Video
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
The Bible is His Playbook
Ritchie McKay seems to have found a home at Liberty. Some would say the Lynchburg, Va., school, founded in 1971 by the late Jerry Falwell as an independent fundamentalist Baptist university, is the ideal place for McKay, an outspoken Christian whose statements to the media five years ago led the ACLU to question his coaching methods at New Mexico, his previous coaching job.
Grateful to be at a place where he can freely express his beliefs, McKay, 43, seemingly has put his New Mexico days behind him and thrived at Liberty. In just his second year, the Flames (21-10, 12-6 Big South Conference) are enjoying their first winning season in five years, despite having the fourth-youngest roster in Division I. Led by Seth Curry, the highest scoring freshman in league history, and Jesse Sanders, a freshman point guard who recorded the fifth triple-double in Big South history, Liberty won 20 games for the first time since 1996-97 and only the third time since the school joined Division I.
On Tuesday, the third-seeded Flames host Gardner-Webb in the Big South Conference tournament quarterfinals. Because the league receives only one automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, Liberty must win the conference tournament in order to make its third NCAA appearance in school history.
Below, McKay talks about being a Christian, a coach and a Christian coach.
Have you always been spiritual?
I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior when I was 18 years old. My conversion experience wasn't one of those situations where you heard thunder or (saw a) lightning bolt. I had really strived for a college [basketball] scholarship and was offered a college scholarship. My god was basketball at that time, and once I got offered a scholarship I was thinking to myself, 'Is this it?' One night while lying on my bed, I was reading a book called the Power for Living. It showed and talked about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and invite him into your heart and I did so. From that time on, I describe it as knocking on the door of a mansion and this is a really big mansion and I just got let in on that night. Since then, it's been a wonderful journey. I realized that basketball couldn't be my god. It couldn't fulfill me nor could people.
You felt a void.
Yes, definitely, and when I made the decision I think that void was, my descriptive would be peace. As I've grown closer to the Lord, I know His word better. I've just got a better understanding of what it's all about, and it's not about me. It's been a journey that I'm still on. I'm still learning and growing, and to be honest, it's really the older I get the more I understand it's not about me. It's really about denying yourself and taking up your cross daily and following Him. The more that I surrender myself and my own desires and my own selfish wishes, the closer I get and the more I understand who Christ is in my life.
Do you feel that being a Christian helps you be a better coach?
Oh yeah, no question. If you're in coaching, you have a position that is one of influence. You get a chance to lead young people. I think for me, that's a privilege. So if I can invest in the life of or lives of our players, and do it without an agenda of just their performance, but actually be an example for them, then, boy, that's a very, very rewarding opportunity.
Do you feel that being a Christian has hurt you as a coach?
Never.
Do you only recruit Christian players?
No. I never have discriminated against [non-Christians]. With regard to recruiting, when you have commonalities, typically it's easier to attract a certain kind of player, person, or family to join and do life with you. Having grown up in a home where my mom was white and Indian, and my dad was black, I didn't really get caught up in race or color. . . . I think I see people for who they are and I hope that will always be the case. Yet, certainly I've had an affinity [for Christian players]. In a situation where a young man or his family is a believer or a Christian because of the like-mindedness we've had a little easier recruitment process of them.
Suppose some kid thought you were a great coach and really wanted to play for you, but he was an atheist. Would you find it hard to have him on your team?
I don't think Dr. Falwell would have ever excluded anyone from attending his university, and I don't think it would bother me if [the player] didn't have the same beliefs as me. Now, if he was practicing some type of illegal or immoral or unethical behavior, then he can't be a member of our team.
Of course. But say he just doesn't believe in God. He's a good kid, but he doesn't believe in God.
I've had kids on our team that are Mormons, that are atheists. I've coached them before so it wouldn't prevent me from recruiting them or allowing them an opportunity to be a part of our program now. I think it's who I am, but at the same time Christians, in my opinion, I think this is Biblical. They're to go and be a witness to the world. Not everyone is going to believe the same way you believe and if you, whatever aspect of life you're in, if you just went the same cookie-cutter mode that you come from or you look like, then you're really going to limit your opportunities. People are different. There's no Pleasantvilles that exist in the world. I just hope for my own children that they won't see color, they won't discriminate, they won't judge people because of what they think or what they don't believe.
How difficult is it to recruit players to Liberty because it is a Baptist school? I'm thinking that you must face similar challenges to what Ivy League schools or military academies go through to find players.
I would tell you that we've had our most productive recruiting situation at Liberty because of God's provision and God's blessing and I really mean that. I've been interviewed maybe 20 to 25 times especially with the success of Seth Curry and they all ask, 'How'd you get him?' Or 'How did you get this guy?' I say it was God.
