Archive for month: August, 2024

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Community First Soccer Means Soccer For All

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In late June, Sebastian Navarro with Community First Soccer reached out to Tacoma Defiance Chaplain, Jubal McDaniel. Is there any soccer gear that we might be able to give away to the children participating in our youth camps this summer? Earlier this year, Jubal had gone through the process of closing down his own non-profit, Northwest Football Ministries. In previous years, Jubal and Sebastian had connected to mutually serve local communities in the state of Washington through soccer.

Community First Soccer is a soccer non profit 501(c)3 whose main goal is to make soccer accessible to all starting with the underserved communities who need it the most. They host free soccer camps and college showcases. Their mission and aim is to never charge for a soccer camp. They make their camps free and accessible to as many people as possible — a difficult task in the pay-to-play soccer culture that permeates the North American landscape, currently.

There were multiple camps held — Yakima, Quincy, and Sunnyside — all cities across southeast Washington over a period of two weeks in late July. The camps were free to all of the families and helped provide soccer gear, lunches, haircuts, and new friends! Local professionals, like former Seattle Sounder Roman Torres, were on site to coach, encourage, and engage with the kids.

This Community Project fulfillment also marked another “first” of sorts — gear from Jubal in Tacoma, and not Denver. As Soccer Chaplains United continues to grow, so do the opportunities for expanding our abilities to get used soccer gear to other communities through our Community Project program. All totaled, Jubal delivered about 20 bags of gear for CFS to use over the course of the two weeks.

When you financially 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 Project from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals projects and organizations, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

See the pictures below as the gear was handed out to different children and their families.

Soccer Chaplain Myth 4: Chaplains Just There For the Bad Stuff

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:39 — 21.3MB)

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I once had a coach say to me, “I guess chaplains are just there for when things go wrong…” I lament that my apologetic for soccer chaplaincy and our conversation had led him to that conclusion. It’s a common myth, though, that chaplains are only there for people when bad stuff happens. Of course, we think of the hospital or hospice moment when someone is sick, injured, or dying. Or, perhaps, we might think of soldiers going to battle and not knowing whether they will live to fight another day — we see the picture of the priest praying over the troops. It’s reasonable to believe that chaplains are there for difficult times, but is that the only place for them?

Today, on the podcast, I talk about the misnomer and mistruth that soccer chaplains are only there for the bad times — we’re there for the good, celebratory times, too. It might be the birth of a baby or officiating a wedding or hosting a trophy, but chaplains live out the biblical mandate that says “rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.” It’s really a beautiful place and space where a chaplain dwells between the tensions of soccer with all of it’s highs and lows.

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.

Soccer Gear Heading to Africa

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This past week, there has been movement with two different projects and soccer gear fulfillments from our Community Project Program. Read below to learn about each project and the gear we were able to supply.

Liberia — Pappie Jones and Soccer Ambassadors

First, Pappie Jones and Soccer Ambassadors, have patiently been waiting since their request last year (May 2023) as we work to get items shipped to Liberia. With no specific church or mission teams headed to the small, West Africa nation and with a few of our ideas falling through. We finally reached out to Liberian friend, Thomas Fahn, who recommended a shipper in the United States that sends a monthly container. Getting the bags to the shipper is the first step — and Board Chair Cliff Burton had a friend carry two bags filled with gear back to North Carolina. The bags should begin their transatlantic journey in early September. Be sure to check back for an update to this story!

Final fulfillment (100 pounds of gear):

  • Jerseys – 48
  • Shorts – 48
  • Socks – 72
  • GK sets (shirt, socks, shorts) – 4
  • Compression shorts – 31
  • Compression pants – 32
  • Compression tops – 16
  • Various shirts/jackets/tops – 62
Field jerseys and goalkeeper gear headed to Liberia

Ghana — Cherry Creek Pres and Jewels of God Church

Last month, partner church Cherry Creek Presbyterian requested gear to accompany a team that heads out to Ghana in just a few days. With an additional two bags, this team will also take about 100 pounds of gear, albeit it more quickly. With a fresh influx of gear coming from the Colorado Rapids just at the start of the academy season, the Ghana team will have plenty of shorts and uniforms to provide enough to outfit three teams for the children connected to the Jewels of God Church in Accra.

