Fellowship of Christian Athletes
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The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is an international non-profit Christian sports ministry founded in 1954 and based in
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
. It has staff offices located throughout the United States and abroad.


History

FCA was founded in 1954 by Eastern Oklahoma A&M basketball coach Don McClanen, who later resigned to become its full-time director. After watching sports stars use fame to endorse and sell general merchandise, McClanen wrote to 19 prominent sports figures asking for their help in establishing an organization that would use the same principle to share the Christian faith. Among the first supporters were Baseball Hall of Famer
Branch Rickey Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...
, who was most known for breaking the MLB color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945, and professional athletes including
Otto Graham Otto Everett Graham Jr. (December 6, 1921 – December 17, 2003) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Graha ...
,
Carl Erskine Carl Daniel Erskine (born December 13, 1926) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959. He was a pitching mainstay on Dodger team ...
and
Donn Moomaw Donn Moomaw (born October 15, 1931) is an American retired professional football player and Presbyterian minister. Moomaw played college football for the UCLA Bruins as the center and linebacker for the team. He was elected to the College F ...
.http://archives.fca.org/vsItemDisplay.lsp&objectID=C658F118-CB82-4DA8-A0CBD628E9B07F9C&method=display FCA held its first advisory board meeting in September 1954 and was officially incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in November. After two years in Oklahoma, McClanen moved FCA's headquarters to
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
. That year (1956), FCA also conducted its first national camp‚ then referred to as a national conference‚ which drew 256 athletes and coaches to
Estes Park, Colorado Estes Park is a statutory town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 5,904 at the 2020 United States Census. Estes Park is a part of the Fort Collins, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corr ...
. The ministry continued its expansion by adding additional camp locations, establishing a national magazine and beginning school campus groups called "Huddles‚" within 10 years of the first camp. In 1979 FCA completed and dedicated a new headquarters facility overlooking Kansas City‚ Truman Sports Complex, and the building was officially renamed the FCA National Support Center in 2011. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes operates according to an internally written statement of faith. This statement consists of nine points based on Bible teachings and Christian principles. Each point has a corresponding scripture. All staff and ministry leaders agree with and operate according to the FCA statement of faith. While all students are welcome to attend FCA Huddles, students in leadership are required to sign a statements of faith and sexual purity.


Criticism

In September 2015, public schools in
Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is lo ...
, ended FCA ministry to football players following at least two complaints. In an FCA activity referred to as the "Watermelon Ministry", the organization had visited public high school student athletes at team practices to offer watermelon slices and tell players that all the talents they have come from God. The
Freedom From Religion Foundation The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is an American nonprofit organization, which advocates for atheists, agnostics, and nontheists. Formed in 1976, FFRF promotes the separation of church and state, and challenges the legitimacy of many ...
, a national nonprofit organization, referred to the activities as "predatory," "illegal" and "unconstitutional" in letters sent to superintendents of two of the largest Virginia jurisdictions involved. School officials responded they were unaware that the coaches were hosting the
proselytizing Proselytism () is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs. Proselytism is illegal in some countries. Some draw distinctions between ''evangelism'' or '' Da‘wah'' and proselytism regarding proselytism as invol ...
, and immediately stopped it. The Roanoke County superintendent stated “Roanoke County Schools believes in the
separation of church and state The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
. We want to maintain and ensure that that practice is being followed.” A city of Roanoke spokesman said “When this information came to our attention, we responded immediately. We met with the appropriate people and made it very clear that separation of church and state is the law of the land. We feel the matter is under control and we will monitor this very closely.” Through its media office, FCA issued the following response, "Every student athlete has the right and the freedom to participate in activities according to their individual religious convictions. There are no repercussions for students who decline to participate in FCA activities." The FFRF letters, however had noted that repercussions may take the form of pressure from peers and coaches, alienating non-Christian students, and usurping parents' authority. The FCA sexual purity statement has been criticized because it includes statements against
homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
, which must be signed by FCA representatives of the ministry including staff, trustees and adult volunteer ministry leaders. Student leaders sign a Student Leader Application when serving in leadership roles within the organization, which requires signing the sexual purity statement.


