Posts Tagged ‘football’

Have you seen, or read, the article about OUR ministry here in Prague and Czech?!?! I have heard some really, really good feedback from the article and I must thank my friends and coworkers with AIA back in Ohio, especially Tommy Young, for such a great article. It was such a HUGE blessing to have this story run and get out the word about things here in Prague! My question for you is, “Did you read the article?” If you have read the article please click “comment” below and let us know what you thought about it! IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ARTICLE CLICK HERE!

Recently, a friend, and ministry partner, sent me a quick email to encourage me, that OUR ministry here in Prague is even encouraging those back all over the United States. Here’s what he wrote me,

A friend at work said something about giving 100% today and I said I always do, so he said I had to give 101% today and that reminded me of your 111% motto. I told him about that and about why you use it to inspire and about the culture’s apathy, etc. Well, he said that he had just read an article about a coach in an eastern block country and it turns out, it was the article about the Lions in Sports Spectrum. So he had already read about the 111% and had already known a little about Zach. Nice!

I love it, “he had just read an article about a coach in an eastern block country” and it just happened to be me! Crazy and very humbling. I love what God has called YOU and myself to here in Prague, Czech and Europe! Thank you for being part of it!

By the way, Lukas loved being in the magazine too! Thanks for being part of his life!

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So things are about to get CRAZY come this Monday! For the second time I will be flying three of my Czech guys over for the Second Czech Take Over America Tour! Each time it gets a little bit better! I’m so excited for Tomáš, Lukáš and Honza to get here Monday at 2:55 pm. “Why?” you ask. Well you can look at the map (I’m not overly excited about driving all that time, but I am excited to get tons of relationship time with my guys in the car.) and the schedule below to see why I’m amped for this trip. Is that not amazing? This time it is more geared towards helping these guys become better coaches as well as show them America, expose them to faith and more. While we are at each of these schools we will sit down with coaches for a few hours and get better at what we do – coach. It will be a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for them, and myself! I can’t wait to be in the midst of this all. Please pray that God would show up in many ways throughout the duration of our trip. By the way, America, ARE YOU READY FOR THE CZECH TAKEOVER?

Coaches Trip Schedule
January 30 – Monday – TRAVEL
January 31 – Tuesday – Elmhurst/Chicago
February 1 – Wednesday – Chicago
February 2 – Thursday – MSU/UM
February 3 – Friday – MSU/UM
February 4 – Saturday – Super Bowl Breakfast & AIA Dinner – Indianapolis
February 5 - Sunday am – AIA Chapel – Indianapolis
- Sunday pm – Super Bowl – Taylor, Upland, IN
February 6 – Monday – Taylor, Upland, IN
February 7 – Tuesday – Villanova
February 8 – Wednesday – Rutgers/NY
February 9 – Thursday – Rutgers/NY
February 10 – Friday – Rutgers/NY
February 11 – Saturday – AIA Northeast Winter Retreat
February 12 – Sunday – AIA Northeast Winter Retreat
February 13 – Monday – TRAVEL
February 14 – Tuesday – TRAVEL

…being made in Prague! Here’s another video for you all!

Micah, our newest STINTer (intern), wanted to share a few words with my ministry partners and my future ministry partners about what WE do in Prague!

Micah was on a 4 week summer project in 2009, so it’s fun to hear him talk about the change between then and now within our team! It get’s me fired up! Things are happening! WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

Thank you Micah! Thank you to tall those ministry partners that partner with me to make this possible! Be a Revolution!

If you want to join my team of ministry partners click here or on the SUPPORT link in the toolbar. You can always go directly to Cru’s online giving site by clicking HERE!

THANK YOU MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO!

zhtv 29 interviews from Zach Harrod on Vimeo.

Finally, after more than a year I have a new episode of zhtv up! Miracles of miracles! Enjoy this, the 29th, episode of zhtv. You will get a deeper glimpse of ministry, life and football here, even if the interviews are in Czech. Thanks for all you, my ministry partner, do to make a difference with me here in Prague, Czech & Europe! Be a revolution!

