Liam Openshaw

Christian. Husband. Dad (of 3). Teacher. Basketball coach.

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

“No such thing as bad student ... only bad teacher.” - Mr Miyagi

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@JohnBeilein $65….great ball & shooting tool.
https://t.co/f17AQDNCpK

[Cricket Shouts 🏏 @crickshouts]

The ultimate backyard set up 😮‍💨👏

via TikTok/backyardcricketuk

[Tristan Pharis @TristanUda]

Possibly the most badass entrance ever into Rupp Arena.

The 1996 Kentucky championship team walks out of the bus, with new coach Mark Pope hoisting the trophy.

Welcome home Coach!

[Jeff Wiesner @JeffreyPWiesner]

My daughter plays competitive club volleyball. It’s great!

We told the club from the start that we will be all in on weekday practices and Saturday tournament games but that we will not play on Sundays—including the big regional tournament on—*sigh*—Easter weekend.

Her teammates are kind but don’t understand. They joke with her about attending a “weird school” (a Christian enrichment academy for homeschoolers).

She’s lost playing time, which is understandable as coaches should play girls on Saturdays who can play trophy rounds on Sundays—even if they aren’t as good as my daughter.

All this has been hard my girl at times. No fourteen year old girl wants to be the “odd” one out. She wants to belong. And she wants to play.

Well-meaning parents have reached out to see if they can take her for us on Sundays, thinking she’s hindered by my commitments as a vocational pastor. We say, “No thank you.” But they don’t understand either. That’s okay.

Additionally, she receives mixed messages from other Christian families who either neglect assembling with their church for “family church,” or others who simply moved to other churches with more accommodating Saturday evening services. “Why doesn’t your family just…”

I’m deeply sympathetic to her. There have been tearful rides home from practice. Her young heart wants to belong, not be the “weird” one. We have to be very tender and patient with her questions.

But it’s not hard for me. Sport is a gift from God, but we don’t worship God’s gifts.

He has kindly given us six days to work and make these kinds of extracurricular commitments. And while I’m not opposed to a good pickup game on the Lord’s Day, we don’t make worldly commitments that compete with the active rest of serving our Church.

I’m very proud of my daughter. She’s honored her mom and me every step of the way—even while not fully understanding. The Lord has thus far protected her heart from grumbling against his commands and his church. I’m thankful.

Christian parent: Competitive sports will take and take and take if you let it. We must draw hard Scriptural and prudential lines in the sand from the start that we refuse to cross.

And we need to be content with the consequences, be they lost playing time, missed opportunities, fewer scholarships, or whatever.

We have to have a long vision for discipling our kids. Raising them in the fear and discipline of the Lord (Eph 6:4) means that they will eventually end up crossways with our post-Christian world.

The devil will use competitive sports to sift you and your family—to test your loves and loyalties. It will promise much but take far more than it gives in the end. Don’t buy it.

Remind your children, especially in disappointment, that Christ promises much more to his faithful followers. And our Lord never over-promises and under-delivers:

“Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands—or playing time or scholarship opportunities—for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matt 19:29).

[Jonathan Edwards @Jnthn_Edwards]

God never had a beginning; there was none before him, and therefore none that gave him his being. He thanks no one for his being

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

My “Dynamic Duo”…grateful for these ladies & their investment inour program.

[VHS Boys Basketball @vancleavehoops]

I wanted to take a minute to say THANK YOU to these wonderful people, I call them my “Dynamic Duo”.

They have for years consistently run and operated our scorers table for the numerous home games we have each season.

We are so grateful for them.

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@parkerlyons1 I believe it…look at that focus on the bench…locked in!!

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

“You like them all, some you love, and every so often you get a special one.” - Coach Tom Izzo about coaching teams

📸 Dec 2021

[Kansas Men’s Basketball @KUHoops]

Two coaching legends 🐐

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@JpNerbun Playing time

[Glenn Kinley @glenn_kinley]

WATCH: Got a chance to ask Jerome Tang about how he handles himself off the court. We discussed being okay with being different, faith and avoiding ‘prosperity gospel’

“I’m not trying to be different I just want to be myself…The foundation for who I am is my relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Full interview linked in thread.

[Football Tweet ⚽ @Footballtweet]

On this day, 29 years ago, Paul Scholes made his Manchester United debut:

◉ 718 games
◉ 155 goals
◉ 25 trophies
◉ 20 seasons

To celebrate, we created a thread of his best goals and moments for the club. Sit back and enjoy. 🙌🍿🧵

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@WCUCoachK Here come the Carey Boyz!

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@PurvisBoys This is awesome!…to God be the glory

[Kansas Men’s Basketball @KUHoops]

Battle of the Blue Bloods coming to AFH in 2024 🤩

more information → https://t.co/2uziO6xVez

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@RadiusAthletics

[Rick Semmler @RickSemmler]

Purdue head coach Matt Painter on picking up career win #400 Friday. Really good advise for anyone "If they fire me on Wednesday, bet the play the game on Saturday. Goes on with or without you. Your impact is really after you leave. Want to leave it better than you found it"

[Liam Openshaw @CoachO_VHS]

@CoachML10 @SouthernMissMBB We were there too coach. My kids on the way home asked “are we coming back Saturday?”

[Jason Romano @JasonRomano]

Suns coach Monty Williams is the real deal. After a tough loss, he embraces Houston coach Stephen Silas and PRAYS for him after the loss of his dad Paul Silas. Beautiful display of love and empathy.

[J.C. Ryle @JCRyle]

The world’s idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving. -@JCRyle