... do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you are bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. I Corinthians 6:19,20.
Since we are not our own and since our bodies belong to God, we must keep the body in subjection to the new nature that we have in Christ. Physical education and extracurricular sports have a place in the Christian School, just as mental education and spiritual instruction have their respective places.
Competitive athletics at HCA are an integral part of the school's total educational program. The purpose of the athletic program is to develop endurance, strength, coordination, self-confidence, self-discipline and team work as well as to develop recreational habits and skills that will be of value in later life.
Hickory Christian Academy believes a Christian's response to competitive play is "focused competition which encourages the athlete to be an expressive player in celebration to the Lord, to give God thanks for the gift of play, to play intensely, to pursue excellence and test the limits of abilities, and to develop and act with Christian commitments".
The prevailing attitude among all those connected with the sports program at HCA should be - I want Christ to be seen in my life. Such an attitude will mold and shape Christian character from the inside to the outside.
All students will follow the athletic guidelines of HCA. All parents are expected to support the standards and goals of HCA for the overall student body and Christian school ministry. Parents must keep the long-range goals foremost in mind when decisions and policies must be made that limit or eliminate student participation in sports.
* Physical Education 9 Through 12, Vol. 1, by Marvin A. Zuidema; CSI, p. 98
COMPETITORS CREED
The Competitor's Creed
