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When God Says No: How I Learned to Trust His Plan · 307 Faithful

• 307 Faithful: All right, welcome to the 307 Faithful Podcast. This is your host, Devin Davis. As always, thank you for joining us today and always excited for another guest and s for the story that they're gonna share to hear about where they are, who they are, how they connect their faith. Of course, this is a Fellowship of Christian Athletes podcast that we we were blessed to start. I started with high school student Paxton Yates, who's now at Adams State. And we started this several months ago, and it's been fun to see all the different guests we've had on all of these last several months from a from a fellow who is playing i in the NFL for the Kansas City Chi Chiefs. Un unfortunately Jay Mike had an injury and he won't be able to play this season and and we've also had an Olympic bobsledder on. so All the way down to high school, tennis players, wrestlers, you name it, a lot of coaches. and it's always fun to have somebody new and hear how their faith impacts their sport. And that's what FCA is all about is just trying to reach out to every coach and at every athlete that we can to to tell them about the gospel and then how the gospel changes them. So today, we kind of a little secret we'll talk about here, not really a secret, but a kind of a crazy connection we'll talk about here in a second. we have an athlete all the way from right now in Michigan. And but but this athlete is from Green River, Wyoming. And so there's his Wyoming connection. And and it's kind of funny because I'm not really a great social media guy, but I kept seeing all of his social media posts and going, Who is this guy? And so I Did a little checking in to our next guest and just learned about his love for Jesus and how strong his faith is. And so without further ado, I'd like to introduce our guest, Braxton Dokke. Braxton is, like I said, from Green River, and he is currently in Michigan playing football for the Chippewas. Is that correct, Braxton? Braxton Doak: It's there. 307 Faithful: Yep. The Chippewa's of central Michigan. So Thanks for taking some time today, Braxton. how are things in Michigan? We talked about that a little bit before we kicked it off, but let's hear you tell all of our guests what it's like where you're at right now. Braxton Doak: a lot of trees. It's not as like mountains as like Wyoming is, but like the small we have like a small town, like it's about like twenty five thousand people, so it's nice small town vibe, you know, and it's kinda similar to like the University of Wyoming. It's pretty similar. it's it's one thing when I first got here was like it was a little more humid 'cause we're close to like all the lakes and like lower in elevation. So like it kinda like balanced out kind of 'cause like You can breathe a little better, but then you also got the humidity a little bit, which is it hasn't been too bad. Like 'cause like I went down to Tennessee last summer for a camp and it was way humid there compared to like here. But I don't know. I I really enjoy it here. It's it's been awesome living here and it's definitely been an awesome experience just getting to like see somewhere out of Wyoming 'cause I've been in Wyoming my whole life. So I've I I mean I like it a lot here. It's been great. 307 Faithful: That's that's cool. That that humidity can kill you, can't it? We d since we don't really have that in Wyoming. it makes it so it's almost hard to breathe sometimes if it's too too Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: humid. So I'm sure that was an adjustment coming from Green River where there are heart are very few trees. Well, all of Wyoming where there's very few trees. so well tell you know, I I I I wanna hear your story just because I know that you're a kicker, Braxton Doak: Mm-hmm. 307 Faithful: and that Your your game was pretty much soccer, it sounds like. Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: so how does a soccer dude from Green River end up as a kicker for central Michigan? Braxton Doak: Crazy, yeah, it's wild. I always thought I was gonna play soccer my whole life. Like literally growing up I was like, Yeah, I'm gonna play like my goal of course was always to play Division One soccer and I just I c the more I got older, I kinda just like got a little burnt out of it 'cause I just kinda like what all I did my whole life and I mean I obviously still loved it all throughout high school. Like I still enjoyed playing it, just like I didn't see myself really I guess playing soccer in college as much. And then like One crazy summer, my friend Christian Lee, he was like, You should come out and kick for our football team and like it was a little like I like, I don't know if I really want to do it. Like it's gonna take away from soccer and ended up my sophomore year like halfway through the season. I decided just like, you know what, might as well just come and try it. And came out, tried it. My first two years I was not very good, to be honest with you. I was pretty it's a lot different from kicking a soccer ball. And my I would say my sophomore through like junior year, I mainly just like didn't care too much about it. It was just like a fun thing I did on the side. And then like I started to really enjoy it my junior year and I was like, Wow, I I really think I could do something with this and then I started like going to camps and I got a kicking coach and he's from Florida. and I I was working with him all throughout like leading up to my senior year and I saw like a huge growth from my junior like my junior year going into my like senior year. That's when my huge like growth moment happened for me. Like I just skyrocketed in everything and then went to camps, went to a lot of division one camps and then started getting recruited by some division one schools for it and then ended up having a really good senior season where I broke our field goal record. our high school field goal record I had a fifty three against Lander my senior year and then I had a really good kickoff year too so that helped me a lot and just from then on it just like kinda I just went with it throughout my senior year and like my kicking coach he helped me through the whole process of recruitment and then crazy story how I ended up here though it was I was training with a guy that's his name's Jake Walrath. He's from he's from Fort Worth, but his dad lives in Cheyenne and he punted at the Division I level. He punted four years at Tarleton State, which is an FCS school in Texas, and then he his last year he was at Central Michigan and I went and trained with him over one weekend, and then that's how I got connected with the coach here, the central Michigan coach. And then he was like He like put my name out there to him and then he's like, We have a spa open and then that's how I got offered and then that's kinda how I ended up here. So it's a crazy story. 