Only a few minutes into the 2023 - 24 season's first practice, Logan Strand sensed the months ahead might be tough. It was evident that most of his 18 - to - 21 - year - old roster had little playing experience. Strand began with a shooting drill where one player missed six consecutive corner 3 - pointers off the backboard. Moving on to ball handling, so many crossover dribbles bounced off feet that Strand lost count of the balls he chased. When introducing a rebounding drill, he winced at the confused expressions on several players' faces as they struggled with closing out on a shooter and boxing out.

“The Start of a Challenging Season”

Strand told Yahoo Sports, “It was like, oh boy, we'll be doing a lot of third - grade basketball stuff. How do we shoot, pass, and set a screen?” For the hopelessly inexperienced team, the season began like Ralph Wiggum's “I'm in Danger” meme. FLBC went 0 - 24 against fellow bible colleges, with 19 losses by 40 - plus points and one team outscoring them by over 100. The closest they came to victory was a 10 - point loss to their own alumni team. With key scorers gone and no experienced newcomers, this season's team is even more outmatched, with opponents outscoring them 378 - 39 in the first four games. In the season opener, they trailed 61 - 0 before a 3 - pointer by Westin Jenson. The next night, they lost 87 - 11 to Division III Crown College's JV team.

“The Unconventional Purpose of FLBC Sports”

What stories like Barstool Sports' miss is FLBC's non - traditional purpose in sports. FLBC is a rare school where winning is secondary. The mission is to teach young Christians to serve Jesus Christ and prepare them for leadership. The athletics program is a tool to help 100 - plus students achieve these goals. On their website, they state that taking championships seriously is important, but playing sports is about more than wins. “Our students see themselves as representatives of the school and Christ. They find parallels between sports and building the church and discover a close brotherhood/sisterhood,” the school says.

“Wade Mobley's Story and Influence”

Wade Mobley grew up in a small South Dakota town with a single mother and an uninvolved father. Basketball became his refuge. He developed a passion for the sport while also taking more interest in his faith. Friends invited him and his mom to a Free Lutheran church, which changed his life and inspired him to become a Christian at 18. While studying engineering physics at South Dakota State, he realized he was good at it but didn't love it. He became the only engineering physics student with a dream of coaching college basketball. He had two ideal mentors, Lynn Frederick and Brad Soderberg. Soderberg's words sealed Mobley's decision to become a pastor. Mobley then came to FLBC, where he has spent much of his adult life.

“The Basketball Program at FLBC”

The basketball program Mobley inherited at FLBC is very different from what he once aspired to lead. FLBC is a member of the Association of Christian College Athletics, at the bottom of the college basketball hierarchy. Until 2021, they didn't have an on - campus gym and used facilities at Minneapolis - area schools and colleges. Five years ago, they held 10 p.m. practices at a K - through - 12 Christian school. At FLBC, coaches don't recruit by scouting high school games. They stay in touch with church leaders and reach out to applicants. This approach has had some success but often they struggle to accumulate enough talent. In 2021, the combined men's and women's teams went 1 - 29, with the women winning only in the final game. Mobley wrote that winning isn't the reason they play; it's for leadership development.

“Player Resilience and Positivity”

Last year's first - year players all came back this season. One student who didn't play the first year joined the team this fall. Second - year guard Kent Anderson said it was hard at first but he shifted his mindset to focus on improvement and remembered he was playing for God. He never thought of quitting. Strand said this year's players have more enthusiasm and effort than any other team he's been on. After a 85 - 5 season - opening loss, a new player's words cheered him up.

“Dealing with Negative Attention”

About a month ago, Strand received a text about a Barstool Sports story ridiculing the team. At first, administrators were horrified, but the players' amused responses eased their concern. One player was surprised to get media coverage, and another found it hilarious. Anderson said they weren't mad as the Barstool podcasters didn't understand their purpose. Coaches and administrators are trying to be more proactive in recruiting. Mobley hopes to put together a more competitive team next year. Strand is tempted by inquiries but worried about maintaining the school's culture.