And they probably roll their eyes when you say that.
Yeah, yeah. It's been neat to be able to tell that to people, but it's also been funny to hear their reaction to it, like you just mentioned. For me, Liberty is just a great fit because I believe so strongly in the mission of the university. It takes a certain kind of kid to have an interest in Yale or Harvard or Princeton. I think Liberty attracts a certain type of student. I just believe in this place more so than any place I've ever worked. I love it so much, I want my kids to go to school here.
But if you talk to Ivy League coaches, they'll say that only so many kids out there have SATs as strong as their jump shots. Do you find you have a limited recruiting pool? Or are there plenty of kids out there who want to play for Liberty?
I think there's plenty of young people that would like to be at Liberty. I know that, actually, but I think too, in our own case, Liberty has rules.
Exactly. It's a pretty strict campus. No alcohol, for one. I would think that would limit you. Are there many kids out there who are willing to adhere to those standards?
Absolutely. Some kids want to party, and we're not the place for that so it shrinks the pool there. But what I've found is we've dealt with stuff in my two years [at Liberty] that have been of limited variety because of the rules. We don't have to deal with some of the things that . . .
You don't have the headaches that other coaches have.
Yeah, and to me, that's a positive, not a negative.
So you can go to all these AAU events and find plenty of kids right for Liberty?
I think there's been maybe one or two times where I really liked a kid and I wanted to get involved and we couldn't, not because he was afraid of the rules or Liberty. It was because a higher-level [program] recruited him. I think we're only limited by our [Big South conference affiliation], but that's not an indictment on the Big South. That's our responsibility to try to grow this thing.
Do other coaches use your Christianity as a negative recruiting tactic? For example, have you ever had another coach tell a player you were recruiting he shouldn't play for you because you'll make him go to Bible study?
No, no, never. Maybe coaches saying something like, 'Oh, well, he says he's a Christian, but he's not really,' indicting our character, and that happens in recruiting [because] it's so competitive. When people don't get what they want, they won't look in the mirror. They'll look to blame and point fingers. So if we won a recruiting battle because of this reason or that reason, certainly I've been on the other end, an object of someone else's criticism or blame for they didn't get. But who hasn't been on that end?
So no coach has tried to tell recruits, 'He'll make you go to church every Sunday?'
If you interviewed any of our former players, we've never once made them go to church or made them go to Bible study. That's easily defused.
Yes, but you know how rumors are spread.
To my knowledge, it hasn't happened. Now at Liberty, there will be times when I tell our guys, especially after a really big win on a Saturday night, 'Hey, get up in the morning and go to church.' I love being able to say that to them. In my own life, I think it's human nature when we have success we let up. That's, in my opinion, when the enemy is at its most cunning, ready to devour you.
I assume you have more Bible study and prayer meetings with your team at Liberty than you did when you were at New Mexico. Are these activities something you do as a team at Liberty?
When you work at a state institution you can't require it. It's got to be all voluntary, and we had that opportunity available for our guys [at New Mexico]. But certainly, if it was attended by two or by 12, it was all at their own volition. Now at Liberty, I've been able to tell our guys, 'Hey, we're going to meet at 3:30 and then we'll take maybe a passage from the Bible or something that's been meaningful or maybe it's an article in the paper that we talk about, and I guess you could call it Bible study, but they get that in their classes, they get that in their dorm meetings. Again, you would have to want to be at Liberty. We'll start every meeting or practice with a prayer. But oftentimes we'll start it with a verse or something that the convocation speaker spoke of, or what may have you. Yes, it's very, very much a part of our daily life here, but I would say it's because of the kids and their desire for it.
What are you praying for when you pray? Wins?
No, we never pray a win. We start our practice or meetings with prayer, just asking God to be in our presence. If it's practice, we ask him to heal the guys that are injured and keep the rest of us [healthy]. And just before a game, keep the other team free from injury. After the game, we pray for a safe trip home for our opponents, or if we're on the road, for ourselves. We have many requests [for prayers]. Maybe a player's parent or family member, or maybe it's for a test that we have coming up, maybe it's for redemption, or maybe it's for forgiveness of sins. There's never one, or the same prayers. We don't recite the Lord's prayer before every game like I know some football programs do. I'll [lead the prayer], one of my assistants, one of the players. Our trainer has done it, our strength coach has done it.
By
Kathy Orton
|
March 2, 2009; 9:45 AM ET
| Category:
Praying Fields
Save & Share:
Previous: Iverson and the Afterlife |
Posted by: LoboTruth | March 8, 2009 2:05 PM
Report Offensive Comment
I never believed in God until the day we fired Ritchie McKay!