307 Faithful: So was w again, just kinda looking at your Instagram, social media, s so w when was it that you actually signed with Central Michigan? Braxton Doak: Yeah, it was I committed on like January twenty eighth 'cause he offered me so signing day was February fourth, regular signing day, which is specialists tend to get offered later. So it's like you can usually wait till like March or like April of your senior year and you could still get like some pretty big offers 'cause they just tend to offer them late. And yeah, I got offered like the twenty I think it was like the twenty sixth of January and then committed on like the twenty eighth and then signed on the fourth. So 'cause I just I fell in love with the place and just the coaches like all of our coaches here are great. They're great people. Like that was one thing that was different from them from all the other like Division I schools that I was talking to is like they cared about you more on like a personal level. And a lot of the coaches have strong faith. Like a lot of like we have like during all of our fall camp after practice we'd have like a little like prayer at the end and we have like a chaplain that comes up to us and like just talks about anything like growing as a team and like he relates it to like the Bible and I just saw that w we had a lot of like coaches that had strong faith and they were great people and like that's one thing that connected with me really well 'cause like they care about you and they can develop you on in the same way. So I feel like that was one of my main reasons why I came here. Yeah, it 307 Faithful: Just felt really comfortable around him, it sounds like. Braxton Doak: was super comfortable compared to other coaches 'cause like it's such a business at the Division One level that it's just like 307 Faithful: man. Braxton Doak: You you like when you see that you're like that's the type that's the type of guy I wanna like play for, I wanna like grind for basically. 307 Faithful: Yeah, you bet. And so then fast forward now and when did you report to to camp this freshman year of yours? Braxton Doak: Yeah, so I literally a week after I graduated I left home. I drove all the way here, so I have my truck here. I drove twenty four hours, stopped in Nebraska and then went to Chicago and then was and then went here and I got here like June seventh is when I had to report. And then so I've been here since June seventh and all June through July was just like summer workouts, like you're you're lifting every morning and then your conditioning aft right after it and then that's that's mainly June and July and then August is fall camp, which is that's like literally seven thirty AM till eight thirty PM at night. You're in meetings, practice, lift, everything. So 307 Faithful: Yeah. That's a different world than than high school football, isn't it? Braxton Doak: Yeah. It's way different. 307 Faithful: Has it been hard for you to adjust to? Has that been a struggle at all? Braxton Doak: yeah, I would say it definitely is 'cause like you're it's a lot of like you just gotta keep your mental, right? And I feel like that's what ties into faith a lot because you're waking up every single morning, you got hard lifts, long meetings, like even for me, like I'm a specialist and we still like would have we still we don't have as much, I would say. Like we get a little longer breaks than most of the other guys. But we still have like pretty long meetings, like you're reviewing your film with your coach and just like yeah, it's definitely like long days, so I feel like Yeah, it can g it can get it can get kinda rough sometimes during fall camp, but I I I love it. I love the grind. 307 Faithful: Yeah, th and I mean that's there's a lot of competition at the college level at every at every spot. What is it like at in in one of the kind of specialist position a as a kicker? What type of I mean, how do you you know, you wanna start, you wanna do your best, but you're you're kinda hanging around those guys a lot too, right? So I I Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: mean, how do you how do those dynamics work out? Braxton Doak: we actually have a really great room. Like our guys, all six of us, it's only six of us, 'cause usually teams like that's what's so hard. Like 'cause once you get an opportunity, you gotta just kinda like take it because they take there's a hundred and thirty eight FPS teams. So there's two kickers, two punters, and two long snappers usually on that's it. That's usually all they'll take because there's no need for really more. So but no, we gotta we got a super like close knit like special teams room. Like it's it's been awesome. Like I thought there'd be like a little tension 'cause you're like competing against those guys and then like but no, it's been it's been awesome. And my roommate is is one of the long snappers here, so it's been great. 307 Faithful: Awesome. So what is then ha I know we talked about Central Michigan plays today and has Wyoming on their schedule, interestingly enough. and and then Wyoming will return there as you were telling me. But how's how's it gone so far as as far as your your success and where you're at on the depth chart and that that type of stuff? Braxton Doak: Yeah, no, I mean coming in as a freshman, like most of there's only like I think there's two freshmen out of like thirty one that are traveling this year. So like obviously like it's your freshman year mainly all of take it like you need to just like develop and you're gonna lift more, you're gonna eat more and obviously I'm not I'm not traveling this year. But I mean, I know at home games I'll be the backup, so that'll be great, which has been Like if you never know what could happen. So you just gotta always stay prepared and I feel like Yeah, no, I've been I mean I did I I haven't done bad at all. Like I've been doing really good I did really good in fall camp. It's just I gotta I gotta get a little bigger 'cause like I came in at 307 Faithful: Yep, yep. Braxton Doak: like a hundred and fifty pounds, I think, and now I'm one seventy five. So yeah, I got and like you probably need to be 'cause like I'm I'm a little taller, like I'm not too tall, like I'm like five eleven. And most kickers like they want you in like one eighty five to like two hundred range kind of like in that range for weight, 'cause it's just like in more the stren stronger you are, it just helps. And the more weight transfer you have through the ball, it helps a lot. So I that's basically all I'm doing right now is just trying to get build up that strength and build up the endurance for next year. 307 Faithful: Well, and you you know, I mean, it it it is what it is, right? It it in Wyoming and in high school football, the coaching you get is is pretty limited just because I mean Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: there's not a lot of guys that are know that much about kicking that are coaching at the high school level in Wyoming. So how have things improved for you over the summer and over the fall camp? Are are you seeing some results of having better Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: coaching basically? Braxton Doak: Yeah, for sure. Like the weight program we have here. Coach Riedel is his name. He's I mean, he's been you ca if you look him up, he's got an awesome resume. Like he was a strength coach at LSU when they won the national championship. He's been at Cinc Cincinnati. He was at Army when they were really good. 'Cause and like he ha like has develop he's helped me a lot, like, with my strength. Like I've gone up like like crazy amount of weights in the past three months. Like, it's 307 Faithful: Cool. That's cool. Braxton Doak: wild. Like I was po I power cleaned maybe like 135 when I came in, like it I was not strong at all. And then like now I can do like 205, 215. I can s like squat. Like I came in doing like this is like cause we do like three reps for almost everything. Like it's almost like you hit like you build the best strength at 80% of your max is what we do. We don't ever like really max and like I came in doing like for three reps like for squat like maybe two forty five and then now I can do like three thirty five. Like it's it's wild 307 Faithful: Wow. Braxton Doak: how much I've gone up in three months like it's it's crazy how much I've gone up and like just the the the developing aspect of it he and like I feel my body feels better like I could lift on the same day and then go out and kick and I feel perfectly fine like it's it's crazy 307 Faithful: That's amazing. Braxton Doak: and like Coach Murphy my coach he he knows a lot about special teams like that's one thing you can't find really because a lot of them like you would think that that they're special teams coordinators they know a lot about like kicking and like like punting but a lot of them don't know how to coach him and like he's been around special teams like all thirty years of his coaching. So he's he's been at like Florida, he's been at New Mexico, he's been he's been all sorts of places. Like he's coached some really, really high level guys and he knows like w how like how to coach specialists, so that's one thing that like he's helped me a lot with and I've developed already a lot in my just aspect 'cause there's still like obviously there's still like a lot of things I need to work on. 