Northland FCA Blog

I Thought I was Blessed

spearson@fca.org (Shelley Pearson) — Wed, 07 May 2025 20:12:13 GMT

“I thought I was blessed. They said they were blessed more.”

Isn’t the Lord good to us that He blesses us in innumerable ways, and in ways we often don’t expect? He is a great God – both here in the United States and around the world, even in tiny little countries like Lesotho.

Mahooana is the leader of Sports for Life Lesotho, a partner organization of FCA. For the last several months, he has been planning a Coaches Time Out (CTO) marriage retreat, and he would be the first one to say that he was nervous. He wasn’t sure how best to do it. He wanted it to be a meaningful experience for the coaches and their spouses, but he had never attended a CTO, so how would he know what to do? He reached out to me for help. As a connector between our Northland and Southern Africa teams, I did my job and connected him to Russ Bahr, Area Director for Central Wisconsin. Russ and Mahooana met in South Africa in December of 2023 and have formed a solid friendship.

Russ and Mahooana had a couple Zoom calls where Russ shared what worked for him in Wisconsin, and Mahooana was able to adjust that for his culture. The results of the CTO were nothing short of amazing. The event started at 7 pm on a Friday evening, but several of the couples came from such a distance that they did not arrive until 10 pm. Mahooana brought food to their rooms and told them he would see them in the morning.

The next day, the group of 10 coaches and their spouses were served by Mahooana’s board and heard from three pastors on how to love each other well. The second in command at the police department (a key community official) also shared about the hard things that can happen in marriage and how to avoid those things (by staying close to Jesus and loving each other well). The teaching time ended before lunch, and the group set out to do some fun activities.

However, during those activities, something unexpected happened. The group craved more of the teaching. They wanted more group discussion. They needed to sit with their fellow coaches and their spouses, share their experiences with each other, and talk about how to love well.

So that’s what they did. They reconvened over dinner and spent the next several hours discussing their experiences and how they can be better spouses. One coach shared that often when he goes to bed the night before a game, he is usually thinking through strategy for the game and not about his wife. Then after the game, if his team lost, he always wanted to be alone. But after the discussion, he realized that there are people in this world who love and care about them as coaches, and he needs to be with them instead of trying to be alone. He was so grateful to Mahooana for pouring into him. He said people often forget about the coaches, so for Mahooana and his board to serve them in this way was really special.

The group was supposed to leave town at 9 am Sunday morning, but they all lingered until mid-afternoon because it had been such a positive experience. Many of them said they need something like this at the start and end of every season because of how taxing it is to be a coach and the spouse of a coach. Each one is ready to return for the next CTO.

Mahooana got emotional when talking about it. He said, “My heart was touched to see how the guys responded. It was amazing. I want to thank all the people I have connected with to make this happen. They have touched so many hearts besides mine. I thought I was blessed. [The coaches] said they were blessed more.”

FCA’s Northland Region provided funds for this CTO as well as Coaches Bibles, The Four bracelets, and other gifts. The lead coach for the U17 team in the district received an extra special gift: a soccer ball that Mahooana had gotten from Swayze Waters in November (Swayze is an FCA staff person who is launching a One Ball project in East Africa and was kind enough to share one of these balls with each Southern Africa teammate. Mahooana has been holding onto his until just the right moment). Mahooana said, “I felt like if I give him that ball it has the chance to be played or shared by all U17 kids in the district. That One Ball can be kicked by so many kids.”

10 coaches, 10 spouses, Mahooana and his wife, the pastors and board members, and the Northland Region are so very blessed. We have such a tremendous opportunity to come alongside the work God is doing throughout Southern Africa: CTOs like this, camps, tournaments, and numerous other ways to bring the hope of Christ through sport. It is a blessing to be a blessing.

Tanzania and Taekwondo

spearson@fca.org (Shelley Pearson) — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 20:42:09 GMT

God at work through Tanzania and beyond

Gerald’s grandfather had three wives (yes, at once) and twenty children, the oldest of whom was Gerald’s mother. His parents separated when he was a young boy, and his mother raised him and his three siblings on her own in Kigamboni, a small village near Dar es salaam, Tanzania. “Dar,” as residents refer to the city, lies on the eastern coast of Africa next to the Indian Ocean. With three million people, it is the largest city in Tanzania, the former capital, and a major economic hub. The climate is warm with average highs in the mid-80s to 90s throughout the year, and according to Gerald, the people are friendly.

