PERSONAL WITNESS

Because of his role as a high school teacher and basketball coach, one Christian is able to let his light shine and make a difference in the life of his students.

Dale Walz has always loved basketball. "I grew up in Sanborn, Minn.—a basketball-crazy town," he says. "We cleared snow away from the basket at our little school's playground so we could play at recess in the harsh Minnesota winters."

That childlike passion has only grown in the 40-plus years that Walz has taught in WELS schools. Walz, who retired from varsity coaching in 2008 after 35 years, still serves as vice principal at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Milwaukee.

Coaching winning teams

"In college, I knew I wanted to be a high school basketball coach," Walz says. "Not a day went by at any time of the year when I didn't think about basketball."

That love of the sport was obvious in his coaching style. "I was demanding and critical, but hopefully my players knew I loved them and that I treated them with respect and fairness as I tried to bring the best out of each of them," he says.

While he worked on their skills, even opening up the gym on weekends so kids could just come in and shoot, he worked more on their spiritual lives. "I reminded them that their talent was given by God, that they should work hard and give him the glory for any success that might come their way," he says.

But never did he lead them to believe their prayers would automatically bring them victories or to think God was only on their side. He says, "I told them their prayers should ask for God's blessing on their effort; that everyone would be free from injury; and that whatever happened they would act and react as God's children, allowing others to see their witness."

If they weren't sure how to let others see their witness, all they had to do was look to their coach. "You see Dale's Christianity in his everyday life," says Jeff Sitz, athletic director at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. "He goes ahead and lives his life, and you realize just by watching him that he has faith. It's not something he has to work at. It's just who he is."