Unfortunately, this season will see the end of Cody Baker serving as a counselor with Soccer Chaplains United. Cody, has been there from the beginning with us and was an integral part of our organization growing. He has served well and really helped us, especially in the early years and through the transition from CrossTraining to Soccer Chaplains United. I'd like to personally thank Cody for the contributions he has made over the years — including putting up with me and working hard to figure out how we can integrate chaplaincy and counseling service for a soccer team! In recent months, Cody has been feeling a draw and call away from private practice and into helping young people in the

Meet Nicholas Runyan. Runyan is the latest addition to the Soccer Chaplains United counseling network. He works at Mental Health Center of Denver and operates a private practice in Littleton, Colorado called Aim & Action Counseling Services. He becomes the third counselor on the team and is part of the growing desire to see the establishment of a network of counselors that are cognizant of sport-specific needs and issues for the athletes and their families of the teams that are being served. Runyan, has an MA in Counseling and specializes in working with adults and adolescents on issues like anxiety, depression or low motivation, spiritual growth, addiction, family dynamics, and life transitions. We live in a world that caters to our

It's my pleasure to announce that Alex Avila has joined the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors. Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a counselor in the South-metro Denver-area. As the founder and director of the Relationship Institute of the Rockies, he has a vision and a passion for seeing people overcome personal challenges around counseling in order to get the help they need. When I asked him what he is looking forward to most with joining the board, Alex shared, I am excited to help break down barriers and stigmas and to help Soccer Chaplains United and everyone they serve improve mental health and relationships. Alex's appointment to the Board of Directors will help Soccer Chaplains

I saw the movie The Star this past weekend. It was refreshing to look at the Christmas story from the animal’s perspective. How many times do we gloss over the Christmas story? We have heard it many times and quickly say “Oh, I know it.” This Christmas season, I’ve been trying to slow down and not to gloss over anything. I’ve been trying to read the Christmas story slower and to think about each person’s place in the story in a meaningful way. I have found that God has been revealing to me each person was divinely appointed for that time. They each had a  place in God’s amazing story. How often do we forget our place in God’s story?

In the fast-pass culture that we live in sometimes missing the small aspects of life that help make us healthier individuals fade to the backdrop. As I was driving home with my family on Thanksgiving evening we passed an outlet mall. The line of cars extended from the mall and continued down the highway for a couple of miles. As we continued home I realized that holiday lights were already up and turned on around stores and people’s houses. Suddenly Thanksgiving was over without the day being done. Yes, every holiday is commercialized and that is an issue in and of itself that makes me cringe. This year it is bothering me even more. As Americans we are gifted a