'Cause I mean, I only started really taking it serious a year ago. So 307 Faithful: Yeah. Yeah. So the question I have too and and and you probably get asked this a lot, i how do as a kicker, how do you how does that fit in with the rest of the football team? Braxton Doak: That's see, I had the same exact thing when I was coming in. I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna like fit in really 'cause like I mean, obviously you always think that specialists are gonna get like looked down upon, but like it's been the complete opposite. Like my all the guys that are 'cause like we have a dorm with all the athletes, every athlete in in this, like all the other sports we have, like all the guys, like we're all like super close knit, all the freshmen, like I haven't got like I haven't had one experience yet where I felt like I got treated like down upon or anything. Like it's it was crazy to me coming in. Like I talk to our quarterbacks, our wide receivers, like all the time. Like a couple of the guys I hang out with the most are he's one of our freshman quarterbacks and then one of our sophomore starting wide receivers I hang out with quite a bit. Like he yeah, it's crazy. I thought like coming in I was like, I don't think I'm gonna be able to like fit in with some of these guys, but nah, it's been awesome. I mean, definitely Yeah, we got a soup that's one thing I feel like why I think we're gonna be really good this year is 'cause we got such a close knit like locker room and team. Like it doesn't matter w like what you like where you are on the depth chart, where you're like what position you are, like everyone's super, super close knit and I feel like that carries a long way. 307 Faithful: That's awesome. Yeah, you always kind of think of the the kicker. You know, you hear they have their quirks and they're kind of the weird dudes and kind yeah, Braxton Doak: Yeah. The weird ones right. 307 Faithful: kinda hang to themselves and everything. So, you know, especially when you're from where are you from? Green River, Wyoming. And they're like, What? You know Braxton Doak: Yeah. They're like, where is that? 307 Faithful: man. So that's too funny. So the you know, the other funny story it just kinda hit me, Braxton, is that your former coach is now part of the coaching staff here at Riverton. high school. So Coach Christensen Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: moved up here and got to meet him and I I think he's a he's a pretty special dude and I think he really did a great job at Green River. Yeah. Braxton Doak: Yeah. I loved Coach Hurston, man. He was a I I loved him so much and sad to see him go, but you obviously just gotta do what's best for you and I don't know. He's a great dude. Like I couldn't say 307 Faithful: Yeah, yeah. Braxton Doak: one bad thing about him. Like he's He's been an awesome like role model to me, like through when I played football and just like ho his whole coaching staff that he even brought on, like all of were great people and were like highly motivated in life and it was just always great to see like getting to see them like every day at practice and I mean now his wife's coaching volleyball in Riverton too. So that's awesome. He just had a kid, little Bo. 307 Faithful: Yeah. Yeah. That was that was a good move. Yeah. Really great for move for for all of them. And you know, like you said, sometimes in in a sp in sports, you know, you gotta that's not the primary reason that we make decisions, right? Sometimes we do what's best for our families and Braxton Doak: Yeah. Yeah. 307 Faithful: I think you know that's one of the things. But we're we're sure blessed that to have him and I know he did a great job with the football program at Green River, so I know he'll help Riverton a lot. So you know, as far as like your faith goes, and and th this is the funny part that I mentioned at the beginning is that I did not even know this when I reached out t to Braxton, but we haven't had the podcast episode on yet. It'll be available here here shortly. But I interviewed Lincoln Young and Lincoln is a high school now college wrestler at Shadron State and somebody that I really love, great kid, great dad, great family. and Braxton is his cousin. So I didn't Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: know that he yeah, Lincoln just completely dropped the ball on that because he didn't mention that at all. So I don't know if he c counts you family member or or what. Braxton Doak: Yeah he yeah. No he is my he's my 307 Faithful: Maybe it's because you didn't wrestle. Braxton Doak: Yeah. My dad my dad wrestled in college too. I'm surprised like growing up I didn't I don't know. They said I hated it when I was younger, so like that's why they never put me in wrestling is I just like hated it. But I know my dad always wanted me to wrestle. 307 Faithful: man, that's too funny. So i and you know, just tell me about kind of your journey with your your faith in Jesus Christ and especially now with this move to a place where you really didn't know anybody and now you're out on your own making your own decisions. just give me a background on who Braxton Doke is as a follower of Jesus Christ. Braxton Doak: Yeah, so I would say my first I I would say I really, really got like super strong in it over the past like two to three years. 'Cause I mean I always my whole family's like my dad's side of the family's all Catholic, my mom's family's like Christian and like I've always been around it and I really didn't like start like I feel like growing the relationship until like about my I really started like my junior year just 'cause it just like There like words just can't explain like if I was to ever like tell someone about it, it's just like words can't explain like how your life like kinda I guess grows in a sense when you like fully open that door and like let him come into your life. 'Cause like 307 Faithful: Amen. Braxton Doak: I had really, really hard times with my recruiting process because like my kicking coach would like He would he would always explain to me, he's like, You're like a division one level kicker, but like it just depends on if you can't get opportunities. Like if you can't like there's just so few opportunities and like I wanted to obviously go to the highest level I could and I was just like I went through really hard times for like recruiting when coaches just would like obviously like ghost you or whatever and you're like, Well, that sucks and then like I just would always constantly like prey on it and just like always like It was literally like every single day. And I like remember a specific time I was like I like was in prayer and I was like God if this is like if this is what you want me to do, like show me that like this is this is what I should do. 