dawson and Dan Dramarski.
Speaker 3:Welcome to the Gospel in the Game. I don't know what episode this is. We're in season two. I am Dave. This is Dan, joined today by Colin Doherty, a new member of McEwen University Hockey, and Colin and I met during the AJHL season when he was a member of the Grand Prairie Storm at the Centennial Cup. Honestly wished, I would have spent more time with Colin over the months prior to that, but, colin, we customarily ask our guests this question off the top how would you describe yourself?
Speaker 2:Yeah, just to start us off, I'm going back to Grand Prairie next season, so I'll be going next year after. Yeah, it should be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3:Okay, breaking news, I guess, because that isn't totally public info yet at all.
Speaker 2:Well, now you can. Yeah, McEwen knows, Grand Prairie knows.
Speaker 3:Okay, they haven't put anything out on social media, so we can pretend to be breaking this news.
Speaker 1:Officially insider.
Speaker 3:We never expected to dub ourselves as an insider podcast. It was more, but I guess we got the breaking news story.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're usually, we're usually the outsiders, but today's yeah, that's awesome okay um yeah.
Speaker 2:Just to answer your question, I'd say, uh, yeah, just uh. I'm in a family of uh, uh six. I have three other siblings, two sisters, one brother. Uh, I've played hockey since I was, like uh, three and a half years old. I want to say so, yeah, it's kind of. It's kind of been my whole life, I guess.
Speaker 2:And I I grew up in in Sherwood park. Uh, I was lucky enough to be in a Christian home and I went to Christian elementary school and Christian high school. So I kind of was grown up close to God. But I would say I didn't really understand, like you know the meaning of life and you know what it actually meant to be to like know him, I guess, and be super close to him and and live through him. So, um, yeah, like, moving away and playing junior hockey has only excelled that feeling and and, yeah, it's been awesome. Just kind of I don't know. Like my mom kind of told me when I moved away that just like remember who you are and you're, you're a you're not like a Christian or a hockey player that happens to be Christian. You're, you're like raised with it and it's your thing. It's not necessarily your identity.
Speaker 1:It's an overarching theme that keeps on coming back and back and back. You talked about growing up in a Christian home. I think that's a great foundation that we find with a lot of, I guess you'd say, athletes that have faith and making Christ Lord of your life. Was there like a kind of a pivotal moment with that, the turn? Like you know, you're born and raised and you're surrounded by it. You go to church, people you know at school and everything else are Christians. Was there like a turning a fork in the road moment for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100%. Like like when I was young, um, I wasn't too sure about it all. Like I I'd go to church and you know I I'd read my Bible sometimes and um, I don't know, like when I was kind of that junior high age, I'd kind of feel like at a Christian school, like in kind of in grade 10 and grade seven, and it was just kind of I felt like I was being judged the whole time and I didn't love that. Um, you know, like you maybe say a swear word and people would gasp at you and um, so I kind of veered away a little bit in that sort of way and I was like I don't want to live like this my whole life.
Speaker 2:And then I just kind of like graduating and moving away, I just, you know it's really hard on you mentally and you know you kind of like stuff's happened in personal life with like friends, friends, parents, and you know stuff like that, with like friends, friends, parents, and you know stuff like that. It just made me realize how much I do need God and especially when you're kind of isolated by yourself, a lot it's, it sucks and you know kind of. You know, yeah, just that that part of isolation made me like want to live through him and live by his morals and standards and stuff like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's great. Thanks for sharing that. I want to gravitate to something you said there. You talked about how you know people would have an expectation of you and then you would not meet that expectation, as we all do. Romans says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so people would think, oh well, you're a Christian, so you shouldn't swear.
Speaker 1:Then when you swear, they'll go oh my good, yeah, right, so how has wait? A second he just said sucks on this podcast.
Speaker 3:Well, this is exactly. This is certainly not the kind of podcast we were expecting today.
Speaker 1:Expectation we'll call chris smith and say hey, chris, breaking news, colin's coming back we have a lot of goals on, so like, like the S word for goalies, right?
Speaker 3:Never saying, by the way, we finally have a non-goalie. We had three goalies in a row with Lucas Renaud, who you got to know pretty well. Anyway, now we're on a rabbit trail, dan. See what you've done to me. We're not supposed to have fun on this podcast, but, colin, I want to lean into that because I think that's something that many of us have impacted. I know I have been impacted by that as well that this idea of expectation right, so you know. And then when it doesn't get met, that might negatively impact your faith or your experience. How have you navigated through situations where you know you were met with an expectation, or you put an expectation on yourself and then, as you talked about you know your identity piece, you know, claiming that rather than leaning on what you were hoping, that expectation, does that make sense Like how? How do you? How have you navigated through that?
