Photo courtesy of the FCA Instagram.
On Feb. 25, The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) held its second meeting at Auburn University at Montgomery after six-years of absence.
The FCA is a non-denominational Christian nonprofit organization founded in 1954, which focuses on connecting athletes and coaches under the faith of God. Its mission, as stated on its official website fca.org, is to lead professional, college and high school coaches and athletes into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the church.
It took six years to bring the fellowship back to AUM. Organizer Moriah Seay, a former volleyball player who graduated from Tuskegee University, said it wasn’t easy. “God just allowed everything to fall into place exactly the way it needed to,” said Moriah. It was a combination of events that made this return possible. “Without the support of current student-athletes and coach Minor, our women’s golf coach, we would not have been able to bring it back,” added Seay.
This group, described by Moriah as very cohesive and solid, owes its strength to the background of its leaders who are not new to the organization. One of the leaders is a cross country freshman, Ryan McGilvray. She founded a chapter in high school and was also the leader who opened Wednesday’s meeting. An important aspect that all the athletes have in common is motivation. “They personally experienced how FCA strengthened their relationship with God and gave them community, they felt called to create the same opportunity here at AUM,” Seay said.
Many of the athletes present were enthusiastic about the return of the fellowship, a way to create a space for faith and sharing the values that unite student-athletes. “It’s so awesome to be able to come together with other athletes and just other students and spend time with each other outside of our sport,” said Oliva Watkins, a junior softball player majoring in sports management.
The reasons that prompted these athletes to take part in this initiative are both common and personal. Olivia says she has found in these meetings a space to slow down and focus on priorities. “It’s such a busy time of the year, and so it’s so good to be able to just slow down and recenter our hearts,” said Watkins. Andrew Lutz, a sophomore baseball player and exercise science student, also found comfort in this environment where he could share his faith and values. “Getting around athletes with like-minded ideologies and just having a space to practice our faith,” said Lutz.
The central point of FCA, as Moriah Seay explains again, is to counter the idea that faith and athletic identity are conflicting. “Faith and competition don’t just coexist, but they strengthen one another,” said Seay. Moriah also firmly believes that change in athletes occurs when they recognize their talent as a gift, not as a measure of their worth. “Wins, losses, mistakes and injuries no longer define them because their identity is rooted in who God says they are, not in the outcome,” Seay concluded.
FCA will continue to meet regularly throughout the semester, and all students are welcome to attend. To stay informed about upcoming events and activities, please visit the AUM FCA Instagram page @aum.fca for further details, and consider joining the GroupMe.