Hello world, my name is Zach and I do have a blog! Recently, I picked up my phone and my father was on the other end of the line, he asked, “What’s up with your website?” As I have said before, when life seems to be getting the most of me, my blog is the first thing to go. I apologize profusely for this and as I wrap up the year that was 2010, I’m trying to think through how I can write more and keep this blog more updated in 2011. So here is a quick entry to end the year right on my blog and hopefully set the tone for 2011 (will it really be 2011?!?!? Crazy!)

So what had been keeping me busy this fall? These guys and everything going on around them! (By the way, F.A.M.I.LY. stands for Forget About Me I Love You. We disovered this from Rutgers University. I love what it teaches. To put my team and teammates before myself!)

My fall was full of x’s and o’s, practices, game plans, conversations, games and lots of time with my team of 50+ guys (including coaches)! I loved it and more over I love these young men. I’m so blessed to be able to to be their coach and then some (or I least attempt to by more than a coach) to them. This season got off to a different start for us as we had our training camp outside of Prague, which included a leadership program we call “Srdce Lva” (“Heart of Lion”). In our leadership program, we discuss and ponder our team values – Tradition, Courage, Hardwork and Faithfulness/Loyalty. Beyond covering our team values, we talk about being a champion on and off the field, making a positive difference in our teammate’s lives and on our greater society and more! One of the greatest things about my fall, was that these young men bought into the plan and the program.

Them buying in carried us through our season and into the Championship game, which we won 34-23 over our cross-town rivals, the Prague Panthers. It was a hard fought game on both sides, but when it was said and done, our guys held on and we came out as Back-to-Back Champs! Here are a couple of vids. The first one, is our entrance to the field, which I happened to borrow from The Ohio State. It’s called “the Hive” and it represents that no one can divide us and we are a team to the very end. I hope this becomes a tradition amongst the Lions for years to come in some form, because I believe it is one of the greatest values we can teach the kids, that no matter what it is better to forgive and fight for unity than to divide! That’s character! The second video is our Championship Game highlight video!

I also said that we try to teach, and live out, that we want to be Champions off the field. I think I can, humbly, say that has happened this fall. Parents thanked me for an improvement in their sons grades (we did grade checks) and over all approach to life. How cool is that?! I received some of the most heart felt text messages and emails from parents and players! It’s worth it! They are worth it! In stressing being champions off the field, we also try to do good things for others. Recently, a few of us visited one of Prague’s main hospitals to bring some Christmas cheer, joy, gifts and motivation to children who are battling through cancer! Here is a short video from our visit.

If you are wondering what the Dominate shirts and bracelets are visit my friend’s, Phil, facebook page Cancer Kicker to find more information about how Phil is dominating Cancer! You can also join the domiNATION there!

There you have it, finally a new post and a new update! Thanks for all two of you that continue to stop by! Have a Revolutionary Christmas!

Well hello, yes I am alive… I haven’t blogged since my birthday, in MAY?!?! Yes that is a true statement. Wow, as said before, it seems that when life accelerates here in Prague, my blog is the first thing neglected. Which is understandable but at the same point, I’m not a fan of the neglection of zACHhARROD.com! You might have been wondering, “What Zach has been up to over the last couple of months,” or you might not care at all, either way my last 3 months were filled with our AIA Czech Project, a coaches trip to Berlin, Czech Senior Nat’l Team training camp, a 2 week AIA Holland/Czech co-op Project in Southeast Czech, a much needed holiday away (in Sweden), another Czech Senior Nat’l Team training camp, a “friendly” game against Slovakia with the Czech Senior Nat’l Team and this week it’s been all Czech Junior Nat’l Team! It’s been full but great! So many great opportunities and I’m thankful that God continues to bring them and I pray that He is using me in the midst of all of these opps…. I thought it would be fun to share some vids of the Czech Senior Nat’l Team with you. We actually got a lot of press on Czech TV over the last couple of weeks, which is great for the game here in Czech. The first video is from the first news spot we were on:

The second is a quick highlight video, I threw together for the team.

