With Athletes Running

WITH ATHLETES RUNNING full speed and colliding without pads, injuries are bound to occur in soccer. But the best teams in the world always have solid players to step in when a star suffers an injury. The U.S. Women’s National Soccer team proved that to be true at the 2003 Women’s World Cup.

Defender Brandi Chastain broke her foot in the Americans’ opening game, and 20-year-old Cat Reddick replaced her on the field. Reddick, the youngest player and the only collegian on the team, excelled for Team USA in her first World Cup. In fact, when the United States played North Korea in the final game of the first round, Reddick earned player of the game honors in a 3–0 win.

With the United States already ahead 1–0 at the break, Reddick tallied two goals in the second half to cement the victory. Her first came early in the second off a corner kick by Aly Wagner. Julie Foudy got her head on the ball and flicked it toward the Korean goal. As the ball appeared to be going past the far post, Reddick flew in and hipped it into the net. Reddick’s second goal came 18 minutes later on a perfect cross from Shannon MacMillan that Reddick hammered into the net with her head.

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POINT Defenders don’t usually score a lot of goals. But Cat Reddick’s tallies helped the U.S. team push past North Korea. While Reddick claimed her first two World Cup goals against the Koreans, she was no stranger to finding the back of the net. She scored 78 goals at Briarwood Christian High School in Birmingham, Alabama. And her knack for scoring also came in handy at the University of North Carolina. Reddick continued to play well as the United States finished third at the 2003 World Cup, even though Brandi Chastain missed the rest of the tournament.

Teams need solid subs who can step up to a challenge. The same thing is true in our Christian walk. Sometimes we may feel beaten and injured. That’s when we need a friend to come in and help us continue in the most important game of all—the game of life.

GOAL! Who are some of your Christian “teammates”? Make sure you have a buddy or two who can help you through difficult times.