All Saints Day 2020: JoJo Thierry

I coached JoJo during the 2015-2016 season in Upward basketball when he was in 3rd grade. I later coached him in 2017-2018 during his 5th-grade season. His dad and I co-coached the team. I also helped his dad coach during the second half of the 2018-2019 season. It was while coaching JoJo during that year that the Lord strongly impressed upon me that I needed to rejoin the coaching ranks on a regular basis.

JoJo is one of the fastest players I have ever coached. He is not big in size, but he plays with a big heart and a

big attitude. He is a ferocious football player. He is the youngest in his family and has been loved well by his parents and two sisters.

At our first practice during his 5th-grade year the first thing he said to me when he saw me was, “Coach, I got saved a few months ago!” He regularly displayed an excitement about Jesus. He would often answer the devotional questions at our practices. Even when the answer might not be exactly the right one you could tell that he was thinking hard about the answer.

JoJo did not always get to do all of the things that he wanted to do on our team. During his 5th grade year, I had to give the point guard position to a young man who could handle the ball better. I know that JoJo was disappointed, but he embraced his new position as shooting guard and made important shots for our team. I remember some important free throws that he made that year. He also played ferocious defense.

In addition to his dedicated athletic pursuits, he always demonstrates a desire to serve God and to love others. He has a passion for justice and for seeing that others are treated fairly. Even though he is young, he is one of God’s called-out ones. He is growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.