Heart of a Coach
Arthur Albiero

"Sometimes you don't see God's hand in a situation until time passes, but you look back and see clearly how everything came together."

University of Louisville, Head Swimming and Diving Coach

Chosen Attribute: Trust

Dictionary definition: “Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing.”

My definition: “Time shared.”

Favorite Scripture that deals with trust: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Why I chose this passage: “A few years ago I started reading Proverbs daily. For some reason, that one always stays with me. When I look back over my life, I see that God has certainly been there. The struggles that I’ve had happened when I didn’t have trust.

“I think it’s human nature to want to be in control, especially as a head coach and leader of a program. I feel responsible to handle everything. That emotion comes naturally, and I have to work hard at letting God take care of it.”

How I apply trust to life: “Toward the end of my time as an assistant coach at Alabama, I felt ready to be a head coach. I prayed that God would make it clear where I was supposed to go and that I wouldn’t miss what He was trying to tell me.

“The rest is history. We have been at Louisville for more than four years, and I believe that the ease of the interview and hiring process was all because of God. From being offered the job on the spot, to selling my house at the airport on the phone, it was clear that this was where we needed to be.

“That was a time when God provided, and it reassures me when I remember it. Sometimes you don’t see God’s hand in a situation until time passes, but you look back and see clearly how everything came together.

“Go back to the idea of trust as time shared. The more I read the Bible, the more I study, the easier it is to let go and fully trust God.”

How I apply trust to coaching: “As an athlete you have to trust that the coach is providing everything he or she can (i.e. the resources and training). I also have to trust that the athletes are doing everything they can to carry their end of the bargain— not just in the pool, but in their lifestyles, too. In coaching, and especially in our sport, if you look at every successful performance you will find a trust component between the athlete and coach. Trust breeds confidence.

“During the Big East Championships, it was natural for me to be anxious for everyone—after everything we put in, it all comes down to this one point in our sport. So, I always go back and try to make a full analysis of our season. Did I do enough training? Did I do too much training? I need to stop and realize that I must trust and be confident that I made the best decisions I could every step of the way.”

About the Coach: Swimming and Diving Coach Arthur Albiero is in his fourth season at the University of Louisville. Prior to taking over for the Cardinals, Albiero spent four years at the University of Alabama, three as an assistant coach and one as an associate head coach.

Currently, Albiero serves through FCA in a variety of ways. Though the university does not have a Huddle, he speaks at and participates in local FCA events. He is thankful for the support that he and his wife receive from FCA Multi-Area Director Steve Wigginton. Says Albiero, “Steve has been positive and supportive. He’ll randomly call to leave encouraging messages. It is neat when you don’t expect it. You feel encouraged, and you can sense the hand of God in it.”

*For more stories about faith and sport, visit www.sharingthevictory.com, the official magazine of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Photo courtesy of the Univ. of Louisville