Archive for year: 2020

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First Counseling Internship Ends Successfully

white and gray Adidas soccerball on lawn grass

Perhaps, there was never a more difficult time but more important time for the first counseling internship for Soccer Chaplains United. This past January, saw the first-ever joint venture internship to feature a counseling intern working with the pre-professional soccer players and families that comprise the Colorado Rapids Development Academy.

And just as the internship got off to a start with select age-groups, the global pandemic hit. Shutdown. Quarantine. And everyone had to pivot. Coaches. Players. Families. And more. There was a major shift and transition to zoom and online. There were at-home programs created and developed to help the athletes stay in soccer shape as much as possible while being apart from their teammates.

Just as the Rapids U-17 team earned a spot in the DA Championships, the Coronavirus pandemic shutdown soccer across the US.

And in spite of all the different challenges and barriers to creating a good system of mental health and mentality support for desiring DA athletes and family members, perhaps there has never been a more timely moment to begin.

Brooke Ewert, Soccer Chaplains United’s volunteer Director of Counseling offered this observation:

We were able to normalize mental health services to the developmental academy in a way that they got use to seeing a counselor around and knowing they could talk at any point in the season if they needed support.

Brooke, on the impact of the first-ever internship

In the final review, the counseling internship (which recently ended) might be deemed a success. A number of athletes and families were helped and supported in the midst of a pandemic shutdown and a lost season — which also saw major changes within the academy and soccer scene, itself. There looks to be a precedent set for the future — one in which the mental health needs of some of the youngest of athletes who might one-day don a 1st-team shirt have been helped from the beginning of their journey.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy, counseling, and community service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work.

Coping with COVID with Brooke Ewert

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:34 — 32.4MB)

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Brooke Ewert, Director of Counseling for Soccer Chaplains United, joins me on the From the Touchline podcast, today to talk about the different ways that she is helping athletes, coaches, and others in soccer cope in the midst of the pandemic influenced sports season. The current global pandemic has seen a rise in the numbers of athletes and others around sport who are faced with serious mental health issues such as loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Brooke and I talk about the need for awarenessmand help and support as well as some practical exercises and tips for coping with the difficulties of this time.

Brooke also shares a number of suggested books and biographies that might give helpful insight from others who have had to endure similar times:

From the Touchline is a short-feature (usually 10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

Timbers Champs!

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:26 — 54.4MB)

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The Portland Timbers won the MLS is Back Tournament and co-chaplains Ben Dudley and Troy Ready join me on today’s episode of From the Touchline to talk about the team, the tourney and what the remainder of the season might look like.

It’s Troy’s first time on the podcast so we will get to know him a little bit better and hear some of his background and story — including a difficult moment in a Latvian bathroom stall. You will definitely want to tune in for the whole episode and try to make sense of this (see the video below):

Portland Timbers co-chaplain, Ben Dudley almost lands the “big” one…

From the Touchline is a short-feature (usually 10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

New Chaplain for Valor Christian High School

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Ahead of the vastly changed, fall 2020 season, Soccer Chaplains United is pleased to announce a new chaplain placement at Valor Christian High School. Greg Navitsky is the latest chaplain to join Soccer Chaplains United and will be working with the Valor Boys Varsity and JV soccer program. You can learn more about Greg on his bio page here.

Good friend and Valor Head Coach, Brian Shultz, commented on Greg joining the team.

I’m excited and looking forward to working with Greg and seeing what his experience will bring as he comes alongside our high school athletes. It’s great to see someone who is in seminary and training to be in ministry and I am excited to see what God has in store.

Brian Shultz, Valor Boys Soccer Head Coach

Not only did Greg play in high school and at the academy level, but he played collegiately at Loras College and also Trinity International University (where we have another chaplain, Kim Beach serving — although their times didn’t overlap). Additionally, Greg played overseas in England for a year and a half with the Liverpool FC Academy.

I first heard about Greg in 2018 when a mutual friend, Callae Dykstra, mentioned him to me in passing. However, it wasn’t until December of 2019 that Greg and I actually had the chance to get together. At the time, Greg was interested to learn about Soccer Chaplains United and the work that we were doing, but soon after our conversation God really began to impress chaplaincy on Greg’s heart.

