Episode 8

full
Published on:

26th Jan 2022

"Finding Life After Everything Falls Apart and Discovering Faith Through Failure" w/Jack Spates

Jack Spates was the Head Wrestling Coach at the University of Oklahoma for 18 years. During that time, he was named National Coach of the Year in 2006 and Big 12 Coach of the Year three times. Coach Spates developed several National Champions and dozens of All-Americans in his lifetime. His path of success includes coaching stops at Pittsburgh, West Point, and Cornell.

While his success as a wrestling coach was known all over the nation, his personal life was collapsing and eventually would be in shambles. With stunning honesty, Jack will walk us through the darkest, ugliest, and loneliest times of his life. Through the prayers of many and God pursuing his heart, redemption would happen. Jack's story proves that there is life after everything falls apart, and you can discover faith through failure.

Resources:

Faith & Wrestling: How the Role of a Wrestler Mirrors the Christian Life by Michael Fessler

Sooner Sports - Jack Spates Biography

Jack Spates to Retire - Daily Oklahoman

Jack Spates on Facebook

Hope Community Church

Want to read the transcript of the show? Click here!

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About the Podcast

Life & Leadership w/Daniel Kitchel
Connecting life and leadership today so that you can flourish tomorrow.
The connections between life and leadership are deep. The design of each show is to explore those connections by interviewing inspiring and compelling people. Our guests will share gripping stories, life lessons, and expertise in their own experiences. Whether you are a leader of hundreds, working to lead your family, or simply want to take ownership of your personal life - this podcast is made just for you. We believe we can help you lead with love so that you will love to lead.

About your host

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Daniel Kitchel

For 16 years, Daniel has been the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Cross Church in Norman, Oklahoma. Additionally, he has been a public school teacher and football coach for 13 years. Daniel has no greater passion than people knowing the love of Christ and letting that change everything.

He is married to his creative and beautiful wife, Jessica. Together, they have two wonderful daughters named Abi (13) and Evie (7) and a rambunctious son named Welles (2).

Daniel is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Sociology.