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure, like, um, I'd say just in general, like a lot of non-believers kind of view Christians as judgy people, I would say to some extent. So I don't know, I just try to kind of be the opposite of that. And you know, you realize, like I've been friends with drinkers, smokers, like whatever, whatever it is. I kind of try to find good in those people and kind of realize that they're not perfect and I'm not perfect as well.
Speaker 2:So that definitely helps and it's just um, like when you're kind of on a hockey team, right, and guys will know you're Christian, it does feel kind of like you can't push it on anyone and there'll be like it kind of feels weird if you're, you know, having a beer with the guys or something it's. It's not I don't know, it's just they don't. I'd say like the hockey teams don't judge you at all, but you want to try to paint an image as a better person. But you know it's hard and you know god knows everyone like makes mistakes and you know no one's perfect. It's just about asking for forgiveness at the end of the day and I think that's the biggest part.
Speaker 1:Yeah, one of the things that has really like stepped out to me in scripture when constantly Jesus says he knew their thoughts when they're in conversation with people, and so I think all of a sudden it's like we have to come to this like realization that it's like the Lord's willing to not necessarily purposely keep company with people who are doing wrong but at the same time, meeting them where they're at I think is probably the best description where in a hockey environment, you're part of the team, you're meeting them where they're at, and I loved how you described that. You mentioned a little bit in our conversation when you started a little bit of the struggles as a young athlete and moving away and being away from home. Would you mind going into a little like more detail and just kind of explaining what are some of the stresses that young athletes go through, besides, maybe, homesickness?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. Like. You know it's, it's hard, like it's a grind right, like if there's always worries of, especially in my rookie year like you might not be producing points and you're moving up and down the lineup and you're like coming to the rink every day and you're like, am I playing tomorrow, am I not? And it sucks, but I think for that you just have to earn your spot early and you know you work your way up eventually.
Speaker 2:And um, yeah, another thing obviously I mentioned the homesickness and and stuff like that and it it takes a toll on you definitely and I know for me this year it was suck going to the finals. Well, it was a great run and going to the finals is a super good experience, but I ended up losing it. You know like you lose sleep over that stuff. I don't know if I'm just being dramatic or not, but um, yeah, like getting swept, it sucked and you know, like it it made you sad for a while after that and then you know we get to the centennial top, our goal is to win it, and then I felt like we deserve more. But you know it doesn't end up like that sometimes and um, yeah, you just sucks and you just got to try again the next year, I guess yeah.
Speaker 3:So, for those listening, maybe you're unfamiliar Centennial Cup National Junior A Championship Should have mentioned that. At the top we have listeners from all over the place. So Colin Doherty plays Junior A hockey at a very high level and so I got to be there. I got to call some of your games, colin, and you know I'm familiar with that. I to call some of your games, colin, and and you know I'm familiar with that I think your head coach, chris Schmidt, told me in a pregame chat that you guys had a full and healthy lineup for 20 minutes, literally for over the period of three months. So in situations like that, through difficulty, through frustration, how you know Dan talked about you know you talked about that a little bit already and Dan had referred to it. But I want to ask you in those moments you know, how have you allowed yourself to be real with your teammates through your faith and has it opened doors for great conversations about you know about Jesus and his goodness, and have you had moments like that through disappointment in your career?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely Like, especially this year.
Speaker 2:I started the year in Spruce Grove and like, talking about injuries, that's another just stuff you have to adapt to and it takes a toll on you again and I went through some confessions and like it sucks and you just have to, you know, find a way and know it's it's not God punishing you, it's it's teach, always teaching you something right.
Speaker 2:And, um, I was lucky enough in Spruce Grove we had, uh, tim Wiebe as our chaplain, so we'd always we'd go out to his house and it was every Wednesday, every second Wednesday night, and there was a group of us and you know we'd read scripture, study scripture and just have a good time together. You know, try to stay off our phones. And we kind of talked about like we had five words in our dressing room and like, for example, one was accountability and we kind of had a quote in our room that spoke on accountability and keeping each other accountable and Tim kind of taught us what the Bible has to say about that and keeping your peers accountable. So I think that really gradually came into our game as well and it kind of just shows like the connection between you know, something as small as a hockey team and the Bible. It all interlinks right.
