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Intern’s Experience Changes Life
By Joe Marshall, former NCCAA Student-Athlete, Cedarville
University Graduate
Middletown, Ohio
- I sit in the banquet room of the Ohio Mission Possible at
Brown’s Run Country Club and am kind of in the same place I was
a year ago. This time last year I was wondering what I would do
for an internship. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my
life…thought I might have been pursuing the wrong major. This
year, as I sit here, I am looking for a job…and still trying to
decide what route I want to pursue.
I volunteered for the NCCAA Mission Possible OH event last year
because I was a little interested in the NCCAA. The only thing I
really knew about it was that my alma mater, Cedarville
University, was a part of it. I honestly didn’t know much about
the organization as a whole. I talked with Ben Belleman a little
about the organization during last year’s awards dinner. I got
to listen to people speak about what the NCCAA is to them. I
also learned that it is more than just an organization, but a
family. At that point it hit me that it is way more than I ever
knew.
After talking to Dan Wood, I was privileged with the opportunity
to become an intern with the NCCAA. From my first conversation
with Dan I realized that the NCCAA means a lot to him and many
others. I started doing my homework and learning what the NCCAA
is and about the events that they hold.
The Pro Am event is the big one that really left an impression
on me. People there were constantly talking to me and wanting to
know how things were going. I completely agree with the comment
that people talk about of going to the Pro Am for golf the first
year and after that it is for the relationships. Being in a
place where people are constantly around to love and share with
each other is unbelievable. I was told about the event as it was
leading up to it, but it is so much better to actually being
there and experiencing it firsthand. It is a great memory that I
will not forget anytime soon. I hope I can be in a position to
come back and help for years to come.
My best memory of my whole internship is getting a phone call
from Dan asking me to bring him his spare eye to the Pro-Am. It
really caught me off guard and baffled me. Trying to find the
eye was interesting as I was expecting to find something a
little bigger than it really was, but I delivered the package
safely. Now that is a resume builder!
Sitting here in the Mission Possible banquet room, I reflected
on my last year and everything I have accomplished. Being able
to be the intern for the NCCAA has blessed me with great people
in my life. I now have friends that I will have for some time.
It has been a growing experience. I learned from being around
everyone in the office that being a Christian is not just going
to church. I have really started working on making my faith my
own. I give them a lot of credit for the way they live their
lives and support the athletic pursuits of Christian athletes. I
only hope that I will be able to do something as great with my
life as they have done.
Overall, I believe that I have made changes in my life that have
been affected because of the people I have met. The NCCAA is a
family that is making a change in the way that the next
generation looks at the world. I am glad to have been able to
spend time with the organization as they have been growing and
impacting lives.
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Joe (r) helped monitor the Mizuno
demonstration. |
Joe enjoying the scenery. |
Photo opp with Anthony Munoz. |
The NCCAA seeks an intern for the
spring 2012 semester. Please contact Dan Wood (dwood@thenccaa.org)
for more information.
More information on the NCCAA Pro-Am can
be found here.
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NCCAA Holds Three CSPs During Pro-Am
Palm Coast, FL – The NCCAA
makes a resolute effort to conduct Christian Service Projects
(CSPs) during each event sponsored by the NCCAA, including
Regional and National Championships, the Annual Convention and
the Pro-Am. During this year’s recent NCCAA Pro-Am, three CSPs
were held during the event.
In partnership with the Palm Coast
Parks & Recreation Department and Southeastern University (SEU),
free sport clinics were held for golf, soccer and baseball.
Approximately 80 children plus parents attended the clinics.
City employees, council members and television camera crews
attended the clinics and were part of the welcome to the
events. SEU coaches and student-athletes led the clinics and
made it a fun day for the children who participated. Chick-fil-A
sponsored the clinics and provided lunch for all participants
and their families. Please see the YouTube link below for a
video clip of the clinics.
