This article appears in the Spring 2026 issue of the FCA Donor Publication. The FCA publication is a gift from our FCA staff to all donors giving $50 or more annually. For more information about giving, visit here.

Because of the growing reality that more athletes are participating in recreation and league sports off-campus than on, FCA created FCA Sports, which includes Clubs and Leagues. FCA’s Leagues program allows the ministry to intentionally reach coaches, athletes and families beyond the traditional on-campus school Huddle structure.

“This is why leagues are essential to FCA’s mission today,” said Derek Parks, FCA’s Executive Vice President of League Sports.

FCA Leagues are staff-led ministry environments featuring a volunteer base who serve as coaches, referees and coordinators. Leagues are conducted in a controlled environment, such as a field or court, and all League Directors are trained through FCA’s League School. Because many participants do not have a relationship with Jesus, leagues are inherently evangelistic.

In FCA Leagues, every team represents a Huddle, with a coach discipling athletes on a weekly basis. Game days prove to be a primary touchpoint for discipling parents, with halftime devotions, testimonies and FCA staff present and available.

What Parks loves most about leagues is that they are community-centered. Parents register their athletes and the entire community shows up. Through leagues, people gather together and FCA becomes a trusted presence in the community.

CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS: A KEY DISTINCTION

Church partnerships have become a primary growth engine for leagues, as churches often have great facilities but limited capacity to run sports programming. This is where FCA partners with churches to provide systems, processes, training and leadership. This partnership assists churches, nudges families toward the church and directly aligns with FCA’s mission.

“This is unlike anything FCA has ever done before,” Parks said.

WHY ARE LEAGUES IMPORTANT?

A child’s moral and spiritual worldview is largely shaped by age 7 and a person’s probability of accepting Christ dramatically drops by the age of 13, according to Barna Group research. As FCA Executive Vice President of Facilities Caz McCaslin said, “It’s a race to the heart of a child, and the first one there wins.”

FCA Leagues reach children starting at age 4, with biblical truth introduced early. Adult leagues are also emerging, positioning FCA to be part of an athlete’s entire sports lifespan.

SCALE AND MINISTRY IMPACT

Running an FCA League multiplies ministry opportunities. For instance, a large league could consist of 500-plus players, with eight players per team and 62 teams, translating to 62 Huddles in one location over a season that spans eight to 10 weeks. At the individual level, each athlete would experience one athletic evaluation, 10 practices, eight games and one end-of-season celebration, which equates to 20 ministry opportunities per season. If there are 100 players in a league, that becomes 2,000 ministry opportunities in one season!

As FCA considers the future of leagues, growth hinges on continued investment as well as hiring more FCA Sports-specific staff to enable strategic staff placement and expanded reach to areas around the country. This would then lead to community transformation.

“God is clearly growing this space,” Parks said. “Lives are being changed, and leagues set the table for God to work.”

LEAGUE IMPACT STORIES

Connecting the Playing Field to the Church

In 2024, FCA Multi-Area Director Lem Harr partnered with Antioch Church in Wetumpka, Florida, to launch an FCA Sports Flag Football League serving families across Gadsden County. After two incredible seasons, both the league and the church have experienced significant numerical and spiritual growth. Mike Park, Antioch’s pastor and a coach in the league, has had the privilege of ministering side by side with FCA to previously unchurched families, many of whom attend Saturday games and now return the following morning for Sunday worship. Harr has experienced the way this league has built a bridge from the playing field to the church. “Kids learning an out route on Saturday morning and parents hearing the Gospel on Sunday has created a powerful bridge from the playing field to the church,” he said. “This partnership has strengthened both the church and the surrounding community. It’s truly a win for FCA, Antioch and Gadsden County.”

Now in its second year, this flag football league continues to be an incredible blessing in this challenging yet hope-filled Florida Panhandle community. With 76 children participating, the league has helped break down barriers, unite families and open hearts to Jesus across a richly diverse population. Through this ministry, lives are being transformed as the Gospel is boldly shared on and off the field. During the 2025-26 season, FCA and Antioch celebrated two baptisms and welcomed three families into Antioch’s church family. God has been faithful, and there is great anticipation for how He will continue to move through this partnership.

Multi-Sport Leagues in Florida

FCA Sports Leon County, Florida, is a fully-fledged league, club and community sports ministry. In its first years of existence, the organization has expanded to six sports leagues comprised of soccer, basketball, flag football, girls cheerleading, girls volleyball and baseball. The organization has also established competitive club teams in 7-on-7 football and wrestling. Additionally, it runs a thriving after-school program as an FCA Sports League (flag football, Wiffle ball and basketball) that has helped one of their Title 1 schools go from a school grade of D to an A. The school principal points to FCA Sports as a major influence in this upgrade, as well as improvement in student behavior and discipline. 

Over the last year, the FCA League in Leon County has reached nearly 3,000 students and parents with the Good News of Jesus. Most recently, they have brought on a sport-specific FCA Representative for baseball who will run the fall league, free clinics and tournaments for ages kindergarten through adult. 

“FCA Sports is growing like crazy in our area,” said FCA Director Joshua King, “with multiple churches seeing the vision and joining with us to help maximize our reach into the community through sports leagues, club teams, camps, summer leagues, events and whatever else we can come up with to expand God’s Kingdom!”

Competition and Character in Illinois Flag Football

In the spring of 2025, the first FCA Flag Football season launched in Danville, Illinois, under the leadership of Sudan Ellington, FCA Ambassador, and Daniel Chapell, Multi-Area Director. Ellington, a former NCAA Division I football player, had established an elite offensive and defensive lineman training academy that prepared athletes for college and NFL careers. Chapell had long envisioned an FCA Sports Flag Football League in the community, but it wasn’t until he connected with Ellington that the vision came to life.

The spring season served as a pilot program and was intentionally kept small with 20 athletes. Ellington led as the main coach and clinician, supported by three assistant coaches, guiding players through five weeks of focused development that concluded with a Saturday tournament.

The experience not only refined the structure of the league but also fostered meaningful relationships among athletes, coaches and families. Parents shared encouraging feedback about the Christ-centered environment, positive coaching and the integration of faith and sport.

Already, the league has made a significant impact in Danville by creating a space where competition and character come together. Building on this momentum, the fall 2025 season included approximately 40 athletes and four coaches, with practice and play on the same evening, as leaders continued to share the Good News of Jesus and reinforce a Kingdom vision for both sport and life. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Every church has potential to partner with FCA. By building relationships and casting a bold vision, FCA can unlock league and club opportunities in new areas. Would you consider reaching out to your local church to explore ways that FCA can collaborate with local Christian congregations for Kingdom impact? With God’s resources, FCA can reach every coach and athlete while empowering churches to extend their reach. 

To learn more about FCA Leagues and how to get one started in your area, email FCAsports@fca.org.

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