Do you think it is okay if a public school coach says a prayer with his team before games? He doesn't force any of the team to pray, but it would be kind of hard not to since it is right before the game when the team is all in the locker room. Could he get in trouble?

The Apostle Paul wrote in I Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray continually."  The Bible is filled with clear expectations that Christians are to pray in all circumstances.  The question whether or not a coach should pray before games should really be is it acceptable for the coach to pray out loud in an effort to sort of lead the team in prayer together?  As Christians, we should not force our belief system on people.  A Christian coach has a great opportunity for influence in keeping with his or her faith, but it should be the natural result of living in such a way that people are attracted to him or her.  The Bible teaches us in I Peter 3 that we are always to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have.  We are also taught by the early disciples of Jesus that if man's expectations/rules contradict God's expectations/rules, we are to choose God.  My summary of all these thoughts is that if there are those who are offended by public prayer, then the coach should refrain from doing it.  Praying out loud is not a rule that I see in the Bible.  Therefore, there is no contradiction between the public school law prohibiting coaches from leading public prayer and God's expectations about prayer.  Now if society would ever try to introduce expectations that would prevent a coach or any other Christian from praying silently, then there is a clear contradiction between man's expectations and Biblical teaching.  At this point, the Christian coach is instructed to follow God regardless of what kind of trouble he/she might get into.

How should an underclassmen who plays up (on Varsity) act around the upperclassmen? (and how should the upperclassmen treat them?)

When younger players are moved into the varsity group, it is very important for them to show respect and honor toward the older players.  There is a certain expectation, a culture if you will, that says one must prove himself or herself.  This cultural expectation can be healthy.  Don't get me wrong though.  I am not saying that age dictates that one is a lesser person or has no role of leadership on the team or should be run over and treated poorly.  The truth is mutual humility, respect and submission is always the best approach to relationships - this is especially true on a team of competitors.  Think about what the Bible teaches us in Phillipians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself." You asked how a younger player should act around the older players and how the older players should treat the younger player.  It is really the same answer with a slightly different twist.  I would say young players should humbly treat older players with honor and respect.  I would say that older players should humbly encourage and build up the younger players.  This will lead to team unity and ultimately the team reaching their potential in competition.

I was out for basketball for my freshman, sophomore, and junior years. I even made varsity my junior year. But at the start of my senior season I was cut from the team! How should I handle this disappointment? It seems so unfair!

I am sorry that you are having to go through the pain of being cut.  Facing adversity is something none of us is eager for, but all of us grows from.  Getting cut from a team is a form of rejection that is extremely difficult, especially during the senior year.  One of the things about competitive athletics that we risk if we choose to invest ourselves is rejection.  Examples go on and on - losing games, lack of playing time, coaches being fired, etc.  While I can't judge whether or not your particular situation is fair or unfair, I can say from experience that a coach's job is to put on the team the players he or she believes give the team the best chance of being successful.  In judging the ability of the players, coaches do not think of fair in terms of age, status, etc.  Coaches need to understand that fair is not equal and that their judgment of players should be based on the combined abilities that each player brings to the table.  What I can also say with confidence is that we should always avoid bitterness.  From Romans 8:28, "We know that in all things God works together for good in the lives of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose."  From James we know that we should, "Consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds because they develop perseverance."  What I am trying to say is there is wisdom in fighting through the pain of adversity by having an attitude of forgiveness rather than bitterness because God promises that He is using the adversity to make us better.

How should I handle criticism by my coach?

This can be a tough one. An athlete really needs to have the ability to be coachable. When a coach is constructively criticizing you, the truth is it is an opportunity to get better. Sometimes an athlete may feel singled out or treated unfairly. As a general rule, I encourage players to try their best to hear what the coach is saying and not how he or she is saying it. The book of Proverbs gives us a number of warnings of how important it is to be open to correction - for athletes, I think a way to look at what Proverbs teaches is be coachable.

Now there are times when a coach crosses the line and in anger treats athletes in degrading and disrespectful ways. This kind of behavior from a coach is inexcusable and should be confronted by the player and/or his or her parents. The Bible is very clear that if someone offends us so deeply that we are unable to let it roll off of us then we are to go to that person and talk it through and try to come to an understanding to move forward on.

What do you think of trash talking?

A couple of things come to mind. First, trash talking will ultimately lead to those engaged in it being distracted from the game. In order to perform at the highest level possible, one must have complete concentration. Most people watch sports on television and occasionally a commentator will say something to the effect, "He or she is in a zone." What does that mean? Being in a zone simply refers to an extreme level of concentration which leads to the confidence that I can be successful no matter what. It just seems foolish to engage in things, like trash talking, that would distract from the potential of getting into a zone while competing.

The other thing that comes to mind and really the more important is that we should use our words to build others up not tear them down. I have watched competition bring out the worst in people over and over and I always encourage athletes and coaches to resist that temptation and instead allow competition to bring out the best in them. Ephesians 4, 29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Could it really be anymore clear than this. Trash talk has no place on the court or field. Use your words to build other people up whether they are your teammates or opponents.

How should I react to a bad call by an official?

Showing respect for everyone involved in the game is very important. Officials have a difficult job and while they make mistakes, players should be respectful at all times. I do believe it is appropriate to occasionally interact with officials, even to ask for an explanation or for them to watch a particular frustration you might be having. This should always be done with humility and respect. In the end, the officials love the game and consider it a privilege to be a part of what is going on out there. I believe the Apostle Paul put it well when he said in Phillipians 2:3 (NIV), "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but humility consider others better than yourselves."