Speaker 3:You see, often in football, the prayer circles and in baseball, faith is fairly common. How do you intersect with other believers in the league and how do you, you know, find out if they're Christians? And and do you have opportunity to bond with some of those other guys? And have you had experiences throughout the season?
Speaker 2:with Zach Wilson we'd go and you know, we we'd talk about the bible and like just talk to each other about life and stuff like that. And yeah, he was by my side, he, he went through injury stuff and I went through injury stuff too. It we were just about with each other the whole time. So that was that was really good. And um, I think he knew just I talked to God before every game and kind of try to put it in his hands and you know, like during the anthem I just bow my head, uh, say a quick prayer, and I just feel like all the stress and all the, if you're playing through something, all the pain just gradually just goes away and it, it's, it's, it's honestly insane and I, I don't know, the biggest gift in life is that, and I just push each other to find it.
Speaker 1:Now I kind of like think of this mental image. Like a solar system, you got different planets as a rotation closer to the sun than others. We talked a little bit about like being in communication with your chaplain and spending time with teammates. Let's go a little bit to that outer circle. Do you have like a support system where, like as a player, maybe like a group of friends or family or something, that's kind of a little bit on that outer circle, that you have like not just during the season but in the off season?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, like I said, I grew up in a Christian high school. So, like all of my best friends, like we have a big group of guys and we're all, we're all believers. So it's it's awesome when one of us goes going through something like we just talk to each other about everything and you know, nothing's off the table, like we've all gone through stuff and just being there for each other is the biggest part and it's also really nice like you kind of feel like you're not a hockey player in those moments. You're kind of just a regular. You know, I don't want to say regular guy, I'm not above anyone, but you're just kind of just living life with them and and it's really good to have a close knit group of people that believe in the same thing as you, so that that really helps obviously.
Speaker 3:And then my mom is. Mom and dad are believers. As that, humans struggle, right. We've had all male guests on, we'll have female guests on soon, but as men, there are things that men struggle with. How do you navigate through? You know there's still temptation in junior hockey, right? So how do you all the things that come along from the partying to you know, sex and things like that? How do you find accountability and battle through victory and get victory through those things?
Speaker 2:Like obviously I'm not perfect and you know I've done stuff I regret and you know I'm not afraid to say that and I think it's just knowing that like God's still there with you fighting through the same stuff and you should just be your best friend. And if you sin and do something that obviously you regret and just talk to him about it and deeply feel that way, then I think he turns the page over as quickly as he can.
Speaker 1:So yeah, Well, you know what Dave was getting into such a good question. He got me so excited and sometimes we do that, we overlap each other and we, I guess you'd say, stimulate the conversation with each other. And he was making such a good point about how, like just this reality that you're a guy just like every other guy and even though you have, like you're blessed with the ability to play hockey, there's the reality of life and the things that are, that are thrown at you. What are some of the? I'm going to like kind of go part B of Dave's question. What would you say is like some of the biggest challenges and obstacles that come flying at you as a hockey player?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think like my biggest fear in life is just my future and I think you just have to put that in God's hands. And you know, playing three years of junior hockey, it's obviously the best time of your life and you know I don't take that for granted. But at the same time, like you still want to get your life going and, um, you know it's just scary to me, like where I'll be at in five or ten years.
Speaker 1:And you just kind of got to navigate through that through Christ and know, you know he always has a plan for you, no matter what so that element of faith and trust as a as a hockey player, when you get to your age, a lot of your peers are continuing to school. They start school ahead of you. Yeah, it almost seems like you're catching up a little bit. What are, what are some of the ways that you found challenging with that, with kind of life going on outside of hockey, maybe at a different pace than what you're experiencing?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's. It's really weird, like um, um, to see some friends, like one of my closest friends, he's going into his third year of nursing another year, another is going in third year like education, engineering, and it's just um, but like they would they've said it to me before like they would like they'd love to be in my shoes as well, like they see they watch some games. They've like come out to support me and it's it's kind of just your own journey and you know, it's not always about rushing in the life like we're all still so young, all still so young. It's just, you know, sometimes about taking it slow and knowing again God has a plan for you.
