IBSports Volleyball Magazine September 2025

For Nejari Crooks, volleyball has always been more than a sport—it’s been part of family life. Long before she was tallying up kills and assists, she was the kid on the sidelines, watching her parents battle it out in international tournaments. By the time she picked up a ball at the local YMCA, she knew this was where she belonged. “I started playing volleyball when I was around nine years old,” Crooks says. “Watching my parents compete really drew me in. They’d bring me to practices, and eventually I just wanted to be a part of it.” Her first memory of stepping onto a court? The YMCA. Simple, scrappy, and unforgettable. From those early days, Crooks’ game evolved quickly. Inspired by her parents—both former Jamaican National Team athletes—she learned discipline,…

I’m working with a 14 year old basketball player and we had this conversation the other day: “I’m on a new team and my parents came and watched me play. I wasn’t very good. They said I was playing down to the competition.” Hmmm. I could tell this needed deeper examination so I became curious and asked a bunch of questions. What I learned was this new team plays at a slower pace and things aren’t as intense. In other words, the skill level of most of the players is lower than the previous team. See where I’m going with this? Playing down to the competition wasn’t a helpful statement for this athlete. That phrase didn’t solve the problem, because we don’t change behaviour by addressing the behaviour. We must…

Today’s post will be a little different. I wanted to approach this article from a very practical and inclusive point of view. Yes, there will be a biblical reference, but we’ll also draw from sports and political figures to highlight the theme. The phrase “Wisdom and Will: A Marriage That Often Ends in Divorce” might sound dramatic, but it reflects a fundamental tension we see play out every day. What do I mean by that title? Simple. Wisdom and will are two of the most powerful forces in leadership and life, but they don’t always stay united. One without the other can lead to ruin. When they separate, leaders fall, movements crumble, and people—regular people—are left to pick up the pieces. “Brains and Backbone: They Don’t Always Hold Hands” Wisdom…