January 14, 2005

Every other week we are excited to bring you a personal story from someone within our own community who shares our passion about what StoneBridge School is and does. We hope you will find these words encouraging and inspiring. If you have something you'd like to share, please e-mail us.

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StoneBridge School
P.O. Box 9247
Chesapeake, VA 23321

(757) 488-7586
Primary school

(757) 488-2214
Upper school

SBS JJV Basketball Coach Mike Hernandez

SBS Basketball Coach Emphasizes Faith, Fundamentals and Fun

This year, the coach of the StoneBridge junior JV basketball team is equally as interested in watching his players grow in Christian character as he is in improving their jump shots.

“I told the players that we will be stressing the three F’s this year,” said Coach Mike Hernandez. “Faith, Fundamentals and Fun, in that order. While I want them to take basketball seriously and to work at it with their whole heart as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23), their faith and relationship with the Lord must come first. Each team member is required to bring his Bible to every training session (we do not call it ‘practice’ – practicing is what the players do at home, where they work on what is taught at the training sessions). We begin each training session with a 10-15 minute devotional time, shared from the written Word. I usually lead this devotion, but I have also asked players to share as well. Rather than just sharing a message, I ask the team members questions and have them discuss what is shared. As for fundamentals, we spend a lot of time working on basic skills, and not just on team strategy. And we do try to make it fun, as well as hard work.

"The season is still in its early stages, but so far everything has gone great. The team is an exceptional group of young men, each uniquely bearing the image of his Creator. I can already see significant growth in the players, both on a personal level and as a team. I’m excited about the season!”

This is Coach Hernandez’s first year coaching a school basketball team, although he has coached in the StoneBridge Saturday morning Junior League for the past four years. He and his wife Laura have four children, all of whom attend StoneBridge: Justin (7th grade – on the team), Nathan (5th grade), Alicia (4th grade), and Brent (K5). Mr. Hernandez is a Professor of Law at Regent University, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1992.

The StoneBridge JJV basketball team - posing and praying together