This upcoming weekend, MLS Next Pro kicks off season three. Today, on the podcast, I am joined by special guests: Jubal McDaniel (chaplain to the Tacoma Defiance and Soccer Chaplains’ United’s very own Pacific Chaplain Manager) and Jonathan Hyde (chaplain to Chattanooga FC). Each of these guys is a volunteer chaplain with Soccer Chaplains United and serving a MLS NEXT Pro team. Today we’ll take a look at the 2024 season that lies ahead as well as some of the unique features and challenges for each of their teams.
And because it’s Jonathan’s first time on the pod, we will get in a fun game of Crosses with Rev.
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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2024-03-13 00:00:002024-07-08 23:45:062024 MLS Next Pro Season Preview
Today, I am really pleased to announce the volunteer Tacoma Defiance chaplain, Jubal McDaniel, will become the West Coast Chaplaincy Manager for Soccer Chaplains United. The role will “officially” begin January 1, 2024, but in truth, Jubal has been doing the work for some time.
With the chaplain growth that we experienced in 2023 (8 chaplains and 40% growth), the importance of continuing to support our existing chaplains and continue to discover and develop new chaplains is leading to this new organizational structure augmentation. As “Chaplain Manager,” Jubal will be tasked to 1) support chaplains within the Pacific timezone and 2) work to discover and develop out new chaplains for new chaplain opportunities that arise.
Jubal joined Soccer Chaplains United three years ago (in late 2020). In that time, he has grown in the role serving the Defiance as well as with Soccer Chaplains United. Jubal has gone back to Liberty University to also grow in his professional development, taking on courses in chaplaincy and sports chaplaincy to grow in his understanding and work to serve the team and the Beautiful Game well. He finished a Master’s in Sports Chaplaincy earlier this May.
Mid-year, this year, I started to toy with the idea of having some “timezone” specific help. Interviewing candidates, inquiring about new opportunities and vacancies, and supporting existing chaplains for our growing ministry were all motivations behind the idea. Jubal was one of the first to raise his hand and I asked him to share more about his own thoughts behind diving in “deeper”:
I’m very encouraged by the growth of Soccer Chaplains United over the last 18 months. We have added a significant number of chaplains to our team, and continue to remain faithful to our common code of conduct, professional standards and the Lord. It is truly an honor and a blessing to have the opportunity to serve alongside Brad – by serving and caring for new and current chaplains.
Jubal, on seeing the growth and feeling called to become more involved
To offset the additional time and commitment, we are working to grow a stipend fund for the chaplain managers. But, for Jubal, it’s not so much been about funds or funding but seeing the value of the work and wanting to see the chaplaincy continue to grow.
It honestly makes me emotional to be serving in this way. I never dreamed I would be serving in professional soccer this way. Even when I joined SCU three years ago, I was amazed to simply have the opportunity to serve the Tacoma Defiance, but the Lord had another plan. Starting in Tacoma and now being able to serve the west coast is an incredible blessing!
Jubal, on seeing the Lord grow and expand his own heart for the ministry
Jubal will work to raise additional support through Soccer Chaplains United. You can support his work by selecting Tacoma from the PushPay drop down fund. Visit our Donate page to have quick access to other links and learn where you might also mail checks in support of Jubal and his work in Tacoma and beyond.
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 service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work. Simply click the PushPay (the big P) link below to make a secure, online, tax-deductible gift, or mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_3226.jpg640960Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-12-15 00:00:002024-07-08 23:44:04McDaniel to Lead Up West Coast
The MLS Next Pro regular season has come to a close and today, on the podcast, I am joined by Jubal McDaniel (Tacoma Defiance) and Kevin Hasenack (Colorado Rapids 2). We take a look back at the 2023 season and look ahead to the playoffs. The chaplains share some of the highlights and challenges from the year and how they think it might end up for their teams. We all finish with a time of prayer for the MLS Next Pro teams as the get started this next week on the playoffs.