Speaker 3:And just um, yeah, just taking it step by step and and yeah, so along with that, you know you talked about, um, excited to go back to, to Grand Prairie, right Um, what, what has the Lord taught you in the last year? So let's like kind of dig right into right now as as a believer so we're in the month of August to date this what is what has the Lord taught you right now, and how are you equipping yourself to head back and be the best Christian not a Christian hockey player, but an athletic Christian and head back and accomplish that in the fall.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like a big thing. Part of my year was um starting the year in Spruce Grove and you know I I liked it. It was a great group of guys and stuff, but we, you know I kind of hunger for, for winning, and we weren't winning a lot of games and it didn't look like we were going to make playoffs, so like we were kind of in a must-win game against Okotoks near the end of the year. Um, we drove there and we ended up losing I think it was 8-1 and and I was just, you know, kind of pretty mad after the game and I got on the bus and I was just like like I can't be doing this. I feel like if I'm playing a year of hockey, it just it feels like a waste if I don't end up making the playoffs.
Speaker 2:So I got on the bus, pulled out my Bible app and just started reading scripture and like I talked to God and like all of a sudden there's just like a feeling in my body and it said, like you have to go back to Grand Prairie and um, so yeah, I trusted God, that ended up happening and I'm super happy it worked out and like, yeah, it was just the best experience of my life, to be honest, to go on a playoff run like that and, um, I'd say, for preparing for this next season. It's just you know, like setting goals for yourself and you know like you want to get back to the spot we were in last year, but just have a different result. And just you, you know trusting yourself and you know pushing your body and getting better at stuff you know you have to work on and just trusting in, yeah, like yourself and God. Just that you know if you do everything in your power to get back to that spot, then he will too.
Speaker 1:I love how you said that a goal setting because I think that's something that sometimes, as believers, we push off because we have that's something that sometimes, as believers, we push off because we have that element of faith and trust. Explain to me what that looks like as an athletic Christian. What does goal setting mean?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think, um, the biggest one for me, especially recently, has just been being a really good teammate and a guy that your teammates can talk to.
Speaker 2:And you know like I'm not a perfect hockey player, obviously and no one else on my team is, so just kind of feeding off of each other's positives and, you know, kind of working on that and not being negative whether it's on the bench or, you know, wherever that may be. And obviously there's like, uh, like in the summer there's targets you want to be at, like weight wise and how much you can lift and almost reach those goals. So hopefully by camp in a week and a half here I'll, I'll be right there and um, and then just like kind of stats wise, just kind of you want to, you know, one up, not last year and and do better than last year. I don't really want to set a set number on you know the amount of points or goals I get. I just want to try to do better than year before and then if you keep doing that, you'll progressively get better each year.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, Do you, do you invite the Lord into, into your goal setting? I love how you talked about. I was frustrated we're not winning, so I opened up my Bible. Right, there's a lot of options that you can do when you get back on the bus. Instead, you see, you open up the word of God and the Lord's calling. I want you back in Grand Prairie and I'm glad this podcast might not be happening had you not come back. We got to meet. So do you invite the Lord into those? Not only just goal setting, but describe to me how you're in the day to day when the Lord says Colin, I want you to do this.
Speaker 2:I want you to do that and and bring yourself to to excellence. I think it's something I want to be determined and stuff and kind of just bursting out of that like self bubble and inviting them more into you know, day to day stuff. Hockey wise is definitely something I have to work on, so yeah, yeah, that's.
Speaker 1:I love how you said day to day, hockey stuff, it really is, and you've also expressed how it's a grind. Yeah, hockey stuff, it really is, and you've also expressed how it's a grind. Um yeah, have you ever had a point in your career where you've maybe said, oh hey, listen, I'm gonna take up golf or soccer or something different? Like is, as a hockey player, do you get maxed out?
Speaker 2:um, I'd say not like injury wise. Yeah, like last year I went through a few concussions and you know I was getting headaches and migraines. And you know, like my mom would say, your brain's your best asset and you can't mess that up.
Speaker 1:But you got a really smart mom yeah and uh.
Speaker 2:So, um, I guess I kind of just waited and I wanted to see how that healed and luckily, with god's power, it did heal. And then, um, I think I'd say that was the only time I'd ever been like I don't know if I can do this anymore. You know, like um, but yeah, I think the older you get, the definitely the the more you want to move on with life. So, but it's just, you got to remember it's, you're only 20 years old for so long. And I feel like if I look back at that sorry, back at this in 20, 30 years, I'd regret not keeping on playing.
Speaker 3:All right. So, colin, you talked about the future a little bit. Um, take me 10 years into the future, 15 years into the future. Uh, what's, what's the legacy that you're hoping to leave as an athlete and as a hockey player, and as a believer?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, I think obviously finishing up in Grand Prairie and you know, getting your name on the wall somehow is a big part of next year and you know, hopefully that's through a championship and you know I can remember that for the rest of my life. And, um, currently I'm working with Heartland Alliance Church and Encounter Sports, just coaching hockey. So that's been awesome, just kind of serving the Lord and serving the kids and parents that send their kids there and kind of just showing the kids that hockey culture might not be that toxic. I kind of want to carry that experience through for when I'm a parent with kids and you know I obviously want to coach one day when I'm older and kind of be a role model for those kids that they can look on and not just say wow, he had a good career, but also say he's a really good person, and role model that I want to be like when I'm older.
Speaker 1:That's good. We need more good hockey coaches, that's for sure. Well, it's that time, folks, here we go, our favorite session pop questions. We're going to ask you a whole bunch of questions here, colin. Not a whole bunch, just a few. But answer quick, off the spot, whatever comes to your mind. Share with us your answer, pop quiz time.
Speaker 3:Rapid fire, I believe, is the word he was looking for. He called a whole bunch of different things. I'm like finding words and stuff and I'm like he's going to get to the words of rapid fire eventually, Eventually, when.
Speaker 1:Steve tells me what it's called. Anyway, here we go. Question number one if you were to play any sport besides hockey, what would you play?
Speaker 3:golf, for sure I'd say yeah what was your go to video game growing up?
Speaker 1:NHL slap shot whoa, I like that one. Okay, if you could go back in time to any point in time for five minutes, where would you go and why?
Speaker 2:I don't know. That's a really good question. I would say, probably when my younger brother was born, because I don't really remember that too well or my grade six graduation out of, out of elementary school that was. That was a pretty good time and I miss all those people. So probably one of those two okay, perfect.
Speaker 3:Who were you when you were on breakaways playing street hockey as a kid, scoring the overtime winner to win the Stanley Cup?
Speaker 2:I was always Jonathan Taves. He was my role model. I love, I love the Hawks and yeah, so definitely him okay, we're going on a road trip.
Speaker 1:You get to stop for one place for dinner, to introduce me to your favorite road trip food. Where are we going?
Speaker 2:I'd say Subway, I get Subway. Probably a bit too much, but either there or Edo. A chicken noodle bowl from Edo.
Speaker 3:Good time for me. Maybe sell you on Firehouse Subs. I think Subway's great, but try Firehouse.
Speaker 2:I've heard about Firehouse but I've never been. But I'll have to check it out, yeah.
Speaker 3:Definitely underrated. Colin, give it a shot. Um, your your Netflix, the show that, uh, you can go watch over and over and over again and never get sick of.
Speaker 2:I'm not too sure. I honestly don't watch a ton of Netflix, but I'd say I used to watch Prison Break with my dad Good show, Probably that, especially season one that was. It's a really good show. So I'd say that.
Speaker 3:And Dan's actually heard of it. He's not a TV show guy, no.
Speaker 1:I was going to say I heard it, never seen it.
Speaker 2:Oh really, yeah, you should definitely watch it. Season one was awesome, oh, okay season four. It's not yeah yeah, there's four seasons, but I don't think anything compares to season one.
Speaker 1:Season one was oh my goodness, four seasons of this stuff, I don't know, that'd be a lot of catching up to do. Yeah, okay, have you got a favorite go-to Bible verse?
Speaker 2:um, I don't know, I like to, I don't like. I write Philippians 4.13 on my stick, so I'd have to say that it's pretty basic.
Speaker 3:But yeah, I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength, so yeah, and ones who are kind of navigating through and maybe they're leaving home for the first time 16 years old. What's something you can tell them about the road trip life that, how you described, can be a bit difficult for an athlete.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I know it's kind of everyone says it, but just have fun with it. Like it's a lot easier said than done. You know it might suck at sometimes, but just always come to the rink with a smile on your face and you know that'll make other guys want to be there as well. And um, you know, it's not all about maybe winning games and you know you won't remember, like you know, a goal here and there and a assist, whatever it is, a single win, like you'll remember your friends and the lifelong memories and winning championships and at the end of the day, that's. That's what it's all about, not just moving on to the next level, wherever that's at. It's about staying in the moment and, you know, just enjoying every second, because it goes by way way faster than you imagine, yeah, speaking of going by way faster than we imagined.
