Local author, professional golfer and performance coach Veronica Karaman has released her eighth book, a No. 1 Amazon new release, called “God, Make Me a Champion! An Athlete’s Journey of Faith into the Power of Surrender,” and has a local book signing for the event.
Her latest book dives into the intersection of faith, sports, and competition. How faith affects performance and how one sees himself are key themes she develops throughout the book.
“I have been coaching competitors for years on how to achieve peak performance. I came to realize two of the most powerful components to reaching one’s potential are hardly spoken about,” Karaman said. “They are identity and faith. Athletes who have faith play a whole different game than those who don’t. I wanted to open up a larger conversation around how our spiritual lives and our competitive lives are not meant to be compartmentalized, but stacked — integrated.”
Her book goes into detail on how to achieve one’s potential from a spiritual basis starting with her own full-circle look into her journey in life. After looking for solace from several different heartbreaks, losing her father early in life, and battling medical issues, she grew strong in her faith and relationship with God.
By conquering these setbacks searching for the Lord, Karaman began to learn that her success on the golf course and her identity were not defined by her score, but rather in her faith. She calls this transformation the process of becoming a surrendered athlete and defines 24 tenets of a surrendered athlete in the book.
“If I could define something, then others could relate and identify themselves and their worth in a new and more wholesome way,” Karaman said. “I could begin to inspire a new breed of athlete who wouldn’t have to go through the destructiveness of clinging to sports as an idol, as I did. That was the initial focus of my surrender.”
Two tenets of a surrendered athlete are: one, play from a loved-state, and two, play free emotionally with no need to control outcomes.
Karaman shares stories both from her life, and also as a coach with players and individuals she has worked with during their spiritual formation as athletes. Stories of what the outside world would consider misfortune and defeat on the golf course, from mini tour events to the 1989 U.S. Women’s Open, give a peek into her mindset as a surrendered athlete, one where the focus is put on God in the competition more than the result of the round or the event.
Chronicling her work with two brothers in Montana, Karaman had both come into her coaching with different states of mind, one from defeat, the other from belief. Both saw the benefits of surrendering themselves as athletes to reach peak performance from a state of freedom and joy because of their focus on God rather than solely on the pursuit of a trophy.
Each chapter has a “your shot” section at the end to provide a chance for self-reflection on the different aspects addressed.
In the later chapters of the book, the pillars of being a surrendered athlete are backed up by Scripture and also give a challenge for anyone to surrender themselves. Whether it’s for competition as big as a major championship, or a local club championship, the inspiring teachings can apply to anyone who has the desire to compete while working in tune with their faith.
The “God, Make Me a Champion” book signing event is scheduled for The Village Chapel in Pinehurst on March 12 at 4 p.m. RSVP is not required, but is appreciated, and can be made by emailing, veronicakaraman@gmail.com. To learn more, visit TrueChampionAcademy.com.
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