After starting his head-coaching career with a 12–1 season, Coach Craig Lukins quickly learned that success in football—and in life—isn’t always a straight climb.
When Liberty Christian moved from 8-man to 11-man football, the challenge hit hard.
“We went 1–9, 3–7, then 8–3 and made the state playoffs as an 11-man team... It started off really high, and then the next year went almost as low as you can get.”
Craig admits that early in his career, confidence sometimes outpaced experience.
“As a second-year coach, I thought I could do anything... and I definitely did not have it.”
Those seasons taught him humility, preparation, and perspective—lessons that continue to shape his leadership today.
Craig’s love for football runs deeper than wins and losses.
“Football is one of the only areas in public life where young men can get together and impose their will on another group of young men.”
To him, the game mirrors life—testing strength, unity, and perseverance.
“If one guy fails, the whole team fails. Football allows you to learn all of that as a young man, and then translate it to life after you graduate.”
For Craig, coaching isn’t about control—it’s about calling. It’s where competition becomes character and every struggle shapes the soul.
That’s what Inning Intermissions is all about — pausing the game long enough to hear the stories that remind us why sports matter. Every conversation reveals something deeper: confidence built through competition, friendships forged in the grind, and lessons that last far beyond the scoreboard.
#stepintogrowthtv #inningintermissions #podcast #motivation #inspiration #hope #life #coach #coaching #highschool #fnl #FridayNightLights #Football #highschool #Jesus #god #BibleÂ