FCA camp points youth, children to Jesus through platform of sport

It's 10:30 Tuesday morning at Cape Girardeau Central High School and more than 130 students from fifth through eighth grades are at the three-day Fellowship of Christian Athletes Power Camp.

High school students volunteer their time to lead campers in team-building activities. The assistance is part of running camp, but it's also part of the strategy -- high school athletes leading the younger students and coaches and community volunteers leading the high school students. A leadership chain reaction.

Worship music kicks off each morning, a keynote speaker gives a message about sports and faith, and the afternoons feature sports-specific training in tennis, volleyball, basketball, football, baseball, softball and soccer.

All of this is free because of the volunteers and sponsors.

"These are all volunteers," Mike Litzelfelner, FCA area director, said. "The coaches volunteer. All my staff. My worship team [volunteers]. This is all funded by local businesses. It doesn't cost the parents or kids anything. It just hasn't been hard because of who we are and just the name, Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It carries [and] goes pretty far. Knowing that we're investing in kids...the people in our community have been faithful."

While there are other camps for children in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Litzelfelner said the FCA camp fills a need by providing something for a larger region that includes small towns outside of Cape County. That something, however, is more than your normal sports camp.

"Our goal is to use the platform of sports to be able to introduce them into a relationship with Jesus Christ," he said. "This is a Christian camp. We don't apologize for that. That's why we're here. There are kids who are going to be here who have never been exposed to anything Christian. There's some who have grown up in church their whole lives. But regardless our mission is clear, and that we want to point people into a relationship with Jesus Christ."

It might sound like church lingo, but there are plenty of applications to this mission. It's the idea that you can be an athlete and a Christian -- it's not mutually exclusive. In fact, Litz said, being a Christian gives you power.

A central Scripture to FCA comes from 2 Timothy 4:7. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

This message continued with Tuesday's speaker Carrie Shephard, a basketball player at Southeast Missouri State University.

With students seated on the Central gym floor, Shephard shared her story of being a high school standout and receiving a scholarship to play at Mizzou. She said that while she grew up in the church, being five hours away from family led her to grow closer to God.

"My purpose was to play basketball, but God's purpose was for me to get closer to Him," Shephard said. "And if that meant separating me five hours from my family to get closer to Him, then that's what it took. So I embraced that and accepted that."

Shephard later transfered and now plays for the Redhawks.

Following her talk with the campers, Shephard said while having others know your name seems important, it pales in comparison to God.

"We all want to be the next big thing where everyone knows your name," she said. "But everyone can know your name and it not be as valuable as God knowing your name.

"You don't have to impress everyone else for God's attention," she said.

Having athletes like Shephard communicate this message to peers and young athletes makes a difference. It's why FCA has an open door to reach young people.

"We know that sport is not losing popularity," Litzelfelner said. "And the whole idea 63 years ago was how can we take the platform of sport and promote our faith."

He said Billy Graham embraced the platform of sports having noted that coaches will reach more individuals than most people will in a lifetime.

"We also know the most influential people in your school and your community, likely, are athletes and coaches, Litzelfelner said. "So that's where we go. We go right to the heart of the coach and right to the heart of the athlete. And we present what we present, which is the truth. And God does the rest."

Regardless if the campers go on to play sports in high school or college, FCA shares a seminal message in that those who place their faith in God have victory. That's worth celebrating.

Lucas Presson is the assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.