Finally fulfillment includes:

  • Jerseys – 32
  • Shorts – 32
  • Socks – 82
  • GK sets (shirt, socks, shorts) – 7
  • Other tops – 33
  • Warm up tops – 26
  • Women’s jerseys – 23
  • Various jersey and short sets – 5

We look forward to hearing updates and reports back on the gear and soccer equipment delivered for the children in these countries.

When you financially 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 Project from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals projects and organizations, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

Soccer Chaplain Myth 3: Chaplains Praying for Wins?

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:14 — 33.4MB)

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Sometimes people ask me, “Rev, do you pray for wins?” What usually follows is, at least for me, an interesting conversation if we have the time to get into it. But a common myth or belief that chaplains (or, simply, Christian people who enjoy sports) can fall prey to, is believing that somehow one’s prayers or faith can impact and affect the outcome of a game.

Today, on the podcast, I address the questions and occasional belief that chaplains in sport, themselves, can fall into a temptation of thinking that somehow they (or their prayers) have some influence or impact on the winning (and losing) that goes on, on the field.

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.

4th Global Congress Issues Call for Presentations and Papers

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The 4th Global Congress on Sport and Christianity has recently released information on submitting papers and presentations for consideration for next summer’s conference in Waco, Texas.

Baylor University’s Truett Seminary is the location and the Baylor’s Faith and Sport Institute will play host to the fourth global summit which sees academics and practitioners from around the world gather to present, debate, and dialogue about sport and Christian faith in meaningful and deeper ways.

The first global congress was held in 2016 in York, England. It has a special fondness in my own heart because the re-branded name and expanded vision for Soccer Chaplains United was born out of several conversations that special week. Additionally, my presentation and first published academic article were part of the congress.

The congress is held every three years. 2019 saw it come to the United States and was held at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI. At the time, I presented on chaplaincy and also made a separate presentation along with Brooke Ewert on the connection between counseling and chaplaincy.

2022’s rendition was a somewhat smaller gathering as the world crept out of COVID restrictions and returned to the UK where it was hosted at Ridley Hall in Cambridge, England. Again, I presented on issues of chaplaincy and sustainability.

I look forward to the 2025 rendition and I am hopeful to see other Soccer Chaplains United chaplains hopefully in attendance. The congress offers a good place to learn, to grow, to be challenged in the way we think about ministry in sport (in general) and ministry to the people of soccer (specifically).

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 chaplains and our work. Check out our Donate page for different giving options.

Soccer Chaplain Myth 2: “Chaplains for all…”

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:49 — 16.1MB)

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Much of my work outside of being the lead volunteer chaplain to the Colorado Rapids is working to develop chaplaincy with other teams in North America. This involves educating teams on what chaplaincy is and what chaplaincy isn’t. As I have different conversations and interactions with coaches, executives, and owners around the various leagues, one common excuse or myth that I hear is, “If I have a Christian chaplain, then I have to have someone from all the religions…”

Today, on the podcast, I talk about this common belief that often gets put up between a soccer team and the opportunity of having chaplaincy service. I talk about what professional chaplaincy looks like, even toward people of other faith traditions.

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.

Soccer Chaplain Myth 1: “You Must Have Played…”

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:49 — 16.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Email | Youtube Music | RSS

Sometimes when I introduce myself and share about the work that I do as volunteer chaplain to a professional soccer team, people don’t even stop to ask. Instead, they just say, “Oh, you must have played soccer at a high level…” Well, truth be told, I was never going to rise to such a level as an athlete.

Funny enough, though, there are some that believe former pro soccer players must make the best soccer chaplains. Today, on the podcast, I try to debunk one of the most common and frequent myths (and its may variations) that I’ve heard around the sport of soccer and chaplaincy.

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.

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