Since January 2020, the word and the role of chaplain has continued to come up. After taking a course (at Denver Seminary) on crisis intervention, I read the book – The Work of a Chaplain – I was inspired to investigate what being a chaplain could mean.

Greg Navitsky, on the rising interest in chaplaincy

In late March, I was following up with Greg to see where God was leading and to just generally check-in. Greg shared how the work of a chaplain had been intriguing to him and he wanted to pursue it more. It was in early June, after praying about what God had been doing in Greg’s life and asking about how that connects in to Soccer Chaplains United, the idea of Valor dawned on me. I have had to step back a bit in my own work with Valor and when I called and spoke to Coach Shultz — he suggested that someone might be able to assist the chaplain that had started to fill in last year. Then, I reached out to Greg.

[Recently] I was passing Valor and wondering “I wonder if I’ll ever be a part of something there?” Then, within an hour, Brad Kenney calls my cell phone. The Gospel work is the hidden work, and it is the heart work. God doesn’t need me, but wants me. I long to love what He loves, hate what He hates. Step off when He says so, and step on when I sense Him leading. He is leading here, now, for this time. I don’t want to miss it.

Greg Navitsky, on the opportunity at Valor

Greg will have a challenge this season as the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) has made some significant changes, but we look forward to seeing God use Greg’s experience and background across the young men involved in the soccer program.

Greg will be involved in the spiritual enrichment work at Valor in 2020

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy, counseling, and community service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work.

Keeping Perfect Peace

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:16 — 19.6MB)

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Amidst the tumult of scheduling changes, season cancellations, bubble tournaments, playing in empty stadiums, social distancing, and contact tracing, how can a footballer stay at peace? Well, the words of the prophet Isaiah, many, many years ago can help us to realize how we can keep (or, more accurately, be kept in) perfect peace — heart, mind, body, and soul in these uncertain times.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I look at the words of Isaiah 26:3-4 and share three helpful ways that we might live more fully into the prophets words. Words of comfort, and hope and peace in the midst of troubling and uncertain times.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (usually 10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

CHSAA and TSSAA Show Pandemic Differences

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The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) on Tuesday announced a modified schedule for contact sports which will see boys soccer move to the spring and girls soccer move later into a spring-summer schedule. The news was difficult as it comes at a time which creates conflicts within the broader local soccer schedule, especially for boys soccer when players often play for their respective clubs during the spring season and will now be confronted with possibly having to choose whether to play high school or club soccer. On the girls side, the move of their season to a May-June timeframe means that elite level players may have to give up on playing in high-level tournaments that usually take place outside of the typical high school season — tournaments that gain players additional exposure to collegiate scouting and recruiting and the chance at scholarships in continuing their education.

Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), on the other hand, recently received support from the state’s governor to allow contact sports to go on as planned with guidelines and modifications that don’t upset season scheduling.

Soccer Chaplains United has high school chaplains in both states and it is uncertain how the shift for Colorado will affect chaplaincy, while the chaplaincy work in Tennessee will likely need to adapt to the COVID-19 protocols in order to support the athletes and family members of Christ Presbyterian Academy’s soccer program.

Please pray for the chaplains that are supporting high school soccer athletes and programs as they navigate and minister through these difficult and changing times. Pray for the mental and spiritual health and protection for those involved in soccer during this time, especially.

Musana Double Down

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Today, I will be taking a long drive to deliver the soccer gear and equipment for the Musana Community Project Request. Musana, currently, is the only project that has been able to try and get off the ground in a year stifled by COVID-19. With many countries and non-profit and NGO’s hampered by the global pandemic, Musana continues to try and move forward with their plan to send converted shipping containers (doubling as school and medical rooms) to rural Uganda (outside of Kampala).

Originally, Soccer Chaplains United was able to fill about 10 bins with about 425 lbs. of soccer gear and equipment; but when Valor canceled their trip to Costa Rica and with many churches and groups canceling the typical summer mission trips, the opportunity came to provide Musana with more. Last month, a packing day with some local Christian high school student volunteers helped get Musana double what was originally planned.

