Trent Meacham - #1

College: University of Illinois Year: Senior Height/Weight: 6-2/195 Position: Guard Hometown: Champaign, Ill. Trivia: Over the last two years, Meacham has averaged 10 points per game and shoots over 40 percent from 3-point range.

(To read Sharing the Victory's previous feature on Meacham, click here.)

On what he’s learned about the Lord through basketball…
"I think the biggest thing I realized is that it’s a process. No matter where you’re at you’ve got to continue to grow. As a basketball player, if you’re not working on your game, if you’re not practicing, you’re not going to get any better. You’re not even going to stay the same. You’re going to get worse.

"It’s the same thing in life. It’s the same thing with being a Christian. You’ve got to continually get into the Word and fellowship with other Christians and continue to grow and challenge yourself. They just parallel each other really well. You’ve got to continue to grow and work on your game, work on being a man of God, and it’s really the same thing in both arenas."

On the basketball court being a place of worship…
"That’s what I try to make it. It’s not easy. There’s times when it’s harder to do than other times, but that’s really what I try to make it.

"I spend so much time on the basketball court that I really try to make it a time to worship and a time to witness. It’s a great platform you have as an athlete, whether it’s your teammates, coaches, fans, just anyone, so that’s how I try to make it. It’s not easy all the time, but that’s what I strive for and really want to do."

On what he does spiritually during a game…
"I kind of just ask Him for strength and focus and just thank Him for the opportunity I have. Really just for strength and focus and to continue to fight and play for Him, and know that there’s bigger things to play for than all the crowds and winning and losing, but play for Him above all else and give Him my all. When things aren’t going well, that’s when you really got to rely on Him for that strength and that guidance and maybe that extra little push."

Photos courtesy of the University of Illinois.