'Cause like I I was just struggling, like if I should if I if do I really want to do this in college, like should I just keep with it and like literally I remember praying that and then like literally a couple days later that's when I got offered. 'Cause like it was my first my like first big one, my first FBS offer and I was like, Wow, that's crazy. And I would say like the transition from how my faith my faith is growing even more since I've been here to be honest with you, because I feel like you can either like when you have like obviously 'cause like I'm not traveling, you could take that for example. Like that's a hard time, like I'm the only one in our room that's not travelling. out of a six. So I mean, that's like something you could say that's I guess bad, but I feel like if I just if I keep on like trusting God and keep on trusting the process and taking it like day by day, it's gonna come out in the end and I know it will. And I feel like I found a great church here. Like I go to church almost every Sunday if I don't have like meetings or anything 'cause one of my one of the specialists on our team, he's a punter and a And he kicks too. He does both, but he's mainly more of a punter and he d he's he's our starting kickoff guy this year. And that's one thing. Like our room of specialists, they all believe in like Christ and they're super strong in their faith. Like they're that's one thing. Like he his name's Zach Chapeau is his name. He's he I've been going to church with him, but like he like has helped me a lot with like faith and like when things cause go down or like anything of those sorts, like he's helped me a lot. 'cause like most people don't travel their first year. It's just kinda how it is. 307 Faithful: Mm-hmm. Braxton Doak: Like he was explaining to me like how he put his like faith in when he didn't travel his first year. And yeah, so I met I when I met him, just super great guy, always like willing to help me and 'cause he's like three years older than me. But he that's how I w found this church here and they're it's a great church. Like they what I like about it the most is that it like they've they make like building your relationship with God the most important part instead of just like going to church on Sundays just 'cause like God tells you to. Like they 307 Faithful: Yeah. Amen. Yeah. Braxton Doak: tell you like every time in like our s our readings when they talk and they're like you need to read your Bible like other days besides like church. You shouldn't just spend 307 Faithful: Mm-hmm. Braxton Doak: one hour with God and think you're okay. Like you gotta build that relationship every day with God to be able to like grow. And that's one thing I really liked about them and like we have FCA here. Like every Monday after practice we go to this dude names Tim's house. He's a older guy that's been here. He's lived in here for like a long time. But he yeah, we a bunch of us athletes go to his house and just like with our chaplain We have two chaplains and we go over to his house, just read a bunch of like of scriptures and like talk about it. It's like basically like kinda like a Bible study and we just eat food and then we'll talk about the Bible for like an hour and then we'll go out and like play games or something, like cornhole or anything like that. So yeah, I found a lot of great people here that are super strong in their faith. So that's one thing that's been a blessing. 307 Faithful: Does that that that's awesome? I mean, and you know, the the the cool thing about that is, you know, praying for God to show you what you should do. And then the fact that he was planning a ahead of time, before you even knew it, a place for you to go where y you would continue to really cultivate your faith, right? I mean Braxton Doak: Yeah, that's that's what I'm saying, 'cause like I I was really, really worried about like moving here 'cause like obviously like to be honest with you, like through my recruitments process I thought I was gonna go to the University of Wyoming. I really thought I was going to. And then 'cause like and it sucked 'cause like all my friends go there, my family's close there, like all my family graduated from there. And just like seeing that and I'm just like, Well, this might this is like When I got turned down it was really hard. It was like a hard time. And just like showing that I can trust God through that process of like I know He's gonna get me something better than what I need. And then seeing it full now, like coming here, I was so nervous coming here 'cause like I was like I don't know anything about this place. I don't know the I I mean I know the coaches, but I don't know the town, I don't know how the other guys are gonna be. Like yeah, it was it was a hard experience leaving home, but like literally couple of weeks I'm like, dang, I really like this place. Like it's an awesome place to live. And 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: that just shows that like God always has a bigger plan for you and there's always something greater on the other side when you don't know that like you don't know what's gonna happen. 307 Faithful: Yeah, I I mean it's funny 'cause I gotta connect that a little bit Braxton to coach's Bible study that we're doing in as fac as far as, you know, when they the they were supposed to go into the promised land when Moses was gonna take Israel into the promised land and he sent out all the all the different scouts to scout it out and they came back and there were only two of Caleb and Joshua, who said, Hey, this is an awesome land. There's there's some pretty Tough people there, but it's a land flowing with milk and honey and God is with us. We can go do it. And everybody doubted that, right? And they turned away and they didn't believe it. And so that's why they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years after that. But you had two guys who trusted trusted God and believed that he would do what what he said he would do. And so it's it's it's kind of crazy out of all the people that were alive. all of them died in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb. And Joshua and Caleb got to go to the promised land and and see what God had delivered to his people because of their faithfulness. And so I think that's the amazing part, right? Is that why is it so hard for us to trust God when we know that he's gonna deliver on his promises? And so that's Braxton Doak: Mm. Yeah. 307 Faithful: you know, that's that's what's cool about that is going somewhere that Obviously like there I I I'm sure going with this far away from home Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: i is is kind of like what am I doing? But knowing that God gave you that opportunity and that you've been obedient in it and then to see what he's done through it, that's just kinda gives me chills always when that happens. So I I love stories like that. it I I think The hardest thing to me w about being a kicker, I would not be a good kicker, just because like the mental part of it. I that is Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: I mean, all sports are like that, but the mental component to kicking is is crazy. and and that's a little bit hard. Do you how do you connect that part of of your sport or you know I I would say you do, but how do you connect that with what you believe as a follower of Jesus? How do those two kind of intertwine? Braxton Doak: Yeah, so I would say I used to get really, really like nervous. Especially my I mean my senior year, I remember times like I was nervous when I was kicking that fifty three yarder, like when I came out I was like like, oof. This might Yeah, but I mean my biggest thing that