20 bins for Musana, carefully and tightly loaded!

Today, nearly 8 months since receiving the request and after numerous revisions to manifests and such, I will load up and deliver 20 bins weighing over 850 lbs. for the Musana fulfillment. In the time that we have been tracking the total weight of different projects, Musana is a record breaker, coming at 863.5 lbs! A much larger project given that items can be shipped via containers. The hope is that in the next month, localized inspections and sealing up the containers for shipping will see all the items finally on their way.

Remember, when you support Soccer Chaplains United, a portion of your gift automatically goes to help our community projects and requests. You can give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals or organizations, and cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

Timbers!

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:54 — 58.9MB)

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The Portland Timbers are set to try and advance in tonight’s matchup against the Philadelphia Union in the MLS is Back Tournament. On today’s From the Touchline podcast, we speak with Ben Dudley, volunteer co-chaplain with the Timbers and a Soccer Chaplains United original. Ben shares about what chaplaincy to the Timbers organization looks like, as well as how the team is received in the city of Portland and what it’s like for athletes from other countries to live in Portland during the political and social unrest we’ve recently seen and experienced.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (usually 10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

From the Touchline to Return

white Samsung Android smartphone turned beside white earbuds on brown board

The month-long break is almost over! Soccer Chaplains United’s podcast From the Touchline will return in a few weeks (Aug 4) after a month long break. Stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, you can catch up on previous episodes by checking out this page.

white Samsung Android smartphone turned beside white earbuds on brown board

COVID Crunch

red and white flower petals

While professional soccer has already returned in the United States and around the world, there is still a massive impact from the novel Coronavirus which has different parts of the country and the world in different stages of reaction and response. Social distancing in one place but wide-open, no restrictions in another, means that finding common ground is difficult. The global pandemic has affected the stock market and global and local economies for months — and businesses and non-profits have felt the effects to varying degrees. So, too with Soccer Chaplains United.

Unfortunately, second quarter for us saw a 25% giving decline from the same time last year. In addition, Soccer Chaplains United lost a key donor to start the 3rd quarter. The deficit is something that the Board of Directors and I talked about at length in our most recent board meeting (July 20). While difficult to forecast — Soccer Chaplains United may only be able to come in at 60% of forecasted donations this year. Challenges to meeting also make new support development a challenge as well.

Despite the current difficulties, Soccer Chaplains United has had some important advances in the past couple of months including the El Paso chaplaincy placement and a few other placements that are currently in the works. Additionally, the chaplains that are part of the group have had several good zoom meetings to collaborate on supporting the athletes, coaches, and staff of the teams and organizations that we serve. From issues of unemployment, to ethical and moral implications surrounding virus testing, to controversies surrounding the national anthem, and more — our chaplains have never been busier in offering pastoral and spiritual care to those we serve. Whether offering guidance on responding to culturally explosive topics, or praying for healing in the racial and social divides, to working through reconciliation issues having to do with ethnicity and race, and helping sustain one’s faith during such uncertain times — Soccer Chaplains United have been working overtime (and socially/ virtually distanced, no less) to serve.

man praying

For supporters and followers of Soccer Chaplains United, we need your prayers desperately during these next few months. As Major League Soccer and National Women’s Soccer League come to the end of their respective tournaments and as the United Soccer Leagues play in different markets — please pray for our chaplains on the front lines supporting those in soccer. Pray for their other vocational work (the churches and ministries and organizations where they serve). Pray for Soccer Chaplains United’s financial needs for 2020 to be met. Pray for the continued work of growing chaplaincy in soccer as it continues, no matter what the format for the remainder of the year and into next year. Pray for the health and safety of those athletes, coaches, and staff that are traveling and interacting with others. Pray for wisdom amongst the leadership and executives of the different teams and leagues. Pray for the small, Christian colleges and universities that are wrestling with their own financial needs and situations which may mean shuttering programs or changing the way they do school.

Thank you.

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