Winning on and off the field, Head Baseball Coach Tim Fanning has led the Glenwood Gators in East Alabama to 11 State HS Championships in his 22 years at the helm. He's also been the Athletic Director more than 2 decades. We talk about his love for the game...playing college and pro baseball...using the sport as a vehicle to point people to Jesus...the foundations for his coaching...a different kind of winning...tangible things he does through nonprofit that takes mission trips overseas...and his recent cancer battle that changed his perspective on life and faith.

(3:30) Tim - who was raised by a single mom and played 3B, pitcher - sees baseball as romantic because it's so difficult, a game where there's a lot of failure which can be the greatest teacher. What else has baseball taught him about life?

(10:22) He talks about playing baseball at different universities (that led to him playing pickup basketball with Coach Billy Donovan and future superstar Randy Moss in WV), then to the Frontier League, (16:20) transitioning out of baseball than back in to be a Coach. He has advice for current and future coaches, also explaining the 4 pillars that are non-negotiable for him. "Can't be half pregnant." And winning (his record is 768-190) is lower on the priority list than you may think, especially vs. helping people get to Jesus.

(26:08) Hall of Fame Coach Fanning is unapologetic about sharing his faith, including devotionals with his Glenwood team. His goal is to give them tools to be the best man, husband, father they can be. And Tim really saw some players changes when they went on mission trips to much poorer countries. He's had adventures in 21 countries, taking groups to places like Africa, Panama, Costa Rica, and Taiwan.

(35:14) As founder of the "Serve to Lead" nonprofit, he explains what that name means and why taking action to serve others is so important in ministry. He's also written a few books by the same name: https://servetolead2.com/

(40:49) A few years ago, Tim battled Stage 4 Colon Cancer, isolated for chemo treatments during the Covid pandemic. Getting emotional, he talks about God healing his heart (and cancer). He's been cancer free for about 3 years! You'll want to hear how it's impacted his push for God's kingdom, his baseball players, and fellow coaches. (46:11) And the coach closes us out in prayer.

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