I always think back to is like you have all these pressures of worldly things that are around you. And you could think of fans, for example, like you if you miss the kick you're gonna be like the worst person on the planet. If you miss like if 307 Faithful: Yeah, yeah. Braxton Doak: you miss a game winner you're gonna or if you make the game winner you're the great you're either the the great guy or the bad guy. Like there's no in between with kickers. So when you I feel like when all that outside pressure and you take all of that and just like leave it to God, I feel like that's that's how I that's how I view my faith 'cause like Obviously like our games are gonna be packed. There's gonna be twenty thousand people at our games. There's gonna be high pressure, high pressure situations. That's that's what's helped me the most, especially during fall camp, 'cause like like you'll get you like 'cause that's literally how it works is like whoever does whoever makes more kicks wins a job. So it's just like I mean, when you have all those I guess pressures that you try to put on yourself when you just le like just leave it all and don't think about anything, just leave it to God. I feel like that's how I view the most. That's how I view one like I'm kicking. 307 Faithful: Yeah, that I mean and that's that's the hard part, right? Is I mean, in an average game you're gonna kick some PATs and maybe a couple of field goals, but the th those are so important to the outcome of the game, right? I mean, Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: i it's not it's not like you it's it's going to impact the outcome of the game whether you make it or or don't Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: make it. So that's the hard part. Braxton Doak: Yeah, I don't know. I would I don't know. I would say like with field goal, it's it's just so like field goal's like you ki you it's so much more mental because like kickoff you don't have anything to like 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: you don't have anything to kick. You just kick it. Like you just kick it as far as you can. And that's that's I mean, that's probably my best ax aspect is kick off. That's what I'll cause I'll be at home games, I'll be back up for both. So that will be like if someone gets if someone if one of our guys gets hurt, I'm gonna be stepping in right away. So I always gotta stay ready. But I I don't know. I would say it's 'cause it's such like a little like little there's always little things to kicking. Like people don't realize like how much like if your foot placement on the balls like literally a half of an inch to the side, you're gonna miss the kick. Like there's such a small window and small like for mechanics, everything has to be perfect. So I don't know. I 307 Faithful: No, I Braxton Doak: I always just try to like not think about anything, don't put pressure on yourself and just kick the ball. Like that's the 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: easiest way To explain it, because you just gotta trust. That's like the same thing with like you can literally say trusting your swing, like trusting God, like it's like 307 Faithful: Mm-hmm. Braxton Doak: the exact same thing. 307 Faithful: Yep. And and and you trust God because you have built a relationship with Him, right? You spend time with Him in in His Word and in prayer and and going to church and and that's the same way. Your craft as a kicker, you should have confidence because the time that you've you spent working at it and perfecting it and and just trusting that. So I mean I I think that's That's yeah, that's kinda it's just amazing to me to think about it because that is probably the har one of the hardest things about kicking is just that's probably w why I wouldn't be a good kicker is just the I don't handle pressure very well and and Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: I think it's like you know when you get when you get iced on a kick, you know, you're gonna win the game or before halftime and the coach ices you, that's gotta be a little nerve wracking. Braxton Doak: Yeah, I don't know. I don't I just I've always like it's just like I've related to like kicking I've kicked a soccer ball like my whole life. So it's like I got there just like I'm kicking a soccer ball. Like it's I mean I don't know. I 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: I don't know. I would say you ha yeah, 'cause you definitely have to build your mental game. 'Cause if that's honestly if not, it's probably the most important part to be honest with you. 'Cause like if you overthink like when I kick the worst is when I start overthinking about little things like is my is my plant too far off to the left? Am I am I is my leg swing not getting back far enough? Is like all those little when you start thinking about those little things it literally just goes bad for you. Like you literally 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: just have to go you just have to go blank. Like that's the best way for me to explain it. Like when I do the best is when you just go blank and you don't think about anything. 307 Faithful: It's it's a lot I I think golf and kicking are very similar to each other, Braxton Doak: Yes. 307 Faithful: aren't they? And that's probably why kickers are usually pretty good golfers. Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: is because of that mental aspect of of everything. So yeah, that that's it that's really I mean, if anybody if they wanna know how hard kicking is, just go out and try yourself to kick a Braxton Doak: Yeah, 307 Faithful: football over a a goalpost, right? Braxton Doak: Yeah. You're expected to be perfect from within fifty yards, so if you go out and go out and say try a forty yard field goal and if you go out and try it like a hash, when you're kicking off the hash and see how much different it is, like they're just literally moving six feet makes a big difference. It's crazy 'cause it's just different. It's literally like golfing. Like this is the best way to explain it. You hit the ball like a golf club. It's definitely a lot different. 307 Faithful: Yeah. So n you know, now that you're in a new place and you said you've you've found a good church, has it been and and you've been so busy, have you started school yet? Braxton Doak: yeah, I started last week. So 307 Faithful: Okay. Braxton Doak: I'm I'm majoring I'm gonna major in electrical engineering. So that's my yeah, I'm taking physics right now and then I'm taking a couple other generals right now. So yeah, I only got four I got three right now classes, but one one's like an eight week class and then my fourth class will start like the other eight weeks. So I'd technically taking four right now in the fall. 307 Faithful: So it is you know, with the move to someplace new, you know, you you kinda get in a rhythm where you're at, especially spiritually. I didn't know if that's true for you, but I I need to kinda have a rhythm, and a time that I generally try to be in his word, in prayer, whatever that might be. What's your rhythm? Like have you found that yet or do you are you a rhythm guy? Braxton Doak: Yeah, I yeah, yeah, I definitely am. I have to I have to have a very set schedule 'cause I'm like a very like I don't know, I have to have everything like set out, basically. 