The Inner Game of Campus Ministry
By Rosie Chinea Shawver
Reflections Inspired by W. Timothy Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Tennis
When I picked up The Inner Game of Tennis, I didn’t expect a book about sports performance to mirror so closely the daily rhythm of campus ministry. Yet, by Chapter 3, Gallwey’s insight into the “two selves” and the mental chatter that blocks our best play felt almost tailor-made for ministers striving to serve students amid constant expectations and self-critique.
I first read this book when I was in high school, playing on the varsity tennis team. Back then, it was all about learning how to keep my mind quiet and trust the swing. Now, decades later, my daughter is a freshman and also playing varsity tennis. I picked the book up again to help her with her inner tennis game and found myself realizing how profoundly it also speaks to the inner game of ministry. Some lessons never lose their relevance; they simply deepen as life unfolds.
1. The Battle Within: Self 1 vs. Self 2
Gallwey introduces two selves: Self 1, the analytical, judging voice that wants control, and Self 2, the natural, intuitive self that simply does. In tennis, Self 1 says, “Keep your wrist straight! Don’t miss this shot!” and, ironically, those commands tighten the muscles and cause the miss.
In campus ministry, Self 1 is the inner critic that whispers, “You should have said that better in your homily,” or “You’re not doing enough for your students.” Self 2 is the Spirit-led minister present, trusting, responsive. When we let Self 2 lead, ministry becomes less about perfection and more about participation in God’s grace.
Students experience this same inner struggle daily. Their Self 1 tells them they must perform, ace the exam, land the internship, fit in, be holy enough, or make everyone proud. It’s exhausting. As ministers, we can help students tune into their Self 2, the part of them that trusts God’s presence within, that acts from love rather than fear. This happens when we model gentleness toward ourselves, invite them into prayerful awareness instead of self-critique, and remind them that discipleship isn’t a performance, it’s a relationship.
2. Quieting the Mind to Notice
Gallwey teaches that improvement comes not through judgment but through awareness: watching the ball, noticing patterns, and allowing the body to adjust naturally. Similarly, in ministry, growth begins with noticing the needs of students, the campus culture, our own interior life, without rushing to fix everything.
Silence, prayer, and contemplative awareness are the “watching the ball” moments of ministry. They create space for God to teach through experience rather than through our overplanning or worry.
3. Trusting What God Already Planted
Gallwey invites players to trust the body’s innate learning process. Ministers, too, are invited to trust what God has already planted, in students, in our teams, and in ourselves. Formation isn’t micromanagement; it’s accompaniment.
When we step back from forcing outcomes, numbers, programs, conversions, and instead focus on presence, listening, and gentle encouragement, we often witness the deepest transformation.
4. The Freedom of Play
Perhaps the most liberating message so far is that tennis, like faith, is meant to be played. Play requires freedom, humility, and joy. When ministry feels heavy, it’s often because we’ve turned it into performance rather than participation.
Campus ministers who rediscover the “inner game” approach find joy again in small victories, a conversation after Mass, a student returning to prayer, a team member stepping into leadership.
5. From the Court to the Campus: Empowered by the Spirit
Reading Gallwey through the lens of Empowered by the Spirit brings even greater depth. The U.S. bishops remind us that campus ministry is not merely about programs but about formation, helping students discover God already at work within them. This mirrors Gallwey’s message perfectly: that true growth comes from trust, awareness, and freedom, not control.
Just as Gallwey teaches athletes to believe that “there is a natural way already within you,” Empowered by the Spirit calls ministers to believe that the Spirit is already alive on campus. Our role is not to manufacture grace but to cooperate with it, to notice where it’s unfolding and gently draw it forward.
Closing Thought
Gallwey’s wisdom transcends the court: mastery isn’t about control but about letting go. The same is true for ministry. When we quiet Self 1 and let Self 2, the Spirit within, take the lead, we serve more freely, love more deeply, and trust that God is already at work on every campus.