Lorenzo Romar: A man of faith

This weekend’s Athletes in Action Classic holds special meaning for coach Lorenzo Romar, who spent seven years with AIA.

Romar’s bio says: “He played in 233 games, starting 224, during seven years as a player for AIA. Romar served as player-coach in 1989 and directed the team to 21 wins in 1991-92, including a victory over NCAA Final Four participant Florida. That year he averaged 24.4 points, 5.9 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 54.5 percent from the field, including 49.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and 83.7 percent from the free throw line. In 1992, the 34-year-old Romar scored 45 points against Michigan’s “Fab Five” freshmen, who went on to reach the NCAA championship game. Romar set single game records while an AIA player for most points (54) and assists (21). He remains the team’s all-time assist leader (1,689) and No. 2 in all-time scoring (4,244).”

Earlier this week, Romar talked about his time with AIA.

(What are your thoughts?) “I spent seven years with Athletes and Action. It was probably seven of the most important years of my life. It definitely means something.”

(More on AIA) “I had become a Christian in 1983 and I joined Athletes and Action in 1985 and being with them in the full-time ministry for seven years really allowed me to hone in on my faith and be really grounded in my faith. It was really good. It was probably the way I coach now and the way I go about my business had a lot to do with being with Athletes in Action.

“It also gave me an opportunity to coach and make mistakes in obscurity where no one was critiquing it.”

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Desmond%20Signing Lorenzo Romar: A man of faith