As the largest Christian sports ministry in the world, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes works with many athletes and coaches throughout sports, both professional and amateur, to bring attention to the outstanding achievements of Christian sports personalities throughout the year. FCA has compiled what we believe are the Top 10 Christian Sports Stories of 2009.

Despite surprising and disappointing headlines that didn’t always align with the usual definition of a hero and role model, there were many stories to celebrate. FCA – the heart and soul in sports – is pleased to not just present a list of heart-felt stories but to celebrate the impact these sports figures made on the world by utilizing their platform for God’s glory.

1. Tony Dungy retires as the Indianapolis Colts head coach and gains national attention for his ministry outreach including mentoring professional athletes. (January 2009)

2. Bobby Bowden, a frequent and popular speaker for Christian events around the country, retires as head coach of the Florida State University Seminoles with the second-most wins of any NCAA Division I college football coach. (November 2009)

3. Christian college quarterbacks Tim Tebow (Florida), Colt McCoy (Texas), Case Keenum (Houston), Matt Barkley (USC) and Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) enjoy unprecedented successes during their seasons, remain true to their faith and share their love for Christ with others. (August-December 2009)

4. St. Louis Cardinal first baseman Albert Pujols wins his third National League most valuable player award. The Pujols Family Foundation has as its mission “to live and share our commitment to faith, family and others.”  (November 2009)

5. The New York Yankees, under the guidance of manager Joe Girardi, and on the arm of Andy Pettite, return to baseball’s grandest stage by winning the club’s 27th World Series title – the most by any team in Major League Baseball history. Pettite’s performance during the fall classic made him the Series’ all-time winningest pitcher. (November 2009)

6. After a courageous battle with breast cancer, North Carolina State University head women’s basketball coach Kay Yow passes away. Yow’s unwavering faith and dignity throughout her lifetime and during her lengthy illness was inspiration for her Wolfpack team and everyone associated with women’s basketball. (January 2009)

7. John Wooden, who won a record 10 NCAA basketball championships in 12 years at UCLA, is recognized by The Sporting News as the best coach of all time across all sports. Wooden turned 99 in October. (July 2009)

8. Amateur and professional golf were impacted by Christians in 2009. Lorena Ochoa and Lucas Glover made their mark on professional golf. Ochoa was named the LPGA’s Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. (November 2009) She had ten top-10 finishes and three victories in 22 starts on tour. Glover battled the elements and an onslaught of competitors to pull out a surprise win at the U.S. Open for his first major championship on the PGA tour. (June 2009) Amateur golfer Mallory Code – a Florida high school state champion and University of Florida graduate – lost her lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis at the age of 25 yet left an indelible impression on people everywhere by her successes on the amateur circuit and by the way in which she put others first in her life. (November 2009)

9. Arizona Cardinal quarterback Kurt Warner leads his team to an unexpected NFC title and a spot in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was Warner’s third appearance in the Super Bowl and the continuation of a remarkable journey for a man whose NFL career began rather unconventionally. Warner received the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2009 as well. His First Things First Foundation is dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values. (February 2009)

10. Women’s college basketball players Maya Moore of the University of Connecticut and Courtney Paris of the University of Oklahoma led their teams to the Women’s Final Four – the pinnacle for women’s college basketball. UConn won the national title and Moore was named national player of the year after the Huskies finished the year undefeated at 39-0. Paris became the sport’s only four-time All-American and is the only college basketball player – male or female – to amass 2,500 points and 2,000 rebounds. (April 2009)