Jared Watts, also known as “Wattsy,” is a corporate recruiter and he finished his professional soccer career a few years ago after playing for the Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. In a three-part series, he reflects on some of his journey and we hear about his story which includes time spent at IMG academy in Florida — which back in the day was a special training environment for top soccer players in the US.
Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline, is part one of three in our conversation with Jared. We catch up a little bit and Jared gives us a little bit of insight into what it was like living at IMG — playing soccer and doing school in a very competitive and intense environment.
From the Touchline is a short-feature (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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-31 00:00:002024-08-20 11:44:42IMG and Injury with special guest Jared Watts — Part 1
Wells Thompson is the Founder and CEO of Soccer Resilience. A former professional midfielder, drafted fifth overall by the New England Revolution and played for the Colorado Rapids and Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, Wells has an incredible testimony. Even though he won the MLS Cup Championship, his career isn’t all glitz and glam.
Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline, part three of three in our interview. Wells talks more about the night his parents intervened in a powerful way and what might have been. We also end the podcast on a fun and light note as Wells plays a game of Crosses with Rev.
From the Touchline is a short-feature (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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-24 00:00:002024-08-20 11:45:07Union with God with special guest Wells Thompson — Part 3
Wells Thompson is the Founder and CEO of Soccer Resilience. A former professional midfielder who played in Major League Soccer, Wells has an amazing testimony. Much of his inspiration and work today comes out of the learning that he has had to do from his own lessons of life before, during, and after a professional soccer career..
Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline, part two of three in our conversation. Wells shares a deeply vulnerable piece about a retreat that he recently went on and some of the heart and soul work that he did around life and his identity that has been tied into soccer for so long.
From the Touchline is a short-feature (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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-17 00:00:002024-08-20 11:45:40Union with God with special guest Wells Thompson — Part 2
It has been over 15 years since Pappie Jones started something — Soccer Ambassadors for Christ in Monrovia, Liberia. Soccer Ambassadors for Christ looks to bring hope through the sport of soccer to young people, especially those who are part of one of the most difficult slum areas in the capital city of Monrovia: Slipway.
We are working with boys and girls from the slum community in Slipway community in central Monrovia. Slipway community is third leggiest slum community…with lot of girls and boys involved into drugs, prostitution, and criminal activities.
Pappie Jones, on the challenges facing the youth of Slipway
Slipway, so named for its history in the slipway that was built for barges and boats to be taken into and out of the water to be used in the construction of the Waterside Bridge which crosses Mesurado River and is near the Du River in Central Monrovia. According to census information (c. 2014) there were over 5,000 people living in the Slipway district (however several report that there are as many as 15,000). The area is a severe slum area of the city overrun by seasonal flooding and often lacking basic water and sanitation.
Pappie Jones and Ambassadors have been working to try to make change amongst the community. In addition to founding and leading this organization, Pappie has also sought to serve as a coach. He teach and coaches in soccer and in other, key areas of life for these young people.
We are using soccer to bring hope to hundred of girls and boys in slipway community. Our aim and object is develop whole person through soccer, faith and education.
Pappie, on the holistic aim of Soccer Ambassadors for Christ
Pappie runs the youth soccer program for boys and girls between the ages of 11 – 17 years and also studies the Bible with them every Saturday and holiday in the Slipway community. Their request is for soccer gear to help their soccer programs reach more youth. Specifically, they have requested the following:
50 sets of soccer shirts and shorts
50 pairs of cleats
4 sets of goalkeeper gloves
Of course, the main issue will be shipping items to Liberia. Soccer Chaplains United will be looking for a patron to help support this project, another organization that his shipping items, or for a team or group traveling to Monrovia, Liberia who can escort the soccer gear and make a hand off to Pappie and Soccer Ambassadors for Christ. If you would like to be involved please send an email to us at info@soccerchaplainsunited.org memo: Liberia.
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!
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pappie-jones-liberia-1.jpeg12801920Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-11 00:00:002024-07-08 23:49:09Pappie Jones and Soccer Ambassadors Ask For Liberia
Wells Thompson is the Founder and CEO of Soccer Resilience. A former professional midfielder who played in Major League Soccer, Wells has a story worth hearing. His work today comes from his own lessons of life that he has learned and continues to learn.
Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline, is part one of three in our conversation with Wells. We catch up a little bit and Wells shares more about the work that Soccer Resilience is doing with young athletes everywhere. Wells also starts to tell some of the parts of his own story.
From the Touchline is a short-feature (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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-10 00:00:002024-08-20 11:46:19Union with God with special guest Wells Thompson — Part 1
Adam Smith is the Sporting Director of Central Valley Fuego FC. He is a former professional goalkeeper and is, today, a coach — perhaps his most well-known coaching stint back in 2019 leading USL-Championship side Fresno FC to a third place finish in the West.
Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline, in part four (the finale) of our series, Adam talks about his current role at Fuego and also reflects on what it is like to have a relationship with Jesus in the midst of the adversity and challenge that comes with the beautiful game. Adam also gets between the nets for a game of Crosses with Rev in a light-hearted way to end the podcast.
From the Touchline is a short-feature (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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-03 00:00:002024-08-20 11:46:44Jesus Saves with special guest Adam Smith — Part 4
Jonathan currently serves as Senior Recruiter for Gateway Staffing and Recruiting. His background includes several roles in serving as pastor (Emmanuel Church in Maryland and First Christian Church in Chattanooga) after graduating from Baylor University’s Truett Seminary in 2009.
Jonathan first started a process with Soccer Chaplains United back in 2019. As we were looking for a chaplain to serve the other professional soccer team in town, Jonathan went through a process of applying and meeting with the head coach at the time. While the placement did not ultimately happen, it was a couple months ago, as I was cleaning up some files and tying up some loose ends that I reached out to Jonathan again to see if he might be interested in considering serving Chattanooga FC, where Rod Underwood (a member of our Board of Directors) is head coach. It was definitely a “God moment.”
When Brad called me, I had just been praying and asking God about serving in a pastoral kind of capacity because so much of my life and training has been around that and I wanted my children to see and experience that part of my life, my passion, and my calling.
Jonathan, reflecting on the recent phone call from me
As Jonathan and I began the process again, he began meeting with Rod and with other key stakeholders with Chattanooga FC. Over the past couple of months has seen a neat story of Jonathan and CFC working toward building and growing together.
I moved to Chattanooga in 2012 just as CFC was starting to really build something special. When I moved here I fell in love with the city and have made it a goal of mine to make this city a great place to live. I know CFC founders share that same goal and over the last 10 years we have both worked hard to make Chattanooga an amazing place. The opportunity to serve in a volunteer chaplain role with CFC is a real honor and privilege.
Jonathan, sharing about the privilege of serving CFC as a chaplain
My hope with the soccer chaplaincy is that the players, coaches, and staff — that while soccer/football is a big part of their lives and now part of my own, that I can share the hope that there are different, that there are deeper identities that we can discover and grow into. Being in football doesn’t necessarily stop us from learning and realizing those, but it may, in fact, actually help.
Jonathan, on his hopes for the chaplaincy with Chattanooga FC
Jonathan brings Soccer Chaplains United’s chaplain corps to 24 and he becomes the first chaplain serving a team playing in the NISA league.
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 across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work. Our chaplains are not employed or paid by any of the clubs that we serve. Check out our Donation Page with all the different options. Or, simply click the PushPay link below to make a secure, online, tax-deductible gift, or mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG-5843-scaled.jpg19201280Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-02 00:00:002024-07-08 23:49:17Hyde Becomes First Chaplain with a NISA Club
Growing up in Mexico City, Mexico, Carlos “Cali” Alejandro grew up as a preacher’s kid. He loved sports. Especially soccer, fútbol. He earned a BA in Business Administration while in Mexico before moving to the U.S. While here, he felt the call of God to begin serving in ministry. The call God put on his heart led to him enrolling in the IBR Bible Institute and seeking ordination in the Church of God.
Carlos is the Lead Pastor at Venture Christian Church for the Spanish congregation that gathers at the church in Los Gatos, CA a role that he has had since 2011. His background also includes time serving as a youth and missions pastor in the Assemblies of God denomination. Carlos also owns and manages an electrician company that works in the Bay Area. He comes to Soccer Chaplains United already in place and serving as chaplain to Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes, a role that he started in 2019.
In our work with people in sports, we simply try not to make the players exclusive people, we really work to integrate them into the church so that they can be connecting with a spiritual family and the can develop their spiritual, God-given gifts during the time that they are in a particular city or with our team. When they leave, they are equipped for wherever God takes them on their journey.
Carlos, on the aim of connecting people in sports to the local church family
In addition to serving the San Jose Earthquakes, Carlos also serves the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball, as a chaplain. He conducts short chapel services on Saturdays for the home team when they are in town.
Seeing professional players grow spiritually has been something that God place on my heart some years ago…He has allowed me, together with my wife to help various families involved in sports, to shepherd them, guide them. It, truly, has been a blessing for our lives.
Carlos, on the privilege of serving as a sports chaplain
The transfer of Carlos brings Soccer Chaplains United’s chaplain corps to 23 and adds a 4th MLS team being served. Carlos is also seeking support for his ongoing work with the San Jose Earthquakes through Soccer Chaplains United — to contribute toward his work and ministry expenses, please select “San Jose” from the selectable funds on PushPay.
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 across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work. Our chaplains are not employed or paid by any of the clubs that we serve. Check out our Donation Page with all the different options. Or, simply click the PushPay link below to make a secure, online, tax-deductible gift, or mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screenshot-2023-04-17-at-8.23.32-AM.png498562Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-05-01 00:00:002024-07-08 23:49:19Pastor “Cali” in Cali Joins Up
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