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: And like during fall camp it was pretty hard 'cause like you you wake up so early and then you're in like meetings, lift, practice. and then like you get a c I got like two hours of a break and then you go right back into meetings and then you go and like get lunch or I mean dinner or whatever and then like you're basically done at eight thirty at night. So my my schedule like during fall camp what I'd do is I'd like read in the morning right before I left. Do you something small and then I'd always try to we always would have something after practice so I'd get it in then and then at but my favorite time is like to read it before I go to bed. That's like one of my favorite times to read 'cause I can read for quite a while. And then I usually just go to sleep right after that. So that's usually like my schedule. But now I would say yeah, I read it in the morning, go to class, and then get like lunch or whatever and then go to practice and then come back home and read it again. That's basically been my schedule. 307 Faithful: Do you with your with your Bible reading, do you have a a a plan of attack when you when you read or w what's Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: that process? Braxton Doak: So the last two months I've been going through like the four like Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I've been going through all of those and like reading more in depthly and like I 307 Faithful: Mm-hmm. Braxton Doak: mean I have all of like right here. Of all my 307 Faithful: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Amen. Braxton Doak: so I've been going I just got done with Mark and then I'm almost halfway through Luke right now. So that's why I've been just going in depth and learning about Just like Jesus cause all those are like his like experiences. Those four are like 307 Faithful: Yeah. Yeah. Braxton Doak: and it's like testimonies for why like people believe in him. So I feel like that's my that's my like main focus right now and then I don't know what I'll get into after that. I I was thinking like Psalms was a good one I really wanted to get deep into 'cause it's got a lot of great things in it. I like that one a lot. But that's that's been my plan for the next couple months is going through those right now. 307 Faithful: Good for you, man. I I love journaling like you are there. I think I'd I really highly recommend that. I've been doing that for now going on fifteen, sixteen years. I have you can't see here, but I probably have about twelve journals that I've filled up and in that time and and just making notes on everything and how God speaks to you. And I I think it's just it's imprinted more on you if you write it down. you know. Braxton Doak: Yeah, I agree. Totally. 307 Faithful: I think that it it soaks a little bit deeper in and and I would tell you I I I I one of the things I do try to do regularly is when I I read a couple of chapters like you were saying from one w one of the New Testament I'm in right now, but then I always try to read one chapter of Psalms. Braxton Doak: Mm-hmm. 307 Faithful: and Psalms is there's so many good things to kind of lift you up and build you up and encourage you and Put joy and gratitude in your heart. And I I find why because I usually try to end with prayer. and I think Psalm is such a good motivator to to prayer Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: and usually gives me good guidance and how to pray and what I need to pray for. Are you if if there was a weakness, I I mean I always I don't know, I don't like to go that way or not, but if you had a weakness in your spiritual walk, where would you say that's at? Braxton Doak: hmm, that's a good that's a good question. I would say a lot of the times I dun I would say like trusting the process 'cause a lot of the times I want it to go my way and like how I think it's gonna go and like That's been my biggest emphasis the last couple of months is just like literally just taking it day by day and not thinking about what's gonna what the future's gonna hold for me because I just need to trust God and what that's got what He's got planned for me. Instead of like, I need to I need to start next year, I need to I need to do this, I need to do that and like that's probably my biggest problem 'cause like I've all I'm I mean I'm obviously like a big competitor. Like I wanna I wanna start next year, like that is my goal. And but I feel like if I just keep on thinking about that it's just gonna if that that's my main focus it that shouldn't be my main focus like God should be my main focus so always trying to like take a step back and like calm down a little bit because like I begin I I honestly be getting really like worked up over that stuff because like I'm just like I'm obviously a super high competitor and I want to do the 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: best I can and always but sometimes I gotta chill out a little bit so yeah that's what I would say is just like continue Continuing just taking it day by day and trusting God's plan and not worrying about what the future's gonna hold for me. 307 Faithful: I yeah, and that's been it I don't I think God's been trying to emphasize that in my life, really and when I talk to coaches or athletes, you know, it's that process is greater than the outcome. because the outcome has so many variables that you can't control, but enjoying the whole process of being Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: the best Braxton you can be the best kicker, the best student. those are all within your control. And so, Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: you know, I think that's the thing about it. Then then whatever happens, it happens, but you know that it happened because that's what God ordained for your life, right? And that's Braxton Doak: Yeah, I feel like that's that's been a big like thing I've been I was actually thinking about that the other day 'cause like I was like putting it into perspective like 'cause obviously like I wanna play and I wanna s start and I was just like not very many kids get a like experience this and it's a blessing that I 307 Faithful: Amen. Braxton Doak: got I got to ex I get to experience this and get to live out my dream. So like even if I'm not playing like I still get this great experience over the next five years. Like I always think back to that. I always try to because like this is I only get to do this for so long and like you never know, like five years I may I'm gonna I mean I'm gonna get a draft day, like I'm gonna get a I'm gonna be able to show off in front of NFL scouts in five years. Like I'm gonna get an opportunity to do that. Like I get it not very many people can say that. So like I feel like just realizing that it's a great blessing that I'm here and don't like take it for granted I guess like I guess you could say. So like 307 Faithful: Yeah, yeah. Braxton Doak: just always like take in the experience 'cause you don't get to do this for so long. 307 Faithful: That's right. Yeah, and it's it's it's hard to remind us of oursel of that because we just wanna get ahead of ourselves and make everything happen right away. And most of the most of the best blessings in life don't happen right away. we have to wait and that's for a reason. So and now that y tell me about your family. I I didn't even ask you about that. I mean now that you're in college, so far away from home, mom and dad are probably missing missing you a little bit, but Braxton Doak: Yeah, I was the I was the baby. So yeah, I was the baby. My sister just graduated from nursing school at the University of Wyoming. So she's been out for quite a while and yeah, no, my I think my parents are doing pretty good with it. I talk to them all the time. I talk to my grandma all the time. no but they're actually they're coming up here in like two weeks for that University of Wyoming game, so I'll get to see them again. And I mean I get I get a like a month off between like December and like January, I'm pretty sure. And