Gerald is one of our international teammates. He lives in an apartment in Dar and is preparing for his marriage to Jackline later this year. He is currently in the “fiancé process,” which includes formal family introductions, a dowry arrangement and agreement on date of payment, and official engagement at the church. After that, they can finally begin planning for the wedding ceremony.

Transforming Madagascar

spearson@fca.org (Shelley Pearson) — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 20:28:09 GMT

One Man's Dream to Change an Island

What is the first thing you think of when you hear “Madagascar”?

Lemurs? The island country of Madagascar is home to 110 species of lemurs. Instead of the “Big Five,” they have the “Small One.”

Vanilla? Madagascar vanilla is among the highest quality in the world.

Baobab Tree? It’s the national tree of Madagascar and is often called the “Tree of Life” because of its ability to bear fruit even in the driest seasons.

King Julian singing, “I like to move it, move it”? Okay, that has nothing to do with the country of Madagascar and everything to do with the movie by the same title that is not actually accurate to the country (except, of course, the lemurs).

Moreno? This is the answer given by FCA staff involved in FCA’s international ministry. Moreno is one of our international teammates and has lived in Madagascar all his life. He has been doing sports ministry for 16 years and connected to FCA for the past six years. Moreno can attest to the fact that there are many species of lemurs in his country and that the vanilla there is so good. When asked if he knew that we have a movie in the United States called Madagascar, he just smiled and said, “Yes, I know . . . It is good.”ur post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Danny: Making Disciples in Tanzania

spearson@fca.org (Shelley Pearson) — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:00:46 GMT

How God is using Danny in Tanzania to build His Kingdom

Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined together in 1964 to become the country of Tanzania. A country five times the area of South Dakota (and 60 times the population!), Tanzania is found on the eastern side of the lower one-third of Africa.

Our FCA teammate, Danny, lives in the mountainous northern zone of Tanzania with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two kids. He lives in Longido Town in the Longido District of Arusha (the city of Arusha is made up of six districts). Unlike more rural communities, they have access to a nearby hospital, water, and electricity.

Transforming Zambia through Amazing Grace

spearson@fca.org (Shelley Pearson) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:40:22 GMT

God Working through a Community . . . and a Country

Coach VanOverschelde - Presence

Mon, 16 May 2022 20:49:04 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Mitchell, South Dakota

Presence.

For Coach Kent VanOverschelde, a social studies teacher and football coach at Mitchell High School in South Dakota, the presence of others has had a significant impact on his faith, coaching, and family life. It has been so powerful that he strives daily to be a presence in the lives of other coaches across the state of South Dakota, as well as the athletes and staff at Mitchell High School and throughout his community.

Presence of Others

FCA has played a large role in Kent’s faith journey. He said, “The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the relationships I’ve built with Brian Hansen [FCA Area Rep], Coach Young, and others just go on and on, and I’ve benefited greatly. Where I’m at today is a lot due to the mentorship of coaches who have helped and guided me in that process. They were and are people that I spent time with who saw that I needed additional teaching in coaching and living my life.”

These coaches and FCA staff have had a steady presence in Kent’s life and have often showed up just when Kent needed them. For example, when he arrived in Mitchell after several years of teaching in Minnesota, he was considering where he wanted to take the football program. At the very time he was struggling through that process, he ran into FCA volunteer and retired University of Sioux Falls football coach Ron Young in the hallway. Kent said, “He came into my life at a time when I really needed someone to lean on and provide that support.”

Coach Young’s simple presence – just being there in the hallway and starting a conversation at the precise moment Kent needed - had tremendous impact that Kent remembers years later. The same has been true of other volunteers and FCA staff. Kent said, “Brian Hansen and Coach Young have always been consistent and timely. Brian will often bring me new resources, and other times he will just visit. It’s always valuable, helpful, and supportive to be able to call them friends and to know we have a group in the state that through thick or thin, they’re supporting coaches.”

Presence to other Coaches

As Kent has been engaged and equipped through FCA, he is now empowered to bring what he’s learned to others. Today, Kent serves as the president of both the South Dakota High School Coaches Association and the South Dakota Football Coaches Association. This gives him tremendous opportunity to support coaches throughout the state and be that presence in their lives, both in challenging times and great times. As he walks alongside these coaches, opportunities to share the ministry of FCA are abundant. Kent said, “It’s such a natural relationship between athletics/sports, our faith, the mission of FCA, and helping coaches lead and have a support system.”

