--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt that's why I've been…" description: "\"I've always felt that's why I've been here. Masquerading around as a football player so I can tell people about the Lord, hopefully point them to Chris..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/matthew-slater-6690_ball-player_i-ve-always-felt-that-s-why-i-ve-been-he_2331138.jpg" --- # I've always felt that's why I've been here. Masquerading… ![“I've always felt that's why I've been here. Masquerading around as a football player so I can tell people about the Lord, hopefully point them to Christ, build relationships, connect with people and football will always, in my mind, be second to that.” quote by Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/matthew-slater-6690_ball-player_i-ve-always-felt-that-s-why-i-ve-been-he_2331138.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/matthew-slater-6690_ball-player_i-ve-always-felt-that-s-why-i-ve-been-he_2331138.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/matthew-slater-6690_ball-player_i-ve-always-felt-that-s-why-i-ve-been-he_2331138.jpg) > “I've always felt that's why I've been here. Masquerading around as a football player so I can tell people about the Lord, hopefully point them to Christ, build relationships, connect with people and football will always, in my mind, be second to that.” [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He uses football as a platform to share his faith and build relationships, prioritizing spiritual purpose over sport. **In simple terms:** He plays football to talk about Christ and connect with people. Key Takeaway Make faith the priority, not the game. Themes faith purpose relationships sports evangelism Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - team meetings - community outreach - personal testimony - mentoring youth Key Concepts spiritual leadership mission authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep your message authentic in a secular environment? - What sacrifices are needed to keep faith first? A Different Perspective Balancing competitive pressure with spiritual goals can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ball player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-player/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-mind-469646/) [Football player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-player/) [Masquerading Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masquerading-football-5607372/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-football-1066890/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Ve Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-felt/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [Football is everything, mind, heart, talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-simeone/football-is-everything-mind-heart-talent/) [Diego Simeone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-simeone/) > [I'm not even thinking about going back to play football at all. My mind's made up. I'm done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keyshawn-johnson/i-m-not-even-thinking-about-going-back-to-play-football-at-all-my/) [Keyshawn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keyshawn-johnson/) > [I don't think some of the people who come to Old Trafford can spell football, never mind understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-keane/i-don-t-think-some-of-the-people-who-come-to-old-trafford-can-spell/) [Roy Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-keane/) > [There's a lot of young talent. I felt strongly that we wanted somebody with a great football mind who'd make it their mission to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-khan/there-s-a-lot-of-young-talent-i-felt-strongly-that-we-wanted-somebody/) [Shahid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-khan/) > [I love to see Favre playing his best football, and if his mind his right, he'll probably have a fine season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-jaworski/i-love-to-see-favre-playing-his-best-football-and-if-his-mind-his/) [Ron Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-jaworski/) > [I was really talented at football and my mind was opened up by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-barton/i-was-really-talented-at-football-and-my-mind-was-opened-up-by-it/) [Joey Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-barton/) > [A piece of my heart will always be in football, but my mind ended it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-borland/a-piece-of-my-heart-will-always-be-in-football-but-my-mind-ended-it/) [Chris Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-borland/) > [I give all my life to football; I only think about football. This is what is on my mind all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-salah/i-give-all-my-life-to-football-i-only-think-about-football-this-is/) [Mohamed Salah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-salah/) > [I realised I'd been spoiled at Liverpool. We were used to winning. In Italy I grew up as a person. I didn't enjoy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rush/i-realised-i-d-been-spoiled-at-liverpool-we-were-used-to-winning-in/) [Ian Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rush/) > [I experienced how Pep Guardiola worked every day. He had football on his mind round the clock: 'What system does the opponent like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-lahm/i-experienced-how-pep-guardiola-worked-every-day-he-had-football-on/) [Philipp Lahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-lahm/) > [I go home and football is not on my mind. I can just be a normal person, relax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-white/i-go-home-and-football-is-not-on-my-mind-i-can-just-be-a-normal/) [Ben White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-white/) > [I've been lucky to have some awesome people around me, not only in football, but in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/i-ve-been-lucky-to-have-some-awesome-people-around-me-not-only-in/) [Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/) > [The passion the British people have for football - they live for football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervinho/the-passion-the-british-people-have-for-football-they-live-for/) [Gervinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervinho/) > [There are a lot of bad people in football, and players can be afraid to go to stadiums and get