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Eliason Doesn’t Renew with Board; Finishes 8 years of Service

When Geoff Eliason joined the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors in 2017, he immediately brought a new sense of energy to the Board of Directors. The former strength and conditioning coach for the Indiana University Men’s Soccer team, had worked with several players (including the Colorado Rapids own, Drew Moor). Geoff’s experience in the financial marketplace, also brought a different network of potential people to help support, coach, and guide Soccer Chaplains United as an organization.

Geoff’s contributions include helping bring his brother (Travis) onto the board, introducing Matt Kaufman as a potential board member, helping to secure several large-gift donations, and serving as a patron for supplying a bulk quantity of soccer devotionals to Front Range Christian School’s soccer programs during 2022.

Geoff Eliason shares during the 2017 rebranding party of Soccer Chaplains United

Geoff elected to not renew for another three-year term as an opportunity has arisen with USA Weightlifting’s Foundation to participate in leading up to the next Olympic cycle. As a former Olympic weightlifter, Geoff is looking forward to utilizing his gifts and talents in this direction.

I look forward to continuing to look for where the Lord is working around me specific to SCU and join Him in that work.  Thanks for including me in God’s story woven throughout SCU. 

Geoff, on his time with Soccer Chaplains United

We are grateful to Geoff for his time of service and we wish him well as he pursues new, next endeavors!

If you would like to learn more about Soccer Chaplains United and opportunities to serve on our Board of Directors, please send an email to info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

Soccer Chaplains United is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies on the generous support of individual donors and church partners to carry out its work of chaplaincy in soccer. You can give a safe, secure, electronic, tax-deductible gift via PushPay by clicking the button below or by texting soccerchaplains to 77977. You can also mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.

Travis Eliason Joins Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors

It’s my pleasure to announce that Travis Eliason, brother to current board member Geoff Eliason, has joined the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors. Travis brings a wealth of legal experience and knowledge as an attorney in Illinois. He is a partner with Quales and Brady, LLP and graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law. His legal specialty areas include focuses on representing lenders and other secured and unsecured creditors in bankruptcy cases and complex commercial litigation. His undergraduate studies were at Wheaton College where he played soccer on the men’s varsity team.  Travis and his skill set fill a vacancy left by former board member, Darren Dragovich, who moved on earlier this year.

When I asked him what he is looking forward to most with joining the board, Travis shared,

I am excited to be on the board because it combines two components of my life that are and continue to be important — faith and soccer. I look forward to working with the board members and my brother, too.

Travis’ life history and story include a long love and passion with soccer. He has played since a young age — AYSO all the way through college — and has also coached youth soccer. After graduating from Wheaton College, Travis spent time in Surrey, England as Youth Director at International Community Church where he used soccer to reach out to local youth.

I am excited about the opportunity to be on the board because its a type of ministry that I am familiar with and have been engaged with in the past — essentially carrying the message of the Gospel through soccer to a diverse and international community of peoples.

Travis, credits God for bringing him through many challenging times and trials,

God has brought me out of some tough spots and he has redeemed my personal and professional lives…

We are excited to have Travis as part of our Board of Directors.

If you would like to learn more about Soccer Chaplains United and opportunities to serve on our Board of Directors, please send an email to info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

Soccer Chaplains United is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies on the generous support of individual donors and church partners to carry out its work of chaplaincy and counseling in soccer.

You can give a safe, secure, electronic, tax-deductible gift via PushPay by clicking the button below or by texting soccerchaplains to 77977. You can also mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.

Matt Kaufman Joins Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors

It’s my pleasure to announce that Matt Kaufman, principal of Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC, and friend of current board member Geoff Eliason, has joined the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors. Matt and Geoff got to know each other and work with each when they both worked for PowerShares — an exchange-traded fund company based in Chicago.

Matt has been in the financial services field since graduating from  Cedarville University in 2004. His work has been to mainly build investment products and consult with asset managers and insurance companies.

