FCA: Fellowship of Christian Athletes
October 23, 2020
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FCA, is a Christian organization that has spread to 92 countries and has hundreds of thousands of members. This worldwide organization promotes spiritual growth in coaches and athletes and provides them with the tools necessary to spread the Gospel. Here at Wylie High School, our FCA huddle meets every Tuesday morning to worship and fellowship together. This amazing ministry has a rich history and has changed thousands of lives by introducing them to the Christian faith.
How did FCA start?
In 1954, a basketball coach named Don McClanen set up a meeting with Branch Rickey, the baseball manager famous for signing Jackie Robinson. Don McClanen had an idea for an organization where famous athletes could promote the gospel. The two men, along with Dr.Louis R. Evans and Dr. Roe Johnston, merged their ideas to form the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. They hosted the first FCA camp in 1956 in Estes Park, Colorado with the theme “I Am The Way, The Truth, And The Life.” As word spread about this ministry, more and more people got involved, and more huddles formed, leading to what we know today as a worldwide organization. FCA has been about peace and inclusion since it began, looking past social stereotypes and trying to help everyone experience the love of Jesus Christ.
What does FCA do?
Every year, FCA holds camps on college campuses all over the US to help further their outreach. There are athletic challenges and fun-filled activities all day, but the real growth happens at worship in the evenings. Huddle leaders and college students share their testimonies and preach the “good news” to high school students who might otherwise never know of God.
Singular FCA huddles usually meet before or after school once a week to fellowship and worship together. Speakers like youth pastors and Christian organization leaders are invited to speak, and many students are encouraged to share their testimonies. Many huddles also participate in service projects that better their local community. For example, Wylie West Junior High’s FCA huddle collects food and other items to give to Mission Thanksgiving every year. FCA also helps students to connect to other students their age to show them that they are not alone in their faith. This creates a sense of unity and safety for the students to grow in the faith without fear of being ridiculed or laughed at.
One of the main ways FCA works is through coaches. The huddle sponsors for each huddle are generally coaches, and most FCA events have athletic competitions. Often, coaches reach out to the students they coach to invite them to FCA. The first interest in FCA for some students is simply that their coach or teammate invites them. While not everyone at FCA is an athlete, its core is built around sports and the community that they create.
Big Country FCA
The Big Country FCA area consists of most of Northwestern Texas, headed by Wylie School Board president, Steve Keenum. Mr. Keenum’s involvement in FCA is one of the ways that FCA grew to be such a big deal at Wylie. Big Country FCA oversees Fields of Faith, a night of worship that is hosted in stadiums, the All-Star Festivals, Weekend of Champions, and much more. FCA staff visit huddles around their region and provide resources to help teach huddle leaders how to spread the gospel. Big Country FCA strives to further God’s work and show His love to student athletes all over the Big Country.
FCA at Wylie High School
Our huddle at Wylie High is led by upperclassmen who work together to organize worship and speakers to come every Tuesday morning to the weekly huddle. This year, however, they have focused more on students speaking about their experiences and answering common questions asked about the Christian faith. The topics the students speak on range from seeking comfort from God in a crisis to the question “Am I good enough for God?” With a live worship team and leaders who are strong in their faith, our Wylie High School FCA huddle is an amazing opportunity to learn more about God and meet fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Come to FCA on Tuesday morning at 7:30 in the courtyard to experience the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and grow in your faith.
