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Disability Sport with Rev Steve Jones

From the Touchline

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This Friday, December 3, is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. With this in mind, we take a look at disability sport — it’s origins, some of the challenges, and the story of someone who is firmly entrenched in serving the disability sporting world as a chaplain.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, my friend and fellow sports chaplaincy colleague, Rev Steve Jones, joins us to share more on disability (sometimes called adaptive) sport. Steve is the UK Disability Lead for Sports Chaplaincy UK and we’ve had occasion to share a curry in England from one of my trips across the pond.

I pray that today’s podcast will help to open your eyes and my own toward those who participate in disability and all-ability sports.

Mentioned on today’s podcast:

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.

October is Sports Chaplaincy Conference Month

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This past week, two conference opportunities were afforded for Soccer Chaplains United chaplains. The first, offered by Sports Chaplaincy — UK, was their annual October conference put into a video format. The “Glocal” conference touched on critical themes which have affected the sports chaplaincy world and, so, the global and local themes combined into “glocal” were addressed through the 4-day conference. Key issues of diversity, disability, race, mental health, and what lies ahead for the future of sports chaplaincy were addressed through numerous workshops and teaching times. While start times for the UK conference made attendance difficult, sessions were recorded and made available for later viewing.

Another conference also happened this past week, this one stateside as PowerUp Sports Ministry Conference 2020 was hosted by Our Daily Bread ministry. This years virtual conference which is typically held in Grand Rapids, MI in October featured five different break out sessions on topics ranging from relationship evangelism to mentoring other sports ministry leaders. A free conference offering, the PowerUp Sports Ministry conference, took place over a few hour span and was also recorded so that attendees could watch at different times.

I am thankful for the growing opportunities in sports chaplaincy and sports ministry for our chaplains to grow and to see other chaplains involved in ministry and to be able to learn from them. The continuing education opportunities will help myself and our chaplains to be able to grow and learn how to rightly apply themselves to their own ministry contexts across the different teams that they serve.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of individual donors and church partners to help fund and resource our chaplain’s continuing education needs which enable us to continue to develop a high level of chaplaincy service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today through the PushPay button below to help us continue to subsidize training and education of our chaplains.

Chaplains Undergo Mental Health Awareness Training

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man beside white frame window

Chaplains with Soccer Chaplains United recently were offered the chance to receive mental health awareness training through an opportunity created in collaboration with the Global Sports Chaplaincy Association (GSCA) and Sports Chaplaincy — UK (SCUK). SCUK National Director of Scotland, Mark Fleming, led the two-hour zoom training session which helped identified particular mental health issues that exist within professional sport and how chaplains might maintain a good level of mental health themselves and for those they serve.

Mark’s work in sports chaplaincy began with serving as Chaplain to Partick Thistle FC in 1998 and after nine years began gradually to source, train and appoint chaplains at other Scottish football clubs. Today, over 110 Scottish football clubs have chaplains and Mark has now begun to develop chaplaincy in other sports such as rugby, shinty and in gyms. Mark gained an MA in Sports Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care in 2016 and is also senior director and trainer with Positive Mental Health Scotland.

For chaplains, one of the key issues and points of ministry includes having a keen awareness of mental health issues that confront many within the context of sport, especially soccer. There is stigma attached into mental health issues and many in soccer don’t even realize that they are suffering or struggling with particular issues of mental health. In fact, there is a high degree of misnomer around the differences between mental health and mental illness, a point Mark highlighted,

We often get mixed up between mental health and mental illness. We all have mental health, but sometimes our mental health borders on having a mental illness, and that’s where we need help.

Mark Fleming, SCUK Scotland National Director

As well as identifying and speaking to the differences with mental health and mental illness, the presentation covered steps toward positive mental health. Each step and activity designed to reinforce and help a person build up a strong mentality — especially important in the difficult and turbulent times facing sports people and the world.

Mark has recently published a book, Confessions of a Football Chaplain.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of individual donors and church partners to help fund and resource our chaplain’s continuing education needs which enable us to continue to develop a high level of chaplaincy service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue to subsidize training and education of our chaplains.

From the Rev: Bless Everything, Let God Guard the Consequences

I recently returned from a trip to the U.K. and conference with chaplains with Sports Chaplaincy UK. SCUK (formerly known as SCORE) was founded by Rev John Boyers who continues to serve as chaplains for Manchester United Football Club. In the last 10+ years, I have had occasion to attend conference with the football (soccer) chaplains a number of times. They have been forging ahead in post-Christian UK context for years now and have established a foundation of trust and pastoral care and support for many sports in the UK including both ability and disability sports.

In my devotions for 10 October, my readings in Celtic Daily Prayer point to the life and work of St Ninian. Ninian, a British Christian, studied in Rome but heard of the work that St Martin and his disciples were accomplishing in Tours, France. He journeyed there to learn of what Martin was undertaking it and returned to his home country of Britain to put it into practice.

