The Spirituality of Coaching Sports

Perhaps at no other time have two different spiritual ideas come to the fore in the coaching strategies of a professional sports event as in this year's NBA Finals. The Lakers have been coached by Phil Jackson, who has long been known for his Buddhist approach to training, in which the emphasis is on meditative focus for each player to enter "the zone."

The Celtics's coach, Doc Rivers, has been promoting a motto/mantra for awhile now. But since the team is in the finals, the mantra/motto has been getting more press again. That mantra is "Ubuntu," which means roughly, 'I am what I am because of who we all are."

BTW: the concept got some press a few years ago when former President Bill Clinton encouraged western leaders to consider adopting it in their approach to leadership. Maybe the concept will get more play if the Celtics win...but I bet we'll just see it on t-shirts and caps.