6 Powerful Prayers for Sports Parents and Student Athletes

It’s easy to prioritize sports over everything else, including a relationship with God. This prayer asks God to help our children focus on what matters most.

Most merciful Heavenly Father, we are trying to train up our children “in the way they should go," and that includes everything that they are involved in. We want them to honor you in all that they say and do, and are grateful for the opportunity to come before You. Please show us ways that our family, and notably our athlete, can bless You with how they engage in their sport. While we want them to strive to be their very best, we don’t want them to put athletics before their relationship with You, so please show us if that is happening. And Father, please lead us to pray more with our kids at this time–let it be the impetus for us to gather together before and after games to give You praise  for the health and skills you have given them.

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Sports can teach our kids so much about relationships and how God can be glorified in them. This prayer is a petition to God that they would learn how to treat people in a way that pleases Him. 

Lord, we know that one very important way to honor You is to be a good team player and to treat the opposing team as if they were your own teammates. I pray that each child learns that it is wrong to cheat, and that they need to respect the results as decided by the referee or umpire. We pray that the players would demonstrate the “fruit of the spirit” as we see in Galatians 5:22-23. There Paul talks about having love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control from the Holy Spirit and all of these characteristics are needed for good sportsmanship. May we help our child focus on those positive attitudes and actions in keeping with this passage whether they win or lose.

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When our children are involved in something, it’s hard not to get emotionally involved, always looking out for their interests. But this prayer focuses on parents so that they, too, would honor God with the way they act.

Most merciful Father, we know that, as parents, we too need to have good sportsmanship. It’s easy to be “in the world” and get caught up in those things that the world tells us are important. Things like whether my child gets to play enough, whether the coach appreciates their skills and communicates fairly, and whether the other team is playing with a good attitude.  Lord, we need to be Your witnesses in the youth athletics world just like every other area of life. May the opponents and their parents see that we are being Christlike so that You are glorified (and that they might come to wonder what is different about us and come to know You through that witness). May we be encouragers of all players at all times.

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When our kids are involved in a physical and competitive activity, there is naturally a greater chance for injury. This prayer asks that God will protect as only He can.

Jehovah Rapha, Our God Who Heals, You know that youth athletics are fraught with dangers that could lead to injury, regardless of the sport. We pray that you would protect all children everywhere who are participating in youth athletics. If my child were to be injured, we pray that you would bless us with healing and wisdom as to whether to let our child keep playing or not. We pray that if an opponent gets injured, our children would pray for them and show an exceptional amount of kindness and concern. May we as parents offer support to an opponent who gets injured, praying for them immediately as the Holy Spirit leads.  

Regardless of the age of our children, sports can challenge their developing character. This prayer seeks God’s influence to grow into the people He wants them to be.

Merciful God, we thank you for the opportunity that our children have to be on a team where they can learn skills that can last for a lifetime. Thank you that they are not just learning “hard skills” like how to play the game with success, but also “soft skills” like showing dignity and respect to others, being goal-oriented, persevering when workouts or games are tough, and demonstrating courage when they are called upon to help their team win. We know that what they learn in this environment can make them better students, friends, workers, and more as they grow up. Thank you for those who help them develop these skills and who show love and respect for our children. 

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We need to pray for everyone involved in youth sports, not just athletes and parents. May God lead us to always be grateful and collaborative with those who are in leadership positions.

Lord, we know that it’s not an easy job to be a coach, referee or umpire. We applaud those who use their time and skills to bless young people in their athletic pursuits. May the Holy Spirit remind us that we are disciples of Christ when we are engaging with these individuals, especially when emotions run high. Please help us and our children remember that we are to treat these individuals with dignity and respect. And may we show gratitude in a myriad of ways for all that they do to teach and support these athletes. 

You can also pray specific Bible verses with your children that use athletics as a metaphor:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Remind your children that Paul used these metaphors to talk about spiritual endurance and self-control. 

“Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5). Again, Paul is speaking of following Christ and His commandments.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Of course, the writer is speaking of running the race of life that God has given us, but it is a great reminder that even if we are running a literal race, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, giving Him all of the glory for what He enables us to do.

Whatever sport(s) your child(ren) play, it’s amazing how the Lord will direct your thoughts and emotions when you fix your eyes on Jesus. We pray that these prayers will help you do just that and will bless you and your children on and off the field.

Here are additional resources to consider as you are developing a deeper prayer life around youth athletics:

The Power of Prayer in Athletics
Building Endurance in Our Faith

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