One of Ninian’s practices might be summed up in the phrase:

Bless everything, and let God guard the consequences.

In the years that I have practiced chaplaincy in and amongst the soccer community, this has become a learned pattern. From blessing elite athletes as they go out into competitive matches and endeavors, to praying for an injured player, to supporting a family devastated by news of a trade or a contract release, to attempting to bring reconciliation between a coach and an executive — as a chaplain we are often called into spaces where we must bless everything and let God guard the consequences.

But can we really bless everything?

I recall the charge leveled at me from Rev Brad Strait at my ordination. From the text of Hosea 14:4,

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.

The words of the Lord toward the nation of Israel. The words of a Father toward his wayward children. The charge of one minister to another. Rev Strait put it straightforward,

Love them freely and heal their waywardness.

As a perfectionist and as one who grew up in a more legalistic religious tradition, grace and love have been an edge for me to learn. But with great compassion, as I live in and amongst the football community I am growing constantly in learning what it means to look for the healing and loving moments.

As a chaplain, we bless what we are able to. We bless all that we can — all that we can see, be it ever so small. Even within each athlete, coach, staff member, executive, owner, family member, or fan we can even simply see the imago dei within a person. We bless everything — the work, the spirit of the game or play, the sharpening edge of one person to another. God guards the outcomes of the games, of the presence of a chaplain, the words and direction of a counselor, all of it.

When we allow God to guard the consequences we submit to the sovereignty and design of God. In soccer, one of the phrases that coaches and commentators will use is don’t chase the game. It is a similar thought to a chaplain’s surrender of the outcomes — when we go chasing a result we grow weary and unable to clearly see our own role as a chaplain in ministry. Of course, there are outcomes that come from the presence and work of a chaplain, but when a chaplain forces or tries to direct the outcomes in a particular fashion is usually when things go awry and the chaplain loses their ability to be a safe, trustworthy presence.

As chaplains, we need to let go of desired outcomes. In the course of our service, we should continue to apply ourselves to the work at hand. The outcomes, guarded and guided by God, will come.

Blessings.

— Rev Brad Kenney

From the Rev: Reflections from Across the Pond

This past week, I’ve spent time with fellow chaplains in sport at the Sports Chaplaincy UK (SCUK) conference and 25-year anniversary celebration. Post-conference, a trip up to Glasgow, Scotland to stay with my best friend from seminary days and do some decompression. And while in Glasgow, also was able to meet up with a player who was a trialist with the Colorado Rapids last year, and recently signed with a Scottish Premier League team. As I reflect back on this past week, I’d like to share some of the highlights.

We’ve Got to Get Ready

A recent story in the Guardian on the state of English football (soccer) academies is disturbing as they track probable cause for a 16-year old boy who committed suicide after being released from an academy. With the Major League Soccer academies now reaching double-digit years, chaplains and counselors and their potential role with MLS academy players will be pivotal. The challenge will be for chaplains and counselors that have been in mainly voluntary capacities, to be utilized better to assist players and families in coping with the stresses and demands that accompany this development of soccer.

We’ve Got to Speak Up

In recent days, too, with Kevin Doyle’s retirement from soccer due to concussion symptoms and some of the dismissive remarks made around the announcement speak to a need for educating, advocating, and perhaps even prophetically speaking out against this issue. CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) has been largely covered up and ignored by the National Football League (USA). While soccer in the U.S. has been at the recent forefront of developing strict concussion protocols, there needs to be increased research and a readiness to make significant changes in the game if similar evidences are found in soccer. Chaplains, in our pastoral duties toward people over and above the game, must work to bring a prophetic voice to this area of sport.

We Need Better Training

Britain’s safeguarding (child protection) laws have led to our counterparts with SCUK becoming trained and versed in safeguarding. This is an important area of development for sports chaplaincy. While it is hit or miss as to whether some sports ministry people could be deemed “clergy,” there is a potential gap and liability if proper training and vetting isn’t done. The age of athletes in the locker room, especially n soccer, has the potential to get younger and younger.

Another area of potential training and insight is in prevention. In the aftermath of last week’s shooting in Las Vegas, it behooves sports chaplains to have insight into large-scale response protocols for the stadiums and venues where we are serving. Training in the area of awareness, detection, and prevention is going to become more critical in our day and age.

A Final Thought

An old Japanese proverb says,

A fish in water doesn’t know it is wet.

By simply spending a few days here in the U.K. and seeing the issues that are emerging here from this side of the pond in sport, and in soccer specifically, we must raise the standard. It is time for those of us in chaplaincy to begin to seriously endeavor to impact the game(s) in the ways that we should. It means risk — there are many who would rather fly below the radar on particular issues, but we must prepare ourselves as the world and the game faces changes.

— Rev Brad Kenney

 

Sports Chaplaincy UK 25th Anniversary

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Sports Chaplaincy UK 2017

This past week I had the privilege of traveling to Manchester, England to represent Soccer Chaplains United during the 25th anniversary of Sports Chaplaincy UK. The week included observing SCUK’s “induction day” training program as well as participating in the two-day conference. This year’s conference coincided with the 25-year anniversary of the charity which originally was formed as SCORE by Rev John Boyers, the chaplain of Manchester United Football Club.

