Who Are You?

Published on October 23, 2023

Shannon Farlow

A newly formed FCA Volleyball team recently stood out during a club tournament in San Diego. Amidst the chaos of the tournament, a parent from another team approached Jill Fizzard, whose daughter plays for FCA Volleyball, and asked, “Who are you all?”

“The mom said her daughter had been watching our team play, and said, ‘I want to be on a team like THAT,’” Fizzard said. “That parent and her daughter saw something different in our team. They saw the light of Jesus.”

It was the team’s first tournament, and they didn’t stand out just because they were the new team in a sea of usuals. They stood out AZ9MFufw

because of Who they were playing for. It showed in their sportsmanship, their effort, their coaches, their discipline and their fans.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16

FCA Volleyball is coached by Kolby Bird, FCA San Diego Club Volleyball Director who has been involved with FCA since she was in the seventh grade. Bird also coaches a local high school team, and because of her relationships with the athletes and their desire to keep playing together and compete at the club level, she helped put the team together.

“This club team has freshman through senior athletes,” said Bird. “It is unusual to have seniors who are willing to play with and invest in freshman at the club level, but these girls are different. They love each other, love Jesus and love volleyball, and it shows. They want to see their teammates be successful, and you don’t always see that in club sports.”

As a former player at the University of Miami, Bird is thrilled to be giving back to the volleyball community through FCA. She has been around volleyball long enough to know FCA Volleyball is special. “I have coached at other clubs where you can’t share your faith freely, so this is so cool,” expressed Bird. “We have the ability to pray for and with our players. We can talk about hard things and point each other to God. You can definitely have an impact in that setting too, but you have to be more subtle. I was missing all these little things in the secular setting. With FCA Volleyball, I can be my full self and lead the way God wants me to with no barriers. I feel so blessed and lucky that we can do this.”

During FCA Volleyball practices, the athletes run drills and work to be competitive for their next tournament, but there is also time intentionally -BL4SaVQ

carved out for players to share their highlights and struggles for the week and pray for each other.

“Those 10 minutes [of sharing and praying] during practice bring them closer as a team and closer to God than any other experience,” Bird said. “Their relationships become deeper. They become invested in their teammates not only on the court, but in their hearts. They are sisters in Christ and teammates with God. And now I get to lead and serve the next generation of student-athletes just as I was served.”

Bird brings excellence and expects a lot, not just on the court but in all aspects of life. But that’s what the parents and players love.

“Kolby and FCA Volleyball truly unlocked my daughter’s heart this season,” Fizzard shared. “The team is thriving with FCA. They blend studying the Gospel, playing volleyball and building character. I just know God is doing something big, and it’s a joy to see Him open doors, work in the girls’ hearts and draw others in during tournaments.”

In the club sports world, where the environment is often filled with unsportsmanlike actions and feelings of worthiness based on win-loss records, FCA is a breath of fresh air for coaches, athletes, parents and even opposing fans and teams.

Prayer / Get Involved
Dear Lord, Thank You for shining Your light so bright through FCA coaches and athletes. Continue to use them as vessels to share the Gospel and encourage others to compete for You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

To get involved with FCA near you, visit fca.org.

About FCA Sports
While traditional FCA ministry is done on school and community campuses, FCA Sports is venturing into clubs and leagues in local communities across the globe. FCA Sports provides an exceptional sports experience where trained coaches and volunteers are committed to the wholistic growth and development of the athlete. Using a Biblical framework of coaching that serves the physical, mental and spiritual development of athletes, this is a journey where faith and sports are integrated, where competition is about becoming all God has made us to be and where the greatest win is the development of competent and confident disciples of Jesus Christ.

To learn more about FCA Sports and club teams, visit fca.org.

About FCA Volleyball San Diego

To learn more about FCA Volleyball San Diego, visit https://www.fcavbsandiego.org/.

-FCA-

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