FCA has had access to numerous coaches clinics, and through 3D coaches training have taught many coaches about the importance of mind, body, and spirit in coaching. That last component often leads to sharing the Gospel and introducing the importance of the faith component in coaching. Kent said, “When we’re intentional in continuing to strive to advance our understanding and belief and it’s a consistent part of our lives, that ability to go from transactional to transformational is an important piece.”

Besides speaking at coaches clinics and providing 3D coaches training, Kent and others started a coaches study over Zoom when Covid started, and a core group continues to meet today. “They are unbelievable men and women that lead and direct as teachers and coaches in the state of South Dakota,” Kent said. “We’ve formed a tightly knit group where we are intentional about sharing in the faith. It’s inspiring and a time I really cherish because we go through the same challenges and want to be at our best as teachers and coaches, and more importantly as parents and spouses. The mentorship of our FCA group makes me more intentional in the classroom and at home.”

Presence Reaching Further

God’s Presence through People

Presence makes a huge impact on the lives of others, and God is revealing His presence to coaches and athletes around South Dakota through FCA staff, retired coaches who serve in FCA coaches ministry, and coaches like Kent who desire to come alongside coaches and athletes in a meaningful way. He is drawing people to Himself in the simple way of leading people to do life together, to walk together when considering what a football program should look like, or the more difficult things of life, like losing a student to suicide or facing community pressure in sports.

God is doing the work, and He is moving through the influencers, like Kent, to bring His love to the coaches and athletes in South Dakota.

Coach Grant Olson - Not In Charge

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 17:31:13 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Fargo, North Dakota

“He’s in charge. Not me.”

“Coach says” are two of the most uttered words out of athletes’ mouths during the sports season. With that influence comes great power – power that could drive a coach to become either hard-driving, control-seeking, and self-promoting or to build athletes up, create a positive team atmosphere, and speak truth into the lives of athletes.

What determines how a coach uses the power given to them by their position? It’s an attitude of the heart.

Grant Olson is the linebacker coach at North Dakota State University, and he knows that the influence he holds as a coach comes directly from God. Grant says, “He’s in charge, not me.” As Coach Olson consistently submits to Christ’s Lordship, he leads from the perspective that while he is in a position of great power, he is not in control.

Jeff Curtis, FCA Area Rep, said this about Olson: “Fellowship of Christian Athletes longs for coaches like Grant Olson. His love for Jesus and desire for truth have been contagious throughout his area of influence. Coach Olson truly cares for the coaches and athletes around him and it all stems from the life transforming work of Jesus Christ. Olson’s identity is grounded in Christ, and that doesn’t change whether he’s at home, in the office, or on the sideline.”

Early Days at NDSU

Olson, a graduate of Wayzata High School in Minnesota, played football at NDSU. He holds the school record for single-game tackles (29) and was part of three NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championship teams. His success on the field was outstanding, but when asked what he is most proud of from his playing days, he said it was being voted team captain. He said, “When others say you’re a leader and they respect you and want you to be a leader on that team, it is a great compliment.”

A Move to Coaching

After graduation, he took a coaching job in Wyoming where FCA became a great partner to him. He was part of a coaches Bible study where he learned from godly coaches who wanted to build into him as he walked through some challenges. The entire FCA Wyoming team supported him in his coaching and in his life. When he left Wyoming, his faith foundation had grown even stronger as had his love for FCA.

After two years in Indiana, Coach Olson landed back at NDSU as the linebacker coach where he has now led his team to three NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championships. He continues to grow as a coach, as a person, and most importantly, as a Christ-follower. His coaching philosophy reflects that as he coaches with a priority toward honesty and respect (truth and love). He said, “You can’t love someone not in truth. You can’t coach someone when you’re not honest with them, but I always do it with love.”

The Support of FCA

Olson is grateful to FCA for supporting him as a coach so that he can do what God has called him to. He remains part of a coaches Bible study that makes a tangible impact on his life. He said, “The days where we have coaches Bible study, I’m a better coach, a kinder coach, a better husband and to have other people notice it continues to remind me that I’m nothing without Christ.” In addition, Curtis is a tremendous support as the team chaplain. Olson said, “You need someone not in your immediate circle that you can talk to who can be a sounding board. He can pour into us and encourage us. We spend so much time pouring into others and don’t always have people pouring into us.” FCA can provide that source of encouragement and refreshing.

