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

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

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

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

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.