While the clinics were taking
place in town, spouses attending the NCCAA Pro-Am were
conducting a CSP of their own. The ladies gathered and wrote
notes of prayer and encouragement to approximately 500 employees
of Hammock Beach Resort. Chocolates and coupons donated by
Chick-fil-A were given to each employee as a token of thanks for
serving the NCCAA and its guests during their stay. Many
employees thanked NCCAA staff and guests for this act of
kindness, expressing how much it meant to them to be thanked for
what they do on a daily basis. Many expressed how it touched
them to receive these notes. Not only were the employees lives
touched, but several of the Pro-Am guests shared how it affected
the way they looked at the employees all around them.
During the Pro-Am, a prayer box
was placed in the employees lunch room where they could insert
their prayer requests. Each request was prayed over by Pro-Am
guests and the NCCAA membership. A special prayer time was held
during the Pro-Am ladies devotional and each request was prayed
for. Following that prayer time, one of our Pro-Am guests
“coincidentally” rode an elevator with one of the employees she
had just prayed for. She recognized his unusual name and told
him a group of ladies had just prayed for him and his
situation. He was very touched and expressed his appreciation
for the prayers.
NCCAA Kicks Off Championship Outreach
Panama City Beach, Florida
- The 2010-11 NCCAA Championship calendar got off to a great
start last night with the Tee-Off Dinner at the Men's Golf
Championship. While many see the highlight of the event as
earning the championship banner, the real highlight is the
opportunity for NCCAA student-athletes and coaches to hold their
Christian Service Project (CSP) before the event kicks off. The
eighteen qualifying teams hosted residents of the Panama City
Rescue Mission and presented them with care packages. This
interaction and hands-on ministry effort is the latest in a four
year partnership tied to the event. NCCAA team members took
time to minister to the Mission residents and pray with them.
The mission
residents then shared a song with the NCCAA teams which was left
to them from Michael Cooper, Men's Program Director who passed
away in July from cancer. Stressing the mission of the
men/women of God, the song further confirmed that the NCCAA is
about mission first and competition second. It was a way for
the residents to minister to those in attendance at the dinner.
The
championship will begin today as teams begin play in the 54 hole
event at 8:00 AM at The Hombre Golf Club. Dallas Baptist
University is the defending team champion.
This CSP is the
first of the 2010-11 campaign. For the third year, a nationwide
food drive will be conducted by NCCAA member institutions, staff
and friends. The goal is to collect and donate 10,000 pounds (5
tons) of food this year through the regional championship
games. Last year, NCCAA
student-athletes, coaches and staff collected and donated
14,000 pounds (7 tons) of food, over $2,500 cash AND 1,300
pounds of clothes to food pantries and shelters in communities
nationwide.
Headquartered
in Greenville, South Carolina, the NCCAA strives to promote the
gospel of Jesus Christ through its 23 National Championships and
Invitationals. For more information on the NCCAA, contact the
NCCAA National Office at (864) 250-1199, by email,
info@thenccaa.org, or visit
www.thenccaa.org.
More information
on NCCAA Christian Service Projects can be found at
http://www.thenccaa.org/service_projects.html
More information
on the NCCAA Golf Championship can be found at http://www.thenccaa.org/mensgolf.htm
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NCCAA
Wins
BMW oobe Charity Challenge
Greer, South Carolina (5/11/10)-
The NCCAA won the BMW oobe Charity Challenge Pro-Am held at
Thornblade Club on Monday, May 10 earning $10,000 for the NCCAA
ministry! The team shot an impressive 54 for a 1 stroke victory
and included amateurs Terry Metzger, Brian Todd, Grover Todd and
Dan Wood along with PGA Professional Gary Christian who had 9
birdies himself! A check will be presented to the NCCAA
later in the summer during a special gathering.
The 2010 BMW Charity Pro-Am
presented by SYNNEX Corporation
will be played May 13-16, 2010, at Bright's Creek Golf Club, The
Carolina Country Club and Thornblade Club golf courses. All four
rounds will be televised live by the Golf Channel.
The #1 hole at Thornblade will be marshaled by NCCAA staff and
volunteers throughout the week. The National Office will be
closed from 2:00 Wednesday, May 12 through Friday, May 14 as we
serve as volunteers at this event. We will reopen at 8:30 on
Monday, May 17.