Please keep the Czech Junior Nat’l Team in your prayers as we drive through the night and play our first game against Holland tomorrow. It will be tough, but if we get some sleep on the bus and don’t have mental mistakes we can win the game. Then we will take on the winner of the Great Britain – Serbia game on Sunday, if we win and the loser if we lose. It will be a whirlwind weekend as we leave Prague at 6:00 pm Thursday night and will get back at 8:00 am on Monday! Pray for a safe trip, hard fought games, no injuries and spiritual convos! If you want to read more about the tournament click here. BE A REVOLUTION!

…I said more vids were to come, I didn’t lie! My boy, Kachna, and I finished this one this morning. Check it out! It’s for our recruiting campaign – Zkus Hrát – which means, “Try to Play!” There will be more to come, of course, all in Czech! With that said, I hope you enjoy it, even if you don’t speak Czech!

Hello! It has been quite some time since I’ve made an appearance around here. I’ve been saying that a lot in the past few months. It is the rare moment that Zach Harrod makes an appearance on his own blog! Something is wrong with that! I need to get around to finishing all these “drafts” I’ve started. Trust me my silence on my blog hasn’t been without reason. It’s been a crazy 2010 thus far, and 2010 that has left me grasping, sometimes helplessly, for something firm to hold on to. Most of this, if not all of this, has revolved around the team (the Prague Lions) that I’ve worked with since 2004. I won’t get into the details, but with all the craziness going on with my team this off-season, I wanted to create a video to motivate my guys (mostly the juniors, but the seniors as well) to work hard but also to drive home key values of our team. Core values that I’m working into a leadership program, that is similar to what Coach Jim Tressel, of The Ohio State, has done with what he calls the The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life. I hope to blog some more on this in the future, as right now I’m working hard to put it together, which also include translating stories and quotes from English to Czech, as part of my Czech homework! I believe deeply in this, because at the end of the day if football is only about x’s and o’s and doesn’t develop young men to be better teammates, students, workers, sons, brothers, fathers and overall better citizens, then what is the point?!?! So with that said, I put this quick highlight video together for my junior team.

A rough translation of the text is this, “When no one else believes, and all that is left is the faith of the team, what does this this create?”

odvaha – courage
bratrství – brotherhood
láska – love
vernost – loyalty
vášen – passion
sláva – glory

Enjoy and look back for more Lions videos, as I’m wearing the hate of marketing/PR guy/videographer for the Lions, as well as the roles of Offensive Coordinator for the Senior team and continue as the Head Coach for the Junior team. GO LIONS!

Lions Win! Lions Win! Check out the newest episode of zhtv and learn about our BIG WIN! It was an amazing season and I’m so very thankful for every bit and moment of it! Stay tuned for another zhtv about the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and, hopefully, some blog posts again! But before I get to that, I’m jumping on a plane with my sister and heading to Barcelona for the weekend! I need a little change of pace and scenery. Have a great Thursday and an even better weekend!

Here’s some more footage from the game…

Lastly here is some video of our big come from behind victory over the Panthers in the regular season. If you don’t want to watch all of it, pick it up at about 2:00 into the video.

Thanks for stopping by zACHhARROD.com! Be a revolution today!

It’s a miracle! Their is blog activity at zACHhARROD.com! Here is a little zhtv love, this is what I’ve been doing over the last two months since my last post. We have our Championship game this Saturday. Please lift my each of the players up in prayer and also please also pray that I would rep Jesus well to my players, the Panthers, the fans and even the refs (which might be the biggest miracle!)! More to come. I hope to never have blog silence that long or intense again! Sorry. But hey, thanks for being you! Be a revolution today wherever you are!