Coach Olson understands that God has given him the skills and desire to be a great coach. More importantly, he knows God has called him to be ready to shine Christ’s love wherever he is. FCA is grateful for coaches like Grant Olson and is thankful for the opportunity to engage, equip, and empower them to become the most effective coaches possible.

Coach Pat Fee - Purpose Over Points

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 19:30:32 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Weyauwega, WI

We’ve all witnessed coaches who are consumed with the scoreboard at all costs, where coaching is only about a series of transactions that lead to points. Every decision is made with the end goal of how it will impact the scoreboard.

And then there are the coaches who are the exact opposite, where it’s only about how athletes feel. When they make decisions, they couldn’t care less about whether any points are scored during any game in the season.

Both types of coaches make any sports enthusiast cringe (some of you did when you were reading about one or the other above), but there is another type of coach. This coach values purpose over points and transformation over transactions. The scoreboard matters but is not the be-all, end-all. Instead, it’s the relationships, the teamwork, and the pouring into lives that becomes central to the game.

Coach Pat Fee is one of these transformational coaches, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has empowered him to continually grow into that role.

Meet Coach Fee

Fee is from Birchwood, a small town in northwestern Wisconsin. He played football at the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and began coaching there while majoring in physical education and minoring in coaching and history (yes, history). He has since been teaching and coaching at the high school level for over 25 years. The last 19 years have been spent on the eastern side of the state at Weyauwega-Fremont (wai·uh·WEE·guh / FREE·maant for the non-Wisconsites) where he teaches weight training and history and has served as the head football coach and head strength coach.

Getting Involved in FCA

With that resolve, he reached out to Andrew Draper, Northland Region’s Sports Camp Director. Their first conversation, Coach Fee knew he had found something special. He said, “Draper told me how it worked to coach at camp, and he said to bring my family. I was like ‘What? That isn’t normal!’ Usually, you’re leaving your family, and he said to bring them.” That was the first indication that this wasn’t your normal sports camp, and the camp experience confirmed it in huge ways. He said, “It was deeper - it was this Holy-Spirit led awesomeness, that iron sharpening iron.” It has since become a great ministry to him and his family at the same time he ministers to the campers.

As he has become more and more equipped and empowered to coach and lead through sports camp and FCA staff, he now supports the huddle at the high school. It is led by a volunteer, but he plugs camps and comes alongside the leader when needed. And his son is a huddle leader (another reason camp is such a great place for coaches and their families).

Trusting God’s Plan

Looking Forward

He may not know what the future holds, but there are a few things he does know. He knows he and his family will be part of sports camp this summer. He is thankful camp has moved from Luther College in Iowa to the University of Northwestern – St. Paul and believes it will allow the camp to grow and increase attendance of Wisconsin campers. He said, “I think this location is just going to explode.”

He knows that he will take what he’s learned about purpose and transformation and bring that to whatever he does next, whether as a teacher and strength coach or something completely different.

Above all, Coach Fee knows that God has a plan and that it’s a good plan. His identity is not in who he is as a coach but in who he is in Christ as a child of God. FCA has been a part of the journey that’s led him to that place and will be part of whatever plans God has for Coach Fee next.

Coach Humbert - Praying & Multiplying

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 18:00:52 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Rainy River, Minnesota

Rainy River Community College is a small college in International Falls on the border between Minnesota in the United States and Ontario, Canada. It is set in the beautiful scenery and fresh air of the Minnesota Northwoods. It may seem like just another small college in rural America, but it captured the heart of Dieter Humbert many years ago as a college student and still captures him today.

Humbert grew up on a small farm in Minnesota several hours from International Falls. He played basketball through high school, for two years at Rainy River Community College and another two years at Minnesota State University – Moorhead where he received a degree in Marketing.

Returning to Rainy River

Humbert pursued a marketing career in St. Cloud before God drew him back to Rainy River 35 years ago as a coach. He spent his first three years there as assistant men’s basketball coach before assuming the role of women’s basketball head coach. He then added softball several years later. During his tenure as head coach, his teams have gone to multiple regional, state, and national championships in both basketball and softball. He has been selected as the MCAC Northern Division Coach of the Year and the NJCAA Division III Region 13B Coach of the Year in both women’s basketball and softball (twice) and the NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year when his women’s basketball team won the national championship.