Professional athletes

Since 1954, professional athletes and coaches have taken part in FCA through ministry events, speaking engagements, FCA camps, volunteer opportunities and ministry leadership roles. For approximately six decades, athletes and coaches from both major and minor professional sports and top-tier college programs have engaged with FCA to communicate their Christian faith and participate in community outreach opportunities. Among those who pioneered the organization were former stars
Otto Graham Otto Everett Graham Jr. (December 6, 1921 – December 17, 2003) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Graha ...
,
Branch Rickey Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...
, Bobby Richards,
Carl Erskine Carl Daniel Erskine (born December 13, 1926) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959. He was a pitching mainstay on Dodger team ...
and
Bill Krisher William Irwin Krisher (born September 18, 1935) is a former American football guard who was an All-American at Oklahoma in 1956 and 1957. Krisher played two seasons in the American Football League (AFL), from 1960 to 1961, for the Dallas Te ...
. They would be followed by other influential sports figures including
Bobby Bowden Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
,
Jim Ryun James Ronald Ryun (born April 29, 1947) is an American former Republican politician and Olympic track and field athlete, who at his peak was widely considered the world's top middle-distance runner. He won a silver medal in the 1500 m at the ...
,
Betsy King :''Betsy King was also a childhood name for Lizzie Lloyd King.'' Betsy King (born August 13, 1955) is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour victories in a ...
, Herschel Walker,
Reggie White Reginald Howard White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004) was an American professional football player who played defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for ...
,
Tony Dungy Anthony Kevin Dungy ( ; born October 6, 1955) is an American former football safety and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. Dungy's teams be ...
,
Shaun Alexander Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
,
Tom Osborne Thomas William Osborne (born February 23, 1937) is a former American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and politician from Nebraska. He served as head football coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1973 to 1997 (25 season ...
and
Shanna Zolman Shanna Annette Zolman (born September 7, 1983) is an American professional basketball player, most recently for the Tulsa Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She attended college at the University of Tennessee and gradua ...
, all of whom vocalized their Christian faith through FCA outlets such as banquets, camps and rallies. Recent stars who have connected with FCA have included
Adam Wainwright Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981), nicknamed "Waino" and "Uncle Charlie", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Atlanta Braves selected him 29th overall in th ...
, Brian Roberts, Tim Tebow, Tamika Catchings,
John Harbaugh John William Harbaugh (born September 23, 1962) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he coached the defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles and served ...
,
Leah O'Brien Leah Marie O'Brien-Amico (born September 9, 1974) is an American, former collegiate All-American, three-time Olympian, left-handed-hitting softball outfielder and sports commentator originally from Chino, California. O'Brien-Amico is best know ...
Amico, Allyson Felix
Colt McCoy Daniel "Colt" McCoy (born September 5, 1986) is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas, where he won several awards and honors as a senior in 2009. McC ...
,
Andrew McCutchen Andrew Stefan McCutchen (born October 10, 1986) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia ...
and a number of public figures outside the world of sports such as comedian Jeff Foxworthy, and Duck Dynasty star
Willie Robertson Willie Jess Robertson (born April 22, 1972) is an American TV personality, businessman, author and news contributor. He is best known for his appearances on the reality TV series ''Duck Dynasty'' on A&E, and is the current CEO of the company D ...
.


Awards

FCA presents several national awards every year to athletes and coaches who have excelled in specific areas of competition, community service and Christian character.


Bobby Bowden Award

Named after former
Florida State University Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
football coach
Bobby Bowden Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
, this award is presented annually to a Division I FBS football player who conducts himself as a faith model in the community, in the classroom and on the field. Nominees must have 3.0 grade point average or higher and the backing of his school‚ athletic director, and head coach.


Grant Teaff Coach of the Year

The Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award is named after former Baylor University football coach Grant Teaff, who also served as the executive director of the American Football Coaches Association and member of the FCA National Board of Trustees. The annual award recognizes a football coach who exemplifies Christian principles and maintains an active involvement with FCA. Previous winners include Iowa State's Matt Campbell (2018), Nebraska's Scott Frost (2017), Mike MacIntyre, Mike London, Tommy Bowden, Jerry Kill and
Tommy Tuberville Thomas Hawley Tuberville ( ; born September 18, 1954) is an American retired college football coach and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Alabama since 2021. Before entering politics, Tuberville was the head football ...
.


Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award

First presented in 2008, this award was established to honor former North Carolina State University women's basketball coach Kay Yow died after a nearly 22-year battle with cancer. The award recognizes a women's basketball coach who‚ over the course of his or her career, has coached according to Biblical principles‚ and has coached the heart of the athlete, as well as the body and mind. Previous winners include Liberty's Carey Green (2019), University of Colorado Springs' Lynn Plett (2018), Abilene Christian's Julie Goodenough (2017), Sue Semrau, Deb Patterson, Sue Ramsey and Kay Yow.


See also

* Athletes in Action *
Upward Sports Upward Sports is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of "promoting the discovery of Jesus through sports". Upward Sports partners with churches in the US and Canada to bring youth sports ministry in their local communities. Upwa ...
*
Muscular Christianity Muscular Christianity is a philosophical movement that originated in England in the mid-19th century, characterized by a belief in patriotic duty, discipline, self-sacrifice, masculinity, and the moral and physical beauty of athleticism. The mov ...


Notes


External links

* *Virginia FC
Sports Ministry
{{Authority control Evangelical parachurch organizations Christian sports organizations Christian organizations established in 1954 1954 establishments in Oklahoma Evangelism Organizations that oppose LGBT rights in the United States