then so I'll get to see again. but no, it was definitely it was definitely hard leaving so but no, it's been I just built another family here, so I mean 307 Faithful: Yeah. And I you know, it's a blessing nowadays with technology that we can be thousands Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: of miles away and still talk face to face Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: like this. So not like when I was growing up, but Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: s yeah and how about your friends from high school? Do you keep track of them or continue that relation those relationships? Braxton Doak: Yeah. I do, yeah. I text my best friend every day. His name's Dax Taylor. He was one of our f he played football. And yeah, no, he's been my best friend since like seventh grade. So like I be I always text him every day. I always see how he's doing and I mean he he's going to like he's going to flight school in Arizona, so he's gonna be pretty far too from home. He le I think he leaves in like a couple months or something like that. But yeah, no, I always keep in touch with him and I always like check up on some of our younger guys for like soccer and like football just to see how they're doing and like how the f how they think the football season's gonna go for example. I just texted one of our guys the other day and yeah no I still I still talk to all my boys from back home so 307 Faithful: Did they have much of an impact? d did you have friends around you that supported you in your faith as you were growing up? Braxton Doak: yeah, I would say so, yeah. I have a lot of I have a lot of friends that have pretty strong faith. I mean family's always of course been pretty strong in faith. Like I Lincoln 307 Faithful: Yeah. Yeah. Braxton Doak: Lincoln's super strong in faith. And I admire that about him 'cause he's super yeah, he's super strong in faith. And yeah, no. 307 Faithful: Very solid, so do you Braxton Doak: I I grew up with a lot of great people in my life, so 307 Faithful: Yeah. So you and you and you said kind of going back to that, because it just popped into my mind, you know, like you'd said that you there was there was just that time where things changed for you in your faith and and kind of your purpose and your motivation in your faith. Do you remember was there I I mean, and this is a hard question, was there something that happened or what what kind of ch in you know, what caused that change in your in your heart, Braxton? Braxton Doak: I bet a lot of I would say 'cause I was like obviously like in soccer, like I was the guy, like growing up and I feel like through my freshman and sophomore year I tend to treat people like I would say like I just I would say I I don't know, I wouldn't say I was like terrible towards people, but I also wasn't like I would say like the greatest teammate or like I've like connecting it to like sports I would say. 'Cause like it's I it was kinda like a pri I would say like my pride got like my pride was too high, I guess it if that makes sense, kind of. And I feel like I got humbled in a way. I don't I don't necessarily like I just like saw how I was like I I would say like treating kinda treating people in sports and I feel like I grew a lot in that aspect over the like going from the end of my sophomore year to like my senior year and like just treating everyone like God's biggest thing is treat your neighbor like yourself. And I feel like that was one of the biggest things. Like when I started to grow stronger in my faith, I like, that's probably something I need to change. And I mean I people would tell me like one of my coaches, for example, for soccer, like he told me he's like it's insane how much you've grown over the last like from your sophomore year to your senior year and like how great of a leader you are and like how great of a teammate you are and how you kinda humbled yourself a little bit, I feel like. So I feel like that was one of my biggest things was like like everyone's the same in like God's eyes and Just kinda connecting that to people and like treating everyone. 'Cause like that's my big that's one of my biggest things is like treating people how you wanna be treated basically. Like that's one of my like that's one of my strongest things I've believed in for the last like two, three years. 'Cause like like you want I feel like you should treat everyone with like how you like literally just like how I said, like how you wanna be treated. So I always 307 Faithful: Amen. Braxton Doak: wanna ask how people are doing. Just always just treat with respect. And that's one thing I feel like I I was really bad about like growing up was like respect and thinking I'm like better than people. So that's one thing that's changed in my life that I feel like I'm pretty proud of. 307 Faithful: That's a amen, man. I love that. And I I'd tell you one of the hardest the struggles that I have is I think sometimes we tend to do that without even thinking about it. is trying to like judge other people or look at them and as like, we're better than they are, or you know, yeah, especially like when you go to Walmart, right? and you walk in there and you're like, Well, I'm glad I'm not like them. and and that's wrong because God shows no partiality. He doesn't care how much money you have or how good an athlete you are or how good looking you are. it it doesn't matter and what what color of skin you have. We're all the same through Jesus Christ. And it's just it's just amazing that our normal n nature I I some people better than others, but our normal n nature is generally to judge ourselves against other people. And and sometimes Braxton Doak: Yeah. 307 Faithful: we do that without even really thinking about it. and so that's been also a challenge of mine. Everybody is a child of God. Everybody is made in God's image. And so why we think we're better than other people, especially when we're all sinners, that's that that takes a that's a big step for a person t Braxton Doak: Mm. 307 Faithful: to realize that. So it's really neat to hear how that changed you. and I and and I th Probably a lot of the reason you're you're where you're at right now, don't you think? Braxton Doak: Yeah, I totally yeah, I totally agree with that 'cause I mean I knew like I don't know, I would say like through sports I did have like tru I would say kind of troubles with like being like friends with my teammates just 'cause like I would always like like I I just I don't know, I just feel like I was not a good teammate and I could like see it now. Like I could see it the more Like I started to connect my faith and I was like, Yeah, I probably need to change something. So I feel like when I saw it when I I don't really know how to like I don't it's kinda hard to explain, 'cause like But like if you I mean people noticed like that about me and like once I started to change it, like multiple people like would bring that up, like parents or like they like would always like I had a lot of parents come up to me and like say like or coaches and say like how much I've changed and grown and like how like much better of a person I am through like a being like a teammate or like a friend I would say. So that's one thing that I would say is change. Yeah. 307 Faithful: Amen. And the fact that that's not possible really on your own ability. It's only by the spirit and the power of God to to help that change. And I th you know, you'd you definitely recognize that. And as you as you humble yourself, you can't help but be grateful for the the price that Jesus Braxton Doak: Mm. Yeah. 307 Faithful: paid for you, man. Braxton Doak: Yeah, I'm happy I learned it soon 'cause I feel like it's helped me a lot through 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: like just life in general. 