That prayer time has made a significant impact on the teams, but that’s not all.

The Start of the FCA Huddle

Humbert knew nothing of FCA in high school or college and wasn’t on board with starting a huddle when initially approached about it. Humbert said, “Cal Barr [FCA Area Director] came to one of the Rainy River games I was coaching and saw how I wrestled with the competitiveness of the game. He talked to me after the game about how God could transform that competitiveness to more joy, peace, and love. He didn’t pressure me but let it permeate in my soul.”

Standing through Opposition

Humbert, of course, faces opposition because he is carrying out God’s work. He has been challenged for living out his faith, but he said, “Each time the person who created the problem retired the next year.” He went on to address the opposition coaches sometimes face: “It’s a challenge, but there’s always been the test. Sometimes we fight the world. Sometimes we fight jealousy, accomplishment, or vanity. I know I need to be the best example, yet the devil challenges me all the time. Sometimes I think he’s got it out for me more than other people because I am a threat to him. Every day you need to realize he will try to intervene, divide and conquer, but you can’t let him win.”

Coach Humbert is living out Ephesians 6 where Paul talks about the armor of God. He has learned that “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (6:12) and to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (6:10). In doing this, he reflects Christ’s love to dozens of athletes each year.

Empowered coaches like Humbert are bringing Christ’s love to high school and college campuses all around the Northland Region, and it is the prayer and goal of the region to see at least one coach like Coach Humbert on every campus in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The difference one multiplying coach can make on a single campus is immense.

Coach Thompson - For I Know the Plans

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 16:50:22 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Brookings, South Dakota

To and through the coach.

This strategy brings the mission and vision of FCA to fruition: to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes and to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.

FCA has seen the incredible impact a single coach can have when engaged in a growing relationship with Christ, equipped to lead and serve fellow coaches and athletes, and empowered to do the work.

To the Coach

Brock Thompson attended the weekly FCA huddle at Blair High School in Nebraska. He grew in his faith, but it wasn’t until years later that God really grabbed hold of his life. He attended the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. In the fall of his senior year, he took a job coaching a high school girls soccer team. That was a major turning point in his life. He says, “At the end of that season I remember feeling called - like this is my path. I had changed my major four times thinking healthcare. That was the first time I felt called to go down a new path.”

After graduating with a degree in Biology Education, he served as head coach of the women’s soccer team for three years at Mary (at the age of 22) and then at the University of North Dakota. Thompson admitted that his early years of coaching were more about his own achievements than the teams he coached. He says, “I wanted to coach at the highest level. My focus was on climbing the ladder of success and coaching the biggest and best place I could.”

In the book, Tony Dungy talks about losing his contract and how he learned to lean into Jeremiah 29:11 , “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

That’s one.

Thompson then opened his FCA Coaches Bible to that day’s reading: Jeremiah 29:11 .

That’s two.

Finally, he was walking around his townhome and saw something he hadn’t noticed before. A few weeks before, his parents had come to visit and brought some of his childhood things. One was a small sailboat he had gotten from his grandma for Christmas when he was young. He reflects, “All I remember was how mad I was when I got it. I told my mom I wanted to throw it away. She told me to put it in my desk drawer and that I would want it someday.” Fast forward all these years and he finally read the words written on this four-inch figurine: Jeremiah 29:11 .

That’s three.

Thompson says, “That was nothing short of an a-ha moment for me. I was a Christian before that, but that was the time God met me in what was really an uncertain future. He showed me he was my Rock, and I could lean on him. The foundation of my faith deepened from that.”

And it all started with a touchpoint from an FCA staff member who had no idea how God would use that book. Today, FCA continues to equip Coach Thompson and the coaches around him through Bible studies, 3D coaches training, and encouragement. This support keeps coaches grounded in challenging times.

Through the Coach

As God grabbed hold of Coach Thompson’s heart, his philosophy of coaching changed. Where it used to be transactional (focused on actions and outcomes), his philosophy is now much more transformational (focused on relationships with people). Now in his fourteenth year at South Dakota State University in Brookings and fifth year as women’s head coach, he models Christ to his team, and it makes a difference every day. Some of his former athletes are now serving as overseas missionaries. Another started a player-led Bible study years ago that continues today. Many athletes have become Christ-centered leaders in their workplaces, families, churches, and communities.