SCORE, began in 1991, and began to spread into other sport in and throughout the United Kingdom. The charity rebranded in 2011 to reflect a clearer sense of chaplaincy in and to sport. As part of the continuing education, training and fellowship — SCORE/SCUK has typically hosted a conference in the first week or two of October during the FIFA international window.

I first attended a conference  in 2008, coming away with a greater sense of continuing education needs for chaplains in sport, especially in soccer. I have continued to attend every few years as part of my own education and development and to glean more ideas for how Soccer Chaplains United might one day host its own conference with a similar view toward training and development of chaplains.

Posing with Prof John Swinton of Aberdeen Univ after a powerful session on the chaplain’s role as pastor or prophet.

The conference finished with a reception in the National Football Hall of Fame in Manchester. There are many exciting opportunities, not only for training and development, but also relationally. I had the opportunity to meet with chaplains in all different levels of English football (soccer) which may prove to be beneficial to Soccer Chaplains United in the future. For example, during one breakout session, I had the chance to learn from several chaplains that are tasked with developing chaplaincy within the football academy teams. Out of our time together, there were several ideas shared on how to care well for the young players that often enter into the sport with promise, but so few actually make it into the professional ranks.

It was a trip well worth the time and investment to learn more from the chaplains across the pond that have been working for some time in a post-Christian context. I look forward to learning more and seeing how Soccer Chaplains United will be able to brace for the cultural shift that is already happening within soccer in America.

From the Rev: The Future of Sport Chaplaincy

I recently returned from the annual conference on sports chaplaincy, held by Sports Chaplaincy – United Kingdom (or SCUK). The two day conference centered on the growing issue of Mental Well-being in Sport and there was a tremendous amount of attention on the players and coaches with a view to how the pressure of sport is impacting to the social, spiritual, mental, and other aspects of life.

Aside from the main conference, though, was an undercurrent, a subtext. Even from the beginning of the conference, the issue of chaplaincy standards and accountability was an issue that was brought to the table. In all other types of positions and places, there are standards of excellence that usually accompany and accredit one to work in a particular position or field. For example, coaches in sport (esp. soccer) can coach to a certain level with certain credentials – certifications and badges are required to coach at the higher levels (in addition to life experience and other things). So, too in healthcare – nurses have varying degrees of skill and their pay and position are dependent upon the level of training and education that they have. Those levels also help to determine benefits, as well as to limit consequences for things like negligence by providing a structure for accountability.

Currently, SCUK in partnership with the University of Gloucestershire, are developing a program for chaplaincy education and training – but not just any chaplaincy training, rather one specific to sport. Currently, the program is among one of the first of its kind in the Western World. Stateside, Baylor University announced last year that it was beginning work toward the development of graduate program with a similar emphasis.

Although these programs are really just beginning, there is a lot to build on as chaplaincy has had a long legacy – especially in healthcare and the military. But one critical issue yet to be addressed is that of standardization. In healthcare and the military, there are basic standards that must be met – ordination with a recognized religious body, Master of Divinity or similar equivalency, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), Board Certification from a recognized organization (ACPE or CPSP) are among some of the standards for chaplains in those fields currently.

While a specific training track for chaplains in sport will be helpful to address the unique context and challenges that are faced, it still stands to reason – what will be done with those teams, clubs, and organizations that currently have a “chaplain” that may or may not have the education, training, or accreditation that is currently being developed?

In the United States, there are few chaplains associated with professional sport that are actually paid by the club or organization. Most “chaplains” have not had chaplain specific training, but are usually associated with Christian organizations with a primary focus on Christian evangelism and discipleship. Not bad things, but definitely not “chaplaincy” as it is currently known and understood today.

There are some instances where chaplaincy training might be helpful in avoiding certain situations like the one the chapel leader for the Washington Nationals was involved with in 2005. But it remains to be seen if the development and education structures for sports chaplaincy will take root for the other simple fact that it is rare for professional sports chaplains to change much – once a team develops trust and relationship with a chaplain, there is usually a longevity to the relationship (at least at the professional levels). And if there is really no pay for those working in professional sport, will there be much interest in investing graduate level money and time into the vocational training?

While there are still many questions similar to the ones I raise that need to be answered, I do believe that we are seeing movement in a positive direction. Personally, I am thankful for having a broader understanding and training as a chaplain which allowed me flexibility to be a chaplain in hospice and to translate much of my training into the professional sports environment. I am looking forward to seeing how education for sports chaplains develops in the coming years and I think that it speaks well for the future of sports chaplaincy to see some education and accreditation structure and standards being developed. In the coming years it is my hope and desire that CrossTraining will be able to be at the forefront of many of these changes.

Blessings,

Rev. Brad Kenney

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