More information on NCCAA Christian Service Projects can be
found at
http://www.thenccaa.org/service_projects.html
More information on the BMW Charity
Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation can be found at
http://www.bmwcharitygolf.com/
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12 Friends of the NCCAA played on behalf of NCCAA |
The winning team: Grover Todd, Brian Todd, PGA
Professional Gary Christian, Terry Metzger, Dan Wood |
For the day, $16,000 was earned for the NCCAA with a
first prize of $10,000 plus $3,000 each for the two
additional teams. |
NCCAA Teams Join National Outreach Efforts:
CRC Pioneers Hosted Food Drive to Benefit
Mission Outreach
Paragould, Arkansas
- Two thumbs up to NCCAA member institutions joining in the
effort to reach out to the needy during their regular season
games! The Crowley’s Ridge College baseball and softball teams
hosted a food drive on April 2, 2010. Two other Colleges,
Central Christian College, McPherson KS, and Hillsdale Freewill
Baptist College, Moore, OK also participated with the food drive
that benefited Paragould’s Mission Outreach. Team members from
the visiting colleges brought food items collected by team
members in their local communities to assist CRC Pioneer team
members with the food drive.
“Mission Outreach distributes 300 boxes of food each month
as a part of the mission’s regular activities,” according to
Paul McFadden, CRC’s Athletic Director and Baseball Coach. “I
think this food drive was a good teaching tool for our student
athletes as they become involved in serving others.”
All three colleges involved in the Mission Outreach Food
Drive are members of the
National Christian College Athletic Association. The
NCCAA is an
association of 100 Christian Colleges and Universities in the
U.S. and Canada. Crowley’s Ridge College competes in the Central
Region in Division 1 of the NCCAA which is primarily liberal
arts Christian colleges and universities.
The event was planned to coincide with the Pioneer Baseball
Team’s hosting Central Christian College in a double header and
also with the Lady Pioneer Softball Team hosting a double header
with the Hillsdale Freewill Baptist College Softball Team.
Admission for the games was a canned or packaged food donation
for Mission Outreach.
The NCCAA, headquartered in Greenville, SC, has held an
association-wide food drive since the fall of 2008 at its
national and regional championships. Last year, exceeding the
goal of 2 tons of food, NCCAA staff and members collected and
donated over 7,200 pounds of food to local food banks
nationwide. To date for the 2009-10 campaign, we are right at
our goal of 4 tons of food with spring champions still to
collect food. In a 2 year effort, over 7 1/2 tons (15,000
pounds) of food have been distributed to the needy throughout
the U.S.! In addition, over $2,000 and 1,300 pounds of clothes
have been donated on top the food.
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NCCAA Golfers Reach Out to
Mission Residents During Championship
Panama City, FL - The NCCAA National
Golf Championship took the Christian Service Project (CSP) model
and turned it into a very personal effort at the 2009
Championship being held this week in Panama City, FL. Having
done food drives and donations the last two years to the Panama
City Rescue Mission, the golf teams deepened their relationship
with the Rescue Mission this year by hosting mission residents
at the Sunday night tee-off dinner. Residents not only shared a
great meal, provided by the Majestic Beach Resort, but they also
shared their life stories with NCCAA student-athletes and
coaches, who were both amazed and shaken to reality at the
difficult path each resident has faced. Chris Hess, Men’s Golf
Coach at Bethel College (IN) stated, “God blessed us with an
immediate relationship with the residents who dined with us. It
was as if they became adopted members of the Bethel College
men’s golf program.”
Leading up to the event, participating teams
purchased items for gift packages that were presented during a
prayer time for not only the residents but the Rescue Mission
efforts. The hearts of the residents, as well as the
championship participants and coaches, were quite evident as
packages were given to each resident. Tears flowed & embraces
took place during this emotional time.
Another highlight of the evening was former
PGA Professional, Korky Kemp, now College Golf Fellowship
Ambassador, sharing the gospel with all in attendance on the
subject, “Life with a Mission.” Each guest was challenged to
know Christ and to grow in their relationship with Him.
“If we will all look around and see the
diversity and unique paths that have led us to this room
tonight, we will get a good glimpse of what heaven will be
like,” stated Dan Wood, NCCAA Executive Director, during the
golf championship tee-off dinner. “This personal touch is the
epitome of the heart of the NCCAA CSP mission – to impact
communities across our country for Christ.”
