Creating character on the court
Sports camps building up a new generation of godly men and women
Faith-based sports camps across Canada are not only helping youth develop skills for their respective disciplines, but they are also helping teens grow in their spiritual lives.
Coaches tie in lessons learned on the court with lessons from their own spiritual walk.
“A big part is how we live as Christians,” says James Fraser, athletics director Prairie Bible Institute. “In sports you build character, but sports also reveal character.”
When a player blows up after losing a game or missing a shot, it’s a chance to see what’s really going on in their life, the good and the bad, he says.
“It reveals itself and you can then work on that,” Fraser explains. When players fail on the court, it’s an opportunity to not only build skills and character, but also to speak into their lives.
Coaches share their own stories. Overnight volleyball and basketball camps provide chapel times in the evening, and Fraser says the campers often respect and hold their coaches in high regard.
“Our coaches are talented, but also passionate about Jesus,” Fraser says, and the relationships that build over the week mean it’s more than just a pep talk, but a heart to heart.
“It gives coaches permission to speak into their lives. They have succeeded in sport, and impart that knowledge, but also talk about their struggles,” Fraser says. “It’s relatable for these kids.”
Joel Coursey, director of sports camps at Providence University College in Otterburne, Manitoba, says relationships made at camp don’t end there. He has seen them continue as campers return multiple years, and then come circle as they attend Providence as a student and as a camp counsellor.
Campers receive the mentorship to develop into mature Christian athletes and they are able to give back to the next generation.
“How they carry themselves on the court parallels their everyday life,” Coursey says. “To be able to practice good character through sport, it really helps them in their lives.”
“Sports camps are a wonderful tool,” says Kevin Peters, Director of Athletics at Millar College of the Bible in Pambrun, Saskatchewan. Peters helps run four weeks of volleyball and basketball camps, and has seen campers begin to view their abilities as a gift from God.
“We don’t think about sports as a diversion, but that God has given us these gifts,” Peters says.
The coaches give their own testimonies of how God has used them through sports.
“It’s not just a game… God wants this part of my life too,” Peters says. “It’s living out your faith and character on the court.”
Of the nearly 2,000 boys and girls that attend Hockey Ministries International (HMI) hockey camps each year, nearly half have no religious affiliation.
“They haven’t heard about Jesus and what He has done for us,” says Laurie Boschman, NHL chapel coordinator. The week is an encouraging one for Christian teens and a time for introducing Jesus to those who have never known Him.
“We explain, in hockey if a goaltender receives a penalty, [another] player serves that for him. Jesus has served the penalty called sin for us,” Boschman says. “They ask, ‘Can God forgive me for this?’ We can say, ‘Let’s look what the Bible has to say.’”
HMI has been hosting Christian hockey camps since 1977, and sees almost 2,000 campers in a year in its Canadian, American and European camps. Sports create a safe atmosphere to ask the difficult questions, says Boschman.
“Why am I here?” or “Is the Bible true?” are just some of the questions they hear from campers, says Boschman.
Clark Glover runs soccer camps across Canada with Athletes in Action and tells the story of a young camper who suddenly sat down during drills, crying.
“I suck, it’s too hard,” the camper said.
“We talked about how humans are treasured creations of God. I told her she was still figuring out what she was meant to do,” Glover explains. “She got up and wiped her eyes and had a phenomenal week. She worked hard and contributed to her team.”
That’s exactly what summer camps are about, Glover says, “Using teachable moments at sports camps, loving kids and reaching into their lives in a small, but profound, way. That makes it all worthwhile.”
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