Cati Leak was determined that she’d never coach.
Though her parents were high school teachers and coaches, she didn’t want to repeat the family lineage.
But after she gave her life to Jesus as a volleyball athlete at LSU and worked camps with teammates, she realized she might just be on that same path.
“I was going to have to eat my words,” she laughed. “As I began to pray about my career, I asked God what doors He wanted me to walk through. I always dreamed I’d get to coach for LSU and come back to my alma mater.”
She continued to pray passionately for a position as she finished her time as a student-athlete. Two weeks after graduation, an assistant position for LSU beach volleyball opened.
At first, Cati couldn’t believe it and dismissed the thought. But when five people inquired if she was applying, she paid closer attention. Heart racing, she left a message for head coach Russell Brock, who called her back that evening. Within two weeks, she was hired.
“I felt the Holy Spirit say, ‘You didn’t earn it. Your resume had nothing that would qualify you,’” she said. “It was a moment that I walked through receiving a tangible expression of the Gospel with this job. This wasn’t something I was able to produce. I received this as a gift and an opportunity to learn from.”
She began her coaching career observing Coach Brock’s unending patience and how he approached teaching the game and player interactions.
“He and his family marked my life and showed me a different way to compete and live through the lens of Christ,” said Cati. “Getting to learn what that looks like as a coach at the collegiate level is the biggest gift.”
Surrounded by believers within the program and facilities, God put people in Cati’s path to strengthen and encourage her, including an FCA coaches Bible study every Wednesday.
This past January, Cati attended a weekend retreat with FCA staff in Louisiana and other coaches who wanted to dive into the E3 Discipleship process.
“We unpacked each of ‘Engage. Equip. Empower.’ It’s the foundation of how if we impact one life, it can impact a hundred lives,” said Cati. “It helps you understand your mission as a believer, and you have a very simple playbook as to how you've been designed to reach people through the Gospel.”
“It took her to a new level of purpose,” said Amanda Jenning, FCA Louisiana Director of Operations, who’s known Cati since her LSU volleyball days. “Even though she’s busy coaching, she’s discipling female athletes outside of volleyball. She's got this super fun personality, and the Lord has used that to just draw people to Himself through her.”
Cati is intentional and cares well. Sure, there’s pressure. She coaches at a top athletic university, and the team competes at a high caliber. Yet Cati cultivates patience and peace through John 14:27:
“’Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.’”
This peace, rooted in faith rather than worldly measures, reminds Cati that true success originates at the cross. And so she continually returns to it.
“The gift of that was peace that passes all understanding,” said Cati. “When I've had worry or stress or even tried to cling to what the world would say is successful, I remind myself, ‘That's not peace. That's not God.’”
Now, coaching is all she can see herself doing. Cati has never seen more of God’s faithfulness than while encountering healing, growth, waiting for answered prayer and knowing God deeper through His Word and community.
“I came to know Jesus through an FCA event, and every impactful journey I’ve had – whether an internship or coaching with LSU and having Amanda come and pour into us – FCA has been the avenue for the Word of the cross to be received.”
Her full circle continues to echo as another class of athletes comes through the beach volleyball program.
“There are so many ways that I learned how to love somebody through how I was loved as an athlete in college,” Cati said, bringing her back to the day when the Lord saved her.
“I’m walking in answered prayers.”
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Photos courtesy of Cati Leak and LSU Athletics Photo