Blog

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.

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.