abused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-griezmann/there-are-a-lot-of-bad-people-in-football-and-players-can-be-afraid/) [Antoine Griezmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-griezmann/) > [There is a version of me people see. I don't think I play up to it, I think it's more other people put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-warnock/there-is-a-version-of-me-people-see-i-don-t-think-i-play-up-to-it-i/) [Neil Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-warnock/) ## More by Matthew Slater > [I want to make sure we clear something up - Christmas is not a distraction, especially for me with my faith and the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/i-want-to-make-sure-we-clear-something-up-christmas-is-not-a/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [I will always consider myself a New England Patriot. So, if I can serve in the role of a coach, administrator on the staff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/i-will-always-consider-myself-a-new-england-patriot-so-if-i-can-serve/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [We understand that anything that's been done in the past has no bearing on what we do moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/we-understand-that-anything-that-s-been-done-in-the-past-has-no/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [I'm a man who is far from perfect, but I really feel like the Lord has done a lot of great things in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/i-m-a-man-who-is-far-from-perfect-but-i-really-feel-like-the-lord-has/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [I think if you go into the season with a defeatist mindset, then you can't expect to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/i-think-if-you-go-into-the-season-with-a-defeatist-mindset-then-you/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [Whatever you have to do to put the team and the success of the team first is what I see as being 'the Patriot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/whatever-you-have-to-do-to-put-the-team-and-the-success-of-the-team/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [There's a lot of speculation as to the future of the kickoff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/there-s-a-lot-of-speculation-as-to-the-future-of-the-kickoff/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [You think about Steve Tasker and his impact on the game of football, Bill Bates, the list goes on. The kicking game has meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/you-think-about-steve-tasker-and-his-impact-on-the-game-of-football/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [Each day that we have to get up and wake up in our right minds, get out of our beds, interact with our families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/each-day-that-we-have-to-get-up-and-wake-up-in-our-right-minds-get/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [There's a thin line between playing with a sense of urgency and playing a little too tight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/there-s-a-thin-line-between-playing-with-a-sense-of-urgency-and/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [I think as professionals we have to understand that we have a job to do. We have to prepare ourselves regardless of the circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/i-think-as-professionals-we-have-to-understand-that-we-have-a-job-to/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [When guys are getting double teamed, there are going to be guys getting freed up and they have to make plays when they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/when-guys-are-getting-double-teamed-there-are-going-to-be-guys/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [The preseason obviously is a different feel and you go to the regular season and it's a much different feel; the speed. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/the-preseason-obviously-is-a-different-feel-and-you-go-to-the-regular/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [To me, my faith is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/to-me-my-faith-is-everything/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [We understand it's a 60-minute game. Things are going to go your way, then things are not going to go your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/we-understand-it-s-a-60-minute-game-things-are-going-to-go-your-way/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) [Explore all 98 Matthew Slater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) ## More Ball player quotes > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I have friends in other industries but if I am training for a wrestling match, I would turn to the best wrestler to train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-have-friends-in-other-industries-but-if-i-am-training-for-a/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I competed every day as a professional football player... You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“I can’t wait to knock you up and have a whole team of little baseball players around this place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/i-can-t-wait-to-knock-you-up-and-have-a-whole-team-of-little-baseball/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [I'm a basketball player, so I want to do whatever I've got to do to be on the floor and I'm prepared for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-m-a-basketball-player-so-i-want-to-do-whatever-i-ve-got-to-do-to-be/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere. While others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-yourself-in-print-is-such-an-amazing-concept-you-can-get-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A lot of scouts and people are enamored with athleticism and youth. So they take that any day over mature, high-quality basketball players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/a-lot-of-scouts-and-people-are-enamored-with-athleticism-and-youth-so/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [I'm a baseball player. I've done this my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-m-a-baseball-player-i-ve-done-this-my-whole-life/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) [Browse all 1,395 Ball player quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-player/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always felt that's why I've been here. 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