During Tuesday’s round, residents will follow
their adopted teams as well as be part of the awards ceremony to
follow where a donation will be made to the Panama City Rescue
Mission to aid their continued efforts in the Panama City area.
Results of the
National Golf Championship can be found at
http://www.thenccaa.org/mensgolfchamp.htm.
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Central Bible College’s Basketball Team Plays in Harmony
(9/28/09)
Springfield, Missouri:
While the
success of every team is based upon harmony and unity, the
Central Bible College men’s basketball team has found a unique
way to play in tune while touching lives.
The team,
coached by CBC’s athletic director and men’s basketball coach,
Kirk Hanson, regularly ministers in churches across the midwest
to share the love of God. They not only give their testimonies
to congregations and audiences, but they share the message of
Christ with the beautiful music of handbells. Looking for a
different way to minister, the team began taking lessons and now
plays a four-octave set of handbells.
This was quite
an undertaking when, prior to this, some of the players could
not read music and some had never even seen handbells. But staff
member, Kathy Harrison, who directs the handbell program at her
church, accepted the challenge. The team practices handbells
three to four times each week in order to prepare for each
ministry trip. Beautiful harmonies are now heard at each venue
as the team wows people with their musical abilities while
glorifying God as they use these talents for Him.
Two thumbs
up goes to Coach Hanson and his team for stepping outside the
box and stereotypes with such a creative form of ministry. It
is believed that they are the only men’s basketball that does
this.
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Mid-Continent University Basketball Players Volunteer for
“Dribble with Dad” Program
Mayfield,
KY --
Six members of the Mid-Continent University men’s basketball
team recently sacrificed an opportunity to watch the NCAA Elite
Eight tournament games to volunteer at a local basketball event
called “Dribble with Dad” in correlation with Mayfield
Elementary School.
Dribble with Dad is a program
that Fran Chester, a counselor at Mayfield Elementary School,
started 11 years ago. “There are so many things that get moms
involved, so I wanted to get dads involved,” said Ms. Chester.
Chester, also a cheerleading coach at Mayfield Elementary
School, has developed and grown the event, with the help of
others, from a few local youngsters in its first year to over
460 who participated on Sunday, March 29, at the Mayfield High
School Sports Arena, Mid-Continent’s home arena for its men’s
and women’s basketball games.
“Dribble with Dad” lasted about
four hours. The day began with the preschool and
kindergarten-age children showing off their ball-handling and
passing skills. The first through third grade children then
demonstrated their skills in relays featuring dribbling and
three-legged style races. The last group played in an
unconventional 10 on 10 tournament, featuring five students and
five “dads”. Every child at every grade level was paired with
their father or a fill-in volunteer.
The Cougar volunteers included
guards Donovan Willis, Joshua Woodley, Marvin Bolden, and David
Gratton, and center Kenny Thomas, along with student assistant
coach Ryan Smith, who also is Mid-Continent’s student body
president. The volunteers filled in for fathers who were unable
to attend the event.
Mid-Continent University
Facilities Director Tim Blaylock, a participant in the event,
said that he was pleased to see MCU’s men’s basketball team
participating in community events. “You could see that the guys
were timid at first, but once they got out there with the kids
they couldn’t stop smiling.”
“Some of the guys might have
wanted to watch the NCAA games when we first arrived at the
arena, but on the way back all they were talking about was their
new friends and how funny the kids were,” said Smith, who added
this: “In an attempt to serve others with our talents, we are
the ones who are blessed by the outlook and attitudes of the
kids and local community leaders that we helped. It was a
great day for not only young basketball enthusiasts, but for
Mid-Continent basketball.”
Back Row
(left to right): MCU men’s basketball players: Donovan Willis,
Joshua Woodley,
Kenny Thomas, David Gratton, Marvin Bolden, student assistant
coach Ryan Smith.
Woman in red: Fran
Chester, Mayfield Elementary School counselor.