Please note: this podcast was recorded before the actual selection stage. MLS Next Pro teams are able to choose their opponents with a high enough seed.
From the Touchline is a 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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-09-27 00:00:002024-07-08 23:47:492023 MLS Next Pro Playoff Preview with special guests Jubal McDaniel and Kevin Hasenack
Major League Soccer Next Pro, now in its second season, is part of the third division pro soccer landscape in North America. These teams, tied into their MLS (division 1 counterparts) represent an added step in the professional player pathway for the beautiful game. As the season began this past weekend, we have two Soccer Chaplains United chaplains on who are currently serving MLS Next Pro teams.
Jubal McDaniel, in his 3rd year with Tacoma Defiance has seen the club go from USL – Championship to MLS Next Pro. Kevin Hasenack (Rev Kev) is part of the work with the Colorado Rapids 2 (R2) team. Both join me on the podcast today to talk about their teams and the league and a few other football and chaplaincy related things.
Also, during this episode of From the Touchline, Kevin and Jubal face off in a second, head to head competition of Crosses with Rev— the little game I like to play with podcast guests. So tune in and listen as we talk about MLS Next Pro today on the 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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-03-29 00:00:002024-07-08 23:49:552023 MLS Next Pro Preview with special guests Jubal McDaniel and Kevin Hasenack
Recently, Jubal McDaniel, volunteer chaplain to Tacoma Defiance shared an email with the rest of the Soccer Chaplains United team about his experience thus far in working out chaplaincy service for his team context. Our conversations with Jubal began in late 2020, with COVID and the pandemic in full-swing, it took time for the introductions and beginnings of ministry. More headway was made in 2021 — Jubal as able to meet and serve the team in many virtual ways and towards the end of the year, in a few, tangible ways. What follows below are some of Jubal’s reflections, which I believe give helpful insight into the work of soccer chaplaincy and some of the challenges and ways to take on those challenges when serving in a context like MLS Next Pro.
Outside of my role with SCU, I coach girls soccer at both the junior high and high school level. One of my assistant coaches loves to use the phrase “paint the picture.” As coaches, we should “paint the picture” for our players to understand what it is that we expect from them. This could be in word and deed. For me, this has become a great help within chaplaincy.
The role of a chaplain is a foreign concept that most people do not understand. We might use metaphors or other more widely used terms to describe the ways in which a chaplain might care for and serve the club. I do this a lot when making an introduction. Chaplains cover a lot of ground and it can still be confusing and hard for someone to wrap their brain around. I am entering into my second season serving the Defiance, and I am the first chaplain to serve the club. I am actively trying to build trust and relationships with everyone at the club – especially since I was not able to be with them in person last season. Therefore, I have spent a lot of my time interacting via text, phone, social media, email and occasionally Zoom. Combine that with the club’s transition into the new MLS NEXT Pro league, almost an entirely new roster, and a stadium location change. The staff are working extremely hard and are busy trying to coordinate everything. I take every opportunity that I can to list ways that I can help and ask if there are any specific needs that I could help with. Yet, sometimes we have to “paint the picture”. Painting requires motion, creativity, intuition, patience and time. The diversity of colors also brilliantly describe the diversity of tasks that we take on as chaplains. I can tell someone what a chaplain looks like and I can ask for ways to help, but it only goes so far.
The role of a chaplain is a foreign concept that most people do not understand…sometimes we have to “paint the picture”. Painting requires motion, creativity, intuition, patience and time.
Jubal, on the work of a chaplain
Today, the Defiance hosted their first match of the MLS NEXT Pro season. After the match, I had the opportunity to meet the coaches and shake hands. Again, I had not met them face to face before. I stood around and waited for the players to exit the locker room. While I was waiting, I saw the Team Admin hustling back out to the field…its relatively warm out, he’s sweating, and still working hard. I walked back to the field and said, “How can I help?” He greeted me with a bright smile, asked me how I was and then passed me off to his operations team. We finished cleaning up the field while he was able to go off and do something else more important. I took my paint brush and painted the picture. I showed him that I was available, was literally ready to get my hands dirty, and am eager to serve. I don’t want to sit on the sidelines, but I genuinely care for the club and its people. For this reason, I was able to make at least half a dozen more connections and it had a huge impact on the Team Admin.
Some of us are relatively new to chaplaincy, and others have been here for a decade or more. However, I hope that this encourages all of us to continue finding ways to paint the picture.
After serving in Major League Soccer for 20+ years, it is in simple ways like Jubal describes above that we can show love and care and value and worth to people. I commented to Jubal as we debriefed the first game, that even in him helping the staff clear the field he is helping those folks get home sooner — to their families, or even just to rest. Many times, at these levels, people give so much of themselves and often “over-extend” for the sake of the team, for the sake of the club and at the cost of personal well-being and health and sometimes their families, too.
As chaplains, care often begins in physical and tangible ways and it opens the door to gain trust and relationship to be able to speak into the deeper things that are related to a person’s spiritual, emotion, and mental well-being.
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 across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our chaplains and our work. If you would like to contribute specifically to Jubal’s work with the Tacoma Defiance, please select “Tacoma” from the drop-down funds when clicking on the PushPay button or Donate tab.
Sometimes the greatest act that a chaplain in soccer can take on is to simply help to clean up the pitch.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/1jslzh2lkcm.jpg1200988Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2022-03-31 06:00:002022-03-30 15:13:23Painting the Picture — Jubal McDaniel
Jubal McDaniel serves as volunteer chaplain for the Tacoma Defiance, a team that plays in the second division of professional soccer in the U.S., the USL-Championship. This year, Jubal enters into his first full season as chaplain. He joins Rev Brad Kenney on the From the Touchline podcast today ahead of the team’s home opener to talk a little bit about what makes Tacoma “defiant” and how the team is doing just one game into the season.
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 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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Defiance-Primary-Logo.png474612Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2021-05-12 00:00:002021-05-11 12:29:45Defiance with Jubal McDaniel
Jubal McDaniel serves as the Volunteer Chaplain to the Tacoma Defiance (USL-Championship) in Tacoma, WA. With a late-2020 placement and that coming in the middle of a pandemic, his first steps to serve the Defiance were put on hold as the team ended the 2020 campaign. The door was opened; however, for Jubal to get a brief introduction to the team via Zoom with two weeks remaining in the season. But, as is the case in USL, there is frequently a lot of change. The head manager moved on to a new opportunity, several athletes moved to other teams around the country and, in many ways, 2021 would be a bit of a re-start.
With the 2021 season quickly approaching, there was a sense of urgency to begin the season serving the team well. Given that the USL still has COVID protocols in place that limit in-person interactions, Executive Director Rev Brad Kenney and Jubal needed to work on a way to show hospitality to the team from somewhat of a distance. Jubal’s passion and hobby of roasting coffee combined with his longevity in the Tacoma area, paired nicely in developing an idea to create welcoming gift bags for the players, coaches and staff. The bags would serve to help introduce and remind players and staff of Jubal’s availability and role as chaplain to the team. In addition, Jubal was able to create some uniqueness for each bag as a way to celebrate the start of the new season and show support from a distance.
Jubal shared about some of the unique considerations as he put the project together,
I confirmed the list of names and coordinated the drop off with the Team Admin. The beauty of a gift bag is that it can be anything you want it to be. I like details, and so I made sure that the bags and ribbons were in team colors. I chose items that didn’t have any nuts, hand wrote a personalized note to each person, created labels with their name on it, and took care to not lick the envelopes. In fact, I created an assembly line and my kids helped me put the bags together! They loved it!
Jubal, on the season-opening gift bags
Many times in the lower divisions of soccer here in North America, those plying their trade do so at a greater expense and cost. Wages are lower. Contracts are shorter. It’s difficult to support families on the soccer income alone. Athletes, coaches, and staff are often traveling most of the year and living away from typical support structures and resources such as family and friends. It is in these moments that a gift and sign of hospitality can go a long way to showing care from a chaplain.
…these simple gift bags deeply impacted the team. I received numerous notes and messages from players and staff thanking for me for thinking of them.
Jubal, on the response to the gift-bags
One email Jubal received, recounted how the training session that morning was particularly hard. When the team walked into the locker room and saw the gifts — some have said the look on people’s faces was something to behold! Even though the chaplain cannot be physically present with the team at this time, these simple paper goodie bags helped solidify Jubal’s role, his reception and trust within the team, and will likely open new doors of relationship.
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 support Jubal and his volunteer work with the Defiance. Select the Tacoma fund from our PushPay or by writing Tacoma in the memo section of a check and mailing it to Soccer Chaplains United.
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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_3226.jpg640960Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2021-05-06 06:00:002021-05-05 15:24:57Hospitality A Hit as Tacoma Gift Bags Bring a Smile
As the United Soccer League (USL) starts to ramp up its season this weekend, soccer across North America will finally be in full-swing. The USL manages the lower divisions of professional soccer in the U.S. and Canada and has many teams in smaller cities and markets. USL-Championship is the top tier of soccer below Major League Soccer (MLS).
Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, Rev Brad is joined by 5 different USL-C chaplains! Robert Briggs, chaplain of Sacramento Republic; Greg Aydt, chaplain to Memphis 901 FC; Kurt Trempert, chaplain to Colorado Springs Switchbacks; Jubal McDaniel, chaplain to the Tacoma Defiance; and Erick Jiménez, chaplain to El Paso Locomotives FC are all on the podcast. Each chaplain shares a little bit about themselves and what lies ahead for their cities and their teams in the 2021 season.
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 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.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2021-04-28 00:00:002021-04-20 14:23:39USL with Robert, Kurt, Jubal, Greg and Erick
I am pleased to announce the newest member of Soccer Chaplains United — Jubal McDaniel. Jubal will serve as volunteer chaplain for the Tacoma Defiance, of the United Soccer League—Championship.
Jubal is the Founder and Executive Director of NW Football Ministries, a non-profit organization created to help poor and immigrant families be able to enjoy the game of soccer and to also receive encouragement and hear about the Good News of the Gospel through the examples and witness of the coaches. Jubal also serves as Elementary Athletic Director for Cascade Christian Schools where he coaches the girls Junior High and High School teams. You can learn more on his bio page here.
Jubal McDaniel will serve as the volunteer chaplain for the Tacoma Defiance
The appointment of McDaniel and placement with Tacoma comes during an interesting time with the effects of COVID-19 and the global pandemic still limiting chaplain interactions with teams, but with doors opening for chaplains to provide care from a distance.
Jubal’s appointment comes at an important time as the USL season is into the playoffs. With Tacoma not advancing out of the group stage, Jubal’s attention will turn toward offseason work including supporting athletes and coaches transitioning for the next couple of months. Jubal will also begin to lay the groundwork for future chaplaincy service in 2021 to his local, hometown team.
Jubal will look to raise expenses through Soccer Chaplains United and donations toward the Tacoma chaplaincy may be made through the Tacoma fund tab through PushPay or by marking “Tacoma” in the memo section of a check and mailed to our Denver PO box address below.
I really have appreciated the depth of this process and the professionalism with the coaches and athletes in working through this with Soccer Chaplains United. I am really looking forward to working with and serving my local club, the Tacoma Defiance, as chaplain.
Jubal, on the process with Soccer Chaplains United
Jubal now becomes Soccer Chaplains United’s fifth volunteer chaplain serving in the USL – Championship and the organization’s 15th chaplain, overall.
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. Simply click the PushPay (the big P) link below to make a secure, online, tax-deductible gift, or mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Defiance-Primary-Logo.png474612Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2020-10-19 12:00:362020-10-19 11:01:03Announcing New Tacoma Defiance Chaplain
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