Speaker 3:Yeah, this podcast went by so quick, it's like it was over, like right away Way too quick.
Speaker 1:Well, we got two conditions in having you on, Colin. First one is is that you get to come back. So we're going to have you back. We're going to follow up with you. The suck count was at eight for this episode. We'll see if we can beat it for next time. Absolutely, yeah, that sounds great. But the second condition is that we get to pray for you in closing. Let's do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3:All right. So, Father, we thank you for calling, we thank you for just the life that you've provided for him the choices, the trials, the tribulations, the successes. Father, we just thank you for his boldness and his faith coming on tonight and sharing. And, Lord, we thank you for the relationships that he's built and the impact that he's going to make in hockey rinks and churches and all the places that he encounters, Lord. So would you just continue to provide for him, protect him and just bless him in his journey. In this new year, going back to Grand Prairie breaking news, he's going to Grand Prairie this new year, going back to Grand Prairie breaking news, he's going to Grand Prairie. So, Lord, we just want to anoint him with joy and peace and patience and, Lord, allow him the ability just to achieve goals and glorify you in everything he does, In Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 1:You know, Dave, sometimes you just have a conversation with someone and it's like you've known them for years, and I think Colin Doherty is just exactly that. You chat with him, you learn a little bit about him and you have no doubts that next week you could call him and it would be like you were best of friends.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's interesting that you know, I didn't really find out that he was a Christian until towards the end of the Centennial Cup, and then we started to connect on Instagram and built that relationship and thought, okay, well, now it's like again another connection of sport and faith together, where I just love how the Lord continues to. You know, bring people along and if, if you look for those opportunities, they'll always connect. And there are ones that we've had on that are longstanding relationships and ones that have built equity into. But, yeah, a guy like Colin, it feels like that isn't a short-term thing, that's going to be a relationship that's going to grow year after year and I love his honesty in his answers. I haven't arrived. I'm no better than anybody else. I make mistakes, but here's kind of how I want to live my life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think that I guess you'd see that that Rob response it's natural, it's authentic, not that we want to have inauthentic people, but I think sometimes we just need to be real with people and I think, as believers, it helps us relate to them in our humanity, because I think, when he touched on it at the very beginning, that there's this kind of like idea that it's like oh you're, you're a Christian in sports, you're just going to judge me for who I am, or that they feel that they, that maybe you, you you're on a pedestal or something. I loved how his response was just like you know, I try to meet them where they're at and and not necessarily, uh, be the same in the way of like living worldly or for self, but instead finding a way to connect with them.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and then to that point. I've always loved this saying churches aren't a museum for the perfect, they're a hospital for the broken. And it sounds like Colin is living his life like that. I'm going yeah, I'm a Christian, I'm going to make mistakes, but I desire to be closer to Christ because that's what's going to make me a better person. But am I going to mess up? Yeah, I'm going to make mistakes, but I desire to be closer to Christ because that's what's going to make me a better person. But am I going to mess up? Yeah, I'm no better than anybody else. I just I'm pursuing this greatness in.
Speaker 1:Jesus, yeah, and it's you know what. You don't look no further than scripture. It is like the record of the broken, where you see, like people, moses being a murderer, you have like people Even an adulterer, yeah, exactly, and you have, at the same time, god loves broken vessels. They're like his favorite kind, and so I think it's just the authentic nature of the conversation with him. It was just. Yeah, it was heart-wrenching, it was good, it was good to hear.
Speaker 3:Yep Really enjoyed that and if you enjoyed it, send us some feedback. If you'd like, subscribe to us on where all podcasts are found, follow us on Instagram, twitter or X, and sure we'd like to hear again your feedback, and we've been getting emails and responses from different people, and if there's a guest that you know or maybe someone who you think has a great story, the template for this show is very open. If they're, if they're a Christian and they're connected to sport and they have something you think is powerful, we want to hear.
Speaker 1:That sounds like a good template.
Speaker 3:I enjoy it. Yeah, it'll never suck. Yeah, and it'll always connect well. No buffering. Yeah, I love it. I mean this. This podcast was perfect. We'll never tell you the behind the scenes stuff that happened. Maybe one day we'll record all the behind the scenes stuff and just put it as an actual episode.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you realize that we're very much human, just like people in the Bible.
Speaker 3:Thanks for taking time today to listen to the gospel in the game. Our podcast is listener, supported by people like you.
