Feature on George Cumby (Ex Packer/OSU All-American)

Any constructive criticism would be appreciated

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Mired within the relationship of sport and religion is the lost understanding of priority.
Athletes and coaches often come to accept their skills at a young age and work hard to develop their talents in order to get where any athlete or coach dreams to end up--as a respected professional in their respective sport.
But in no other field, however, will you see as much boasting and pursuit of the individual milestone as you see in sports.
Rare is the player or coach who sacrifices the opportunity to make millions in an attempt to secure his or her faith as a servant to their religious entity.
Rare is the life of George Cumby.
Cumby is a former football NCAA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. It was during his senior year as a Sooner that he experienced religion.
“Nothing can compare the time when I was a senior at the University of Oklahoma,” Cumby said. “I gave my life to Jesus Christ.”
Cumby havs been in ministry in the Houston area for approximately 15 years. His resume in the field is extensive, to say the least: seven years as Urban Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, three years as The Director of Youth and Young Adults at Westbury United Methodist Church, three years for Sports World Ministry, two years as the co-founder and pastor (alongside his wife, Rose) of Family of Faith Worship Center in Katy, three years as the Associate Minister at New Vision Baptist and two years at the Powerhouse Christian Center.
“I have enjoyed working for the different types of ministries that pulled, cut, and stretched me to level after level for the good for Jesus Christ,” Cumby said. “There were so many areas of growth that all of them were designed to prepare me for the next level of ministry.”
Football, as expected, played a helping hand in Cumby’s career path. After an illustrious career with Oklahoma, Cumby was drafted by Green Bay in 1980. As a linebacker, Cumby played in 80 games for the Packers between 1980-85. One particular moment stands out as a reason why he became so receptive to religion as a professional athlete.
“One of my greatest disappointments was on Monday night football when we played the Chicago Bears,” Cumby said. “William (the Refrigerator) Perry put me in the end zone twice as Walter Patten scored a touchdown. That was a tough night in front of millions of people and my family.
“For years I wondered why God put in that position that was hard to handle even when you have done your best. That’s why it is so important to willing to be taught by God in all things.”
From that point, Cumby began listening to what God had to say about his calling.
He left Westbury United Methodist Church (WUMC) after three years to accept a lower position as a security guard at Memorial Parkway Junior High in Katy. The move gave him the opportunity to start his own church and have time to develop as a pastor.
“God called me to start a church in the Katy area during a time when I was making over $45,000 a years as the Director of Youth and Young Adults at WUMC,” Cumby said. “It was important to move when God say move and I called Mr. Ronnie Jackson, the Head of Security at KISD, and asked him if there were a position available. Mr. Jackson said that he would hire me to work at Memorial Parkway. “That gave me an opportunity to make some money, work around young people and start Family of Faith Worship Center. Working in the school district gave me the opportunity to have time to prepare for pastor.”
That move, too, has come to its end as well.
This Spring, Cumby accepted a teaching/coaching position at his alma mater in Tyler, TX.
“It is a great honor to go back to my high school Bishop Thomas Kelly Gorman,” Cumby said. “My last son, Marcus, graduated from Katy High this year so there is nothing keeping us here and our family all live in the Tyler area.
“I have put aside having the opportunity coach for years and God has given me a great challenge to use the skills that have been stored up for a long time.”
He and Rose, his wife of five years, will hope to find more time for fishing, which has been a great hobby of theirs. Cumby, however, stressed how significant his time in Katy had been, as well as the city’s impact upon the lives of his and his family’s.
“I enjoyed living here for many reasons,” said Cumby, ”but two things that I loved the most was the small town feeling. I moved my three boys--Christopher, Jason and Marcus--from a private school to Katy and I am very pleased at the education they received. I have lived in Katy for 10 years and the academics helped prepare my young men for the future.”

 

Mr or Ms Scribe,

Please don't think that I'm being blithely dismissive but

Mired within the relationship of sport and religion is the lost understanding of priority.
Athletes and coaches often come to accept their skills at a young age and work hard to develop their talents in order to get where any athlete or coach dreams to end up--as a respected professional in their respective sport.
But in no other field, however, will you see as much boasting and pursuit of the individual milestone as you see in sports.
Rare is the player or coach who sacrifices the opportunity to make millions in an attempt to secure his or her faith as a servant to their religious entity. The first four sentences are great for a Sunday sermon but truly story-stuffing here. Show don't tell get to ...
Rare is the life of George Cumby.
Cumby is a former football NCAA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. It was during his senior year as a Sooner that he experienced religion. Can we open with how he came by it or what he does with it--a vignette, a scene, something.
“Nothing can compare the time when I was a senior at the University of Oklahoma,” Cumby said. “I gave my life to Jesus Christ.” We're a long way in the story without any idea what life he gave Him.
Cumby havs been in ministry in the Houston area for approximately 15 years. His resume in the field is extensive, to say the least: seven years as Urban Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, three years as The Director of Youth and Young Adults at Westbury United Methodist Church, three years for Sports World Ministry, two years as the co-founder and pastor (alongside his wife, Rose) of Family of Faith Worship Center in Katy, three years as the Associate Minister at New Vision Baptist and two years at the Powerhouse Christian Center. We have his resume with no sense of him as a man.
“I have enjoyed working for the different types of ministries that pulled, cut, and stretched me to level after level for the good for Jesus Christ,” Cumby said. “There were so many areas of growth that all of them were designed to prepare me for the next level of ministry.” All this before we have any idea of what he does in the current level of ministry.

Just the random thoughts of a sinner.

YHS, etc

 

Thanks friend of the friendless.

So, my main problem was organization, or lack of, correct?

As well as that the lede could have been a graph shorter.

 

Mr or Ms Scribe,

Your piece on Cumby -- you shouldn't wait until the fifth sentence to mention him. You should show him in a situation and moment that defines him. Ideally you should make him come alive in both his former athletic glory and his current station in life. Your first four sentences now aren't your business to write--not in a piece like this. If he said something like that quote him; if not, do something with your story that leads the reader to those conclusions.

But that's just me talking. Take it FWIW.

YHS, etc

 

Another huge mistake is you didn't get Walter Payton's name right. Everyone who reads it will be upset you didn't know the NFL second all-time leading rusher.