The FCA huddle on campus that Thompson also supports is serving a vital role in a time where students are searching for significance and love. Thompson says, “It is a tremendously challenging time for students and athletes. What we’re seeing is a true desire for people to feel loved and there’s no love greater than the love of Jesus. So, when they feel that, it shows them something different than what the world is giving them.”

Not only is FCA impacting the campus, but it is spilling out into the community of Brookings as well. What started as a college ministry on campus now impacts kids as young as four years old through camps and older kids through flag football and the high school huddle. It is also going beyond the kids to impact the community. Thompson says, “It’s becoming a glue within the community. I see unchurched families taking part in FCA programming. The kids are getting fired up about Jesus and then ministering to their parents, and athletes are being role models, often to kids who don’t have father figures. I see coaches at the college level being a light to both youth club and the high school level.”

To and Through the Coach

God is doing a multiplying work in and through the coaches and athletes at SDSU. He uses FCA staff daily to engage, equip, and empower coaches like Thompson to shine for Christ. From the North Dakota staff member who simply handed him a book to TJ and Kristy Carlson and Bruce Johnson serving the SDSU and Brookings community every day, God is at work. In Coach Thompson’s words, “The ministry and what it’s doing is immeasurable.”

Coach Milbrandt - If Not Us, Then Who?

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:43:00 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Valley City, North Dakota

“If not us, then who, if not me and you? Right now, it's time for us to do something. If not now, then when will we see an end to all this pain? It's not enough to do nothing. It's time for us to do something.”

The sentiment of these words, sung by contemporary recording artist Matthew West, is what drives Coach Tom Milbrandt as a math teacher, football coach, and FCA huddle coach at Valley City High School in North Dakota. He doesn’t want to take life for granted for even one moment, and he knows God has him at Valley City to bring the light of Jesus to every student and athlete he meets.

Five years ago, he made a transition from Maple Valley High School to Valley City. He says, “I never thought I’d end up in a bigger school. I was nervous about going from a smaller, class B school with two hallways to a bigger city and class A school, but it’s my opportunity to reach more kids.” Coach Milbrandt has a positive impact on 500 kids every day, from those he coaches in 7th grade football, to his math students, to every student he passes in the hall, and to the FCA huddle members.

Coach Milbrandt is driven by what Christ has done for him. He says, “I serve because that’s what I feel led to do. I love the Lord and want people to see that. It doesn’t mean I’m perfect – I fail – but my sins are covered, and I want kids to know that. Knowing Christ, the world’s going to look different to you and you will look different to the world, and even your everyday language will look different. If I can model that to kids, what better place to do that than in a public school?”

On the Field

Coach Milbrandt has been coaching since he returned to his hometown of Hankinson, North Dakota, during the summers while he was in college. It was during that time that he was moved toward a career in education and coaching. He says, “You have much different relationships when you coach. It’s on a more personal level and makes a greater impact on your athletes’ lives.” He knew even then that he wanted to have an impact on as many people as possible, and he knew that coaching and teaching was a great way to do it.

That daily 90 minutes on the field adds up to dozens or even hundreds of hours in one season and is the reason FCA puts such an emphasis on its strategy of “to and through the coach.” When the coach is living out his/her walk with Christ on the field or on the court hour after hour, the impact is immense. Because of this, Coach Milbrandt is intentional about how he lives every moment in front of his athletes.

Through the FCA Huddle

When God opened the door for an FCA huddle at Valley City four years ago, Coach Milbrandt, three other staff members, and several student leaders were ready. One of the greatest benefits he has seen in the huddle is the way it gets kids talking about their faith and reminds them they aren’t alone. He says, “If you are a believer and having a bad day, knowing who is in your walk with you, you are able to approach those people. Being able to do it in a public setting is huge.”

So often kids think that because they are in a public school they can’t talk about faith, but FCA helps them know how to live out their faith in public and empowers them to influence others. Coach Milbrandt says, “It’s about being the light in a darkening world. We talk about that all the time. What better chance to show a light than when the world is getting darker?” If kids can understand this and if they can get in the Word, it makes such a difference in their lives and the lives of those around them.

