By Baylee Knebel
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been a cornerstone for athletes seeking to combine their passion for sports with their faith.
But it’s not just for athletes. Anyone of any identity is welcome to join FCA.
“It’s a great community to be a part of because everyone is accepted there,” FCA leader Alan Crouch said. “It doesn’t matter who you are. Everyone loves each other.”
At Delta, FCA began in 2008 when former Delta boys’ basketball coach and athletic director Stan Daugherty started a chapter. The current FCA sponsor is science teacher Terry Summers.
With numbers at the start being 33, it has skyrocketed to over 80 in 2024.
Hundreds of students over the years have found comfort in this program.
“It was an unbelievable sense of community and everybody was so loving and it was fun,” Crouch said.
FCA has been a sacred place for many students who have been able to grow in their faith and connect to their peers.
“I wanted to be involved in my faith at school and to be able to have a space for people to learn more about Jesus,” FCA leader Grier Backus said.
FCA meets on Tuesday mornings at 8:03 in the auditorium. They start with a snack/breakfast, then move into a message along with reflection questions. Additionally they play a game, then end the meeting with a prayer.
Along with meeting and sharing the love of Jesus, this fall they are going to go to neighborhoods and rake leaves for other people.
Backus feels as though some people may not be sure about religion. She said this is a place to go if you are having doubts or want your questions answered.
FCA leader Ruth Sherck said, “Nothing in this world can satisfy that hole and that hunger but Jesus and that’s just something you can’t live without.”
Sherck has grown up in a Christian household her whole life. It has impacted how she views the world and how she goes about everyday life.
“Things can fill [your heart] for a minute, but nothing can fully fill and satisfy that hunger until you find Jesus,” Sherck said.
FCA has had the long term goal of trying to reach students that have had a hard time sharing and being confident in their faith, and even the students that haven’t heard about the gospel.
“I think this is a good place to reach kids that have never heard about the gospel and to also help kids create friendships through faith,” teacher volunteer Lorie Crouch said.
The program wants to be a solid foundation where students can have a community in sharing faith outside of just church on Sunday.
“Lots of people have a ‘Sunday faith’ … but we are called to have a Monday morning faith or Tuesday morning faith,” Backus said.
Following Christ, growing relationships and friendships, and having an identity through Christ can be a major conversation point and make relationships even stronger.
“I believe having an identity in Christ is something everyone should experience,” Alan Crouch said.
Many athletes struggle in finding the middle ground with balancing their life and not keeping their identity fully in their sport.
“I follow Christ because He gave everything to save a sinner like me,” Backus said. “Even if my sport goes away I know my identity is in Christ and not in my sport.”