When I asked him what he is looking forward to most with joining the board, Matt shared,

Over the last year, the Lord has been pressing on my heart to serve in a ministry. I feel that He has led me to Soccer Chaplains United combining several things that I am passionate about, namely sports and faith and ministry.

Matt played soccer as a youth, but transitioned to volleyball in high school and went on to play and coach in college, as well. Matt’s wife, Suzanne, was a collegiate player at Wright State University. To which Matt is quick to point out,

My wife is much better at soccer than me.

Today, Matt still enjoys soccer and specifically watching his children play the sport. Matt has seen God show up in his life in many special ways, which has helped him work and serve in the financial services sector for so many years with a sense of even-ness,

I can see several points in my life where the Lord specifically showed up in my life and the lives of my family (e.g., meeting my bride, being tole we would not have any children (and then having 6!), a child diagnosed with leukemia, my mother-in-law giving her life to the Lord hours before she died). These moments have marked my faith journey in a tremendous way and made me a stronger follower of Christ…

We are excited to have Matt join the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors.

If you would like to learn more about Soccer Chaplains United and opportunities to serve on our Board of Directors, please send an email to info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

Soccer Chaplains United is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies on the generous support of individual donors and church partners to carry out its work of chaplaincy and counseling in soccer.

You can give a safe, secure, electronic, tax-deductible gift via PushPay by clicking the button below or by texting soccerchaplains to 77977. You can also mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.

Soccer Chaplains United Growth Needs

Soccer Chaplains United Logo

Ever since rebranding last fall, Soccer Chaplains United has been experiencing a tremendous amount of growth and opportunity. Last year, at the time of rebranding, the Portland Timbers chaplains joined Soccer Chaplains United as well as the organization’s first collegiate chaplain at Moody Bible Institute joined the organization. This year, we’ve added chaplains in Nashville and Rio Grande Valley with the second division soccer teams there and are exploring adding a chaplain at another college in Illinois.

Ministry growth has outpaced ministry funding, though, for the year which has created new challenges and an opportunity. As the Board of Directors for Soccer Chaplains United seeks answers to address the shortfall, there has been looks at several different options including creating new business partnerships, seeking new individual donors and new church partners, and working to develop an annual fundraising event. The other alternative, is to make program cuts. Geoff Eliason, Board Vice-Chair and head of the subcommittee on finance shared,

The board recognizes that Soccer Chaplains United finds itself in a season of exponential growth, requiring additional resources.  The infrastructure was put in place in 2017 resulting in a sustainable model in 2018 and beyond that delivers high level chaplaincy and counseling services throughout the U.S. and globally.  We are excited to see God continue to work in providing for Soccer Chaplains United through this unique time of expansion.

As the chaplaincy with different teams and organizations continues to age, the cost increases. Simply put, the more people become aware of and trust a chaplain (or counselor) with Soccer Chaplains United, the more utilized the service becomes. Expenditures for existing programs with the Colorado Rapids, Valor Christian High School, and the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC continue to grow.

To date, Soccer Chaplains United has been funded primarily by individual donors, and in a smaller part by church partners and foundations. Recently someone asked me, why not ask the teams or players for money? The answer is quite simple, once a chaplain asks for money the integrity of the pastoral relationship is broken. As an organization the need to explore and find new funding sources is becoming increasingly vital.

So what are some of the specific needs?

  • It cost approximately $2,500 to discover, develop, and launch a professional chaplain
  • Depending on team size, specific team ministry costs can range from $5-10k per club
  • Our Timothy Project budget has undergone some reductions, but our goal is to get to 5-10% of our annual budget as a way of giving back
  • We anticipate in the next 2-3 years we will need to double our counseling subsidy that we provide to the neediest that we serve

We would love to see you partner with us in this work. If you feel led, please consider making a gift via PushPay, text SoccerChaplains to 77977 or sending a gift to: Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250. Your gift is tax-deductible.

If you would like to know more about Soccer Chaplains United and our work please reach out to us at info@soccerchaplainsunited.org to learn more.

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