'Cause like yeah, I could I just I just remember like a lot of certain times where I was just like, dude, what was I doing? Like Like I was just like not being a good teammate at all. And just like thinking I'm so much better than that guy and like why is he even like there or like anything anything like that. And it was just like thinking back to it, I was just like, dude, that's that was really bad. 307 Faithful: Yeah. Yeah. I think a lot of times we just do it without even thinking about it and and I I think that's the natural bent of our flesh is to to act like that and so it's kind of d denying yourself and taking up your cross and changing who you are because of because of what it what Jesus did for you. So hey, I admire that. I mean sometimes like looking I mean, you know, looking at ourselves in a mirror and seeing our blind spots is the the hardest thing because Braxton Doak: Hard. 307 Faithful: yeah. Like right like who wants to admit their their areas of weakness. but unless you can admit and see them, then you're not gonna change anything really. So yeah, so this is this is awesome. I I just again kinda crazy that we connected. I just wanted to also just find out like outside of football and outside of school and all that kind of stuff. you know, what's the fun side of Braxton like to do when he's not focused on on everything else? Braxton Doak: I'm a big video game guy. Love to play video games. here I d haven't really had much time to be honest with you. 'Cause the schedule's just like 307 Faithful: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Braxton Doak: But no, we got a g bunch of like great like all the other sports we hang out with. Like it's just fun hanging out with like everyone here 'cause like you're all like athletes so you like know like you just resonate kinda with each other and it's it's been super cool. I met a ton of different people, people from all over, like People from other countries, like there's yeah, 'cause there's a bunch of people that are from like Netherlands, for example, Mexico, like you you name it like and then there's people from Pennsylvania, Texas, like all over the place. So when you just get to see like I guess all those other different like kinda cultures, I guess. Like that was that was one thing that was different is like culture here. It's definitely a lot different from like Wyoming, all the people I've experienced there. But it's been super cool, like meeting all these new people and like growing like a friendship with them and a lot of other people that I've met super strong in their faith on our football team. It's just it's cool to see. 307 Faithful: I think they probably when you tell that you're from Wyoming they think you're from a foreign country. Braxton Doak: Yeah, no one knows where Wyoming is on a map, nor do they know anything about it. The only the only thing people that I've heard here that they've gone to Jackson. That's like the only thing that they've heard. Like that's the only thing they've Yeah. Yeah, for real. 307 Faithful: And you say, Jackson doesn't really count. That's not Wyoming, right? man. Well, this has been a a lot of fun and getting to know you and hear your story and just how you're growing and seeing that God's definitely working in you and has his hand on your life and that's that's a huge blessing and that's why I wanted to do this is because other people, you know, will or have gone through the same thing and it's a great encouragement for them. So Braxton Doak: Mm. 307 Faithful: what we'll do here to end things, I'm gonna pray for you, Braxton. So that's kinda how we finish things off with this podcast. So I'm gonna go ahead and take my cap off. Braxton Doak: Okay. 307 Faithful: And I'll pray for you. Father, thank you for this interview today. Thank you for this podcast. Thank you for the guests that we've had on here, the different stories, and just always let your spirit lead us in discussion. thank you for Braxton and it just what a what an encouragement to see how you are working on him, how you're changing his heart. that you helped him to be able to see his blind spot and that you spoke to him and gave him the courage to be able to to overcome that and and work on becoming a new person. you know, your word says that when we put our trust in you, we we're a new creation and and we can see that in in Braxton's life. So I just pray for his time at Central Michigan as he competes, Father, I just pray that you would bless him with the ability to to compete to the utmost, Father, just the the highest level that he can and trusting in your plan whatever happens. I just pray for all of his friendships, his education, be with his family. I know they're missing him and I just pray that you would continue to knit their hearts together. So we're grateful for this time together and just give you all glory in your name. Amen. Braxton Doak: Amen. 307 Faithful: So that was awesome. Thanks, Braxton. Anything else Braxton Doak: Yes, sir. 307 Faithful: anything else you can think of? I I guess anything that we didn't cover that you wanted to t have anybody hear or say to anybody? Not to put you on the spot, but to put you on the spot. Braxton Doak: I would just say if anyone's looking to go play college sports, just know God's got a plan and just keep grinding 'cause that's what I did and that's what got me here, so 307 Faithful: Amen. All right. Well, thanks again. good luck. I'm excited to see what happens. I'll be following the central Michigan Chippewas. obviously Braxton Doak: Sir. 307 Faithful: y everybody can come and support you. do the it's Braxton Doak: Sir. 307 Faithful: is it next season or the following season that you guys will be here? Braxton Doak: It's next yeah, it's next season. So next so yeah, I'll 307 Faithful: Okay. So Braxton Doak: be I'll be going to Wyoming next year, so that's gonna be 307 Faithful: That'll be the we a weird feeling, won't it? Braxton Doak: Yeah, it's gonna be I can't wait though. I l it's gonna be so 307 Faithful: Yeah. Braxton Doak: awesome. 307 Faithful: Well that's great. Thanks for spending time with us. Braxton Doak: Yes, sir. 307 Faithful: Okay, have a good day. Braxton Doak: Are you two? 307 Faithful: All right, that was Braxton Doak, originally f native of Green River, Wyoming now. placeker for Central Michigan Chippewas. What a what an awesome story. And just as he really sh shared his heart with us, you know, that's what I love, is to to hear what he battled with and how he was able to change that and that he did that just because he knew that's not who he should be as a follower of Christ and how that really transformed and changed his heart and continues to do that. So that was that was really, really good. I just wanted to to finish this broadcast and just again tell everybody thanks for listening. It's been a a lot of fun to continue to grow this. Follow us on Instagram. you can catch our videos on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, and also again, just continuing to say thank you to the breadboard of lander and and just promoting that business because they supported fca and the wrestling camp we had in lander and and we are so grateful for that so if you have never been to lander and you're there and you need a meal great sandwiches at the breadboard and tell shame that Devin sent you that FCA sent you because we're grateful for his contribution. So thanks again everybody hope the fall season's starting off really well for all of you athletes and coaches out there. It's gonna be a fun one with with all the fall sports starting back up again. So have a great day and God bless.