The Support of FCA

Coach Milbrandt is so thankful for the support he receives from FCA staff. Whether it’s Bibles (they’ve given out around 120), resources, or just an encouraging word, he knows he can count on FCA staff member Nate Safe to respond. That support equips Milbrandt to continue the work and reminds him that just like the Christian students at his school, he isn’t alone either.

Consider what a difference we can make in our spheres of influence if we respond to life like Coach Milbrandt. Where might God be calling you to step up? To coaches God is tapping to step up, Coach Milbrandt has some words of wisdom: “It’s easy to push it off and say someone else will do it or we’ll do it next year, but looking at starting FCA - what a gift to others! Even if it starts small, with two kids, that’s who God has there. It’s not about the numbers, just like the scoreboard. If you feel led to do it, absolutely, jump in. It’s overwhelming at first, but if you feel led to do it, it’s so rewarding.”

Coach Dewitt - Pointing Others to Christ

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:06:38 GMT

A story on the impact of a coach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It’s easy to underestimate the impact one person can have in a world with such great need, but the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has witnessed time and time again the influence one coach can have on an athlete, a team, and a school. God uses coaches to influence young people on and off the field every single day through their words and actions. One such coach is a young man named John Dewitt.

Coach Dewitt is a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. During high school, he played football, wrestling, baseball, and ran track and cross country. He grew in his love of running and found he was especially fond of the longest distances, like the two-mile run for track. When he attended UW-Oshkosh for secondary math education, he kept running, again gravitating toward the longest distance - the 10k. He regularly ran 80-110 miles per week in college (that’s 15-18 miles per day!).

After college, he just kept running and extended up to the marathon, where he has qualified for two U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He has no plans of stopping and feels he has great running years ahead of him.

A Teacher and Coach for God

Dewitt’s love of running made him a natural for coaching track and cross country at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis, Wisconsin, where he has taught upper-level math classes since 2014. While he trains athletes and prepares students for post-secondary education, he is at West Allis for so much more than that.

What Dewitt learned through that study stays with him every day as he teaches and coaches in a school with a student population were fifty percent qualify for free and reduced lunch. He says, “The biggest is just the way you love the kids on a consistent basis. I can be stern and firm, but I coach very much out of positivity. I want to win, of course, but my number one thing is developing the character of the kid and loving them well. That’s my number one job as a coach. People see that and wonder, ‘Why is he that way?’” It goes back to the verse from Matthew: “ Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven .” It isn’t about Coach Dewitt, but God has given him a heart to drive others to God.

Shining that Light

It has become increasingly more difficult to be open about faith in a public-school setting, but Coach Dewitt recognizes that it is often through persecution that more people come to faith in Jesus and learn to boldly stand on God’s truth. He says, “God worked all the time when the Romans were persecuting and in countries where the Gospel shouldn’t be spread. Persecution helps things grow.” He continues to strive to be Christlike in coaching where he can build deep connections with his athletes. He also gets to serve as the FCA huddle coach at Nathan Hale.

FCA Huddle

The huddle started in 2015 with a student who had a heart for the Lord and reaching his school. That year, only two or three came each week, which was sometimes discouraging. But Dewitt learned to ask himself, “Is God working in this one kid’s life?” When the answer was yes, it didn’t matter that no one else was coming. However, he still had a heart to see more athletes reached. Six years later, there is an 8-student leadership team, and twenty or more attend each week’s Wednesday afternoon huddle. Ten students from the school attended the Northland Region’s annual leadership camp in 2021, and those leaders were equipped not only to become better leaders but to grow in their relationships with God as well.

Glory to God

Through everything, Coach Dewitt wants to bring glory to God and reflect Christ’s love to every student, athlete, and staff member he meets. It’s even his hope that anyone who reads his story will be drawn deeper in relationship with the Lord. He says, “My hope is they won’t be like, ‘How cool is that guy,’ but I hope that inspires them in their faith and brings glory to the Lord.” Anyone who can run like Dewitt and spend hours upon hours teaching and coaching is pretty cool, but he’s right. It is all about bringing all the glory to God.

Coach Dewitt is just one of dozens of coaches around the region who have been empowered to bring Christ’s love to their campuses. If you stop and think about the influence of a coach, Dewitt rubs shoulders with hundreds of people every day. If he can reflect Christ’s love to them, what a difference it could make in the hearts and minds of people and how it could change a community! And moving beyond that, imagine the eternal impact if every high school and college campus around the region had just one empowered coach like Dewitt. Will you join us in praying for just that?

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