Being a professional basketball coach comes with a whole lot of pressure. There's so much at stake in trying to train and motivate your team to become champions. Therefore, while devout Catholic Joe Mazzulla, coach of the Boston Celtics, may rely on his players' skills, he also has another powerful weapon at hand... quite literally.
The coach and family man can be seen with his rosary in hand as he walks around the courts pre-game. According to Kevin McSports, he is described as friends as being a "focused man of faith who counts priests among his dearest confidants."
This was reflected in an interview with CBS News, when the 35-year-old stated that "as you grow as a person... you have to find a foundation, and for me that’s my faith.”
He went on to share:
If you don’t have a compass, it’s very hard to direct yourself. You have to learn that on your own sometimes. My identity comes from my faith and my purpose. I got into coaching because I’ve had people pour into me, sacrifice for me, and I want to do that for my players.”
In the footsteps of a legend
Mazzulla is one of many professional sports people and coaches who lean heavily on their faith to inspire and coach their teams. The legendary Vince Lombardi, known especially for his resounding success with the Green Bay Packers football team during the 60s, also relied on his faith during his work, attending Masses daily and praying rosaries while out on the field.
Hopefully Mazzulla, whose Celtics won an unprecedented 18th NBA championship this week, will see a similar future of success in his career as a professional coach, in part thanks to his faith and his devotion to saying the Rosary, and also for his inspiring way in galvanizing his men to do their very best.