Thank God he is gone!
Very happy Lobo fan.
Posted by: New Mexico Fan | March 8, 2009 11:24 AM
Report Offensive Comment
"How we define immorality stems from the Christian beliefs this country was founded on"
------------------------------------------
FINESSE,
Which Christian beliefs are you referring to? Many of the most influential founders (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, etc.) were Deists, not Christians, and I don't see any exclusively Christian beliefs in our Constitution or any other laws?
Posted by: Freestinker | March 4, 2009 1:02 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Finesse:
The U.S. was not founded on Christian beliefs. This is typical Christian nonsense. Wasn't true, isn't true and never will be true. A significant number of the founders were not Christians, there is no mention whatever of Christianity in the Constitution and the there is the Treaty of Tripoli. Read some history before you pontificate about it.
Posted by: DZ | March 4, 2009 9:06 AM
Report Offensive Comment
>>>>> Wow:
I love how he immediately equates being an atheist with immoral and unethical behavior. Just another small-minded "christian".
The policy of "immoral or unethical behavior" and not being on the team goes for anyone. He did not single out just atheists. Rather, he answered a questioned specifically about atheists.
There have been many Christ-believing kids on the teams at Liberty disciplined or kicked off because they didn't abide by the code of conduct they willingly signed upon entrance. I know,
I was one. I deserved it.
Christians are not immune to wrong behavior and we need to be careful how we treat others who are no better than we are. Most do.
Posted by: fairtoall | March 3, 2009 4:40 PM
Report Offensive Comment
And where do you think "immorality" or "unethical" behavior comes from? According to atheists, it's all relative, right? Therefore how is anything that the coach said related to immorality? How we define immorality stems from the Christian beliefs this country was founded on
Posted by: Finesse | March 3, 2009 2:52 PM
Report Offensive Comment
I love how he immediately equates being an atheist with immoral and unethical behavior. Just another small-minded "christian".
Posted by: Wow | March 3, 2009 12:42 PM
Report Offensive Comment
HYJANKS,
I believe in God and I am a very happy man. I see unhappiness in every one of your words. I am sad for you. And I am glad I am me.
God Bless you!
Posted by: schaeffz | March 3, 2009 12:03 PM
Report Offensive Comment
"Do you feel that being a Christian helps you be a better coach?
Oh yeah, no question. If you're in coaching, you have a position that is one of influence. You get a chance to lead young people. I think for me, that's a privilege. So if I can invest in the life of or lives of our players, and do it without an agenda of just their performance, but actually be an example for them, then, boy, that's a very, very rewarding opportunity."
Of course, being an atheist or a Buddhist or a worshipper of the Sun God, Ra would preclude being a decent coach, burger flipper or human being, in general.
It's hard to believe that this is the 21st Century with, still, an overwhelming majority of US citizens believing in fairies, goblins, ghosts, spooks, devils and gods and that one has to absolutely be a follower of same in order to be "successful" as a person.
And to think that the Republican Party--the Party anointed by god and who's recent president was His right hand man--failed so miserably in the last election.
Is this a harbinger of things to come? I sincerely hope so.
Posted by: hyjanks | March 2, 2009 10:31 PM
Report Offensive Comment
The comments to this entry are closed.
It would be comical if it wasn't so sad to hear McKay talk about investing in his players and living as a Christian.
He had 16, count them, 16 players quit the program in that time. I guess those 16 young men weren't worthy of his investment. So many players quit that the Lobos are now facing penalties from the NCAA. So much for leading young people.
A highly talented player, and great kid, Jamaal Williams, sat on the bench in place of walk-ons who happened to share McKay's beliefs. He transferred and went on to be a key member of PAC 10 Washington.
There was public, hard-to-believe drama between McKay and his players. Especially for J.R. Giddens who is now a Lobo Legend and Cetlic, and Joel Box, who McKay was forced to allow back on the team by the AD.
People outside of NM may not know he was 8-41 on the road in 5 seasons! Somehow, that is never mentioned in these articles.
The season he was fired, the Lobos finished last in the conference, and did not even qualify for their own conference tournament.
McKay rarely acted like the Christian he claimed to be. Even worse, he would try to draw attention away from his miserable performance as a highly-paid basketball coach by claiming he wasn't liked due to his religion.
I can tell you as a life long Lobo fan, our head coach could be from the Church of Satanic Aliens, and if he's a winner, he would be adored. Steve Alford is a devout Christian, the difference? Alford wins basketball games.
McKay owes Lobo fans an apology for the millions of dollars and misery he cost this program.
That would be the Christian thing to do.