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BMW Charity Pro-Am Distributes Checks to Charities
GREENVILLE, S.C. (August 20, 2009)
– During the annual check presentation held Thursday, officials
of the ninth-annual BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament announced
that the event raised $651,829 for 78 Upstate and Western North
Carolina charities. It was also announced that SYNNEX
Corporation will be the new presenting sponsor of the BMW
Charity Pro-Am.
Officials from South Carolina Charities, Inc. presented checks
to representatives from some of the 78 participating charities
at the tournament’s annual Charity Check Presentation presented
by Michelin held at Thornblade Club. To date, the BMW Charity
Pro-Am has raised nearly $7.3 million for 125+ Upstate South
Carolina and Western North Carolina charities during its nine
years. The tournament is a leading charity event on the
Nationwide Tour.
While the average charity earned $8,350, the National Christian
College Athletic Association (NCCAA) earned $17,800 for its
efforts at this event. Funds were raised through several
opportunities, with friends of the NCCAA pitching in to make the
fundraising efforts so successful. Fourteen
friends of the NCCAA were among 36 teams participating in the
one day oobe Charity Challenge. The NCCAA received half of the
entry fees from each team. Amateur Butch Floyd played in the
Nationwide Tour tournament and approximately 30 people
volunteered on behalf of the NCCAA. Ticket sales top off the
remaining portion of the income check.
“It is a tremendous privilege to be part of this event that
showcases the NCCAA’s hometown. But we cannot do it without the
volunteers and friends of the NCCAA who represent us to well,”
stated Dan Wood, NCCAA Executive Director. “They give of their
time, talents and treasures to support our ministry and we
cannot thank them enough for their encouragement.”
During the check presentation it was also announced that SYNNEX
Corporation, a Fortune 500 company with its U.S.
Distribution headquarters in Greenville, will be next year’s
presenting sponsor. SYNNEX, a leading business process services
company, employs more than 7,000 associates worldwide and
recorded more than $7.8 billion in sales in fiscal 2008. The
tournament will now be known as the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented
by SYNNEX Corporation. It will be played May 13 – 16, 2010, the
10th anniversary of this event.
The BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation is the
only tournament on the PGA TOUR’s Nationwide Tour where amateurs
and celebrities are grouped with Nationwide Tour professionals
in a four-day better-ball competition over three courses.
Amateurs, celebrities and pros rotate between three courses (Thornblade
Club in Greer, S.C.; The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg,
S.C.; Bright’s Creek Golf Club in Mill Spring, N.C.) on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the 14 lowest scoring
pro-amateur/pro-celebrity teams advancing to play Sunday’s final
round at Thornblade Club. Celebrities play once at each course
on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
For more information on the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by
SYNNEX Corporation call (864) 297-1660 or visit the tournament’s
website at
www.bmwcharitygolf.com.
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Cincinnati
Christian University Student-Athletes Serve in India
Cincinnati, Ohio – Seven
student-athletes from Cincinnati Christian University partnered
with Athletes in Action in Mangalore, India on a trip that was
assisted by the NCCAA. The CCU student-athletes coached 250
college students at St. Joseph’s Engineering College in soccer,
volleyball, and basketball.
Starting at 5:30 in the morning the
team would lead two hours of strength and conditioning before
breakfast. Throughout the camp, the CCU student-athletes found
that coaching allowed for immediate common ground with others
and provided a natural platform to share their faith.
One CCU student-athlete stated, “Sports
are an international language that breaks down all barriers of
nationality, language, or religion.” The administration at St.
Joseph’s Engineering College shared the sentiment and stated,
“This has been a once in a lifetime experience for our students,
and we are truly thankful to the Cincinnati Christian University
student-athletes for their personal generosity and coaching
expertise.”
An Indian student said, “I have never
been told great job, by a coach before. This has been the best
week ever.” Athletes in Action has received requests to return
to run more camps in India. AIA plans on taking three more trips
this year. Pray for the lives who were touched during this
outreach.
Note: A special thanks goes to Mr. Rob McCloskey
for his sponsorship of this team via the NCCAA Desert Pro-Am.
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Student-Athletes Focus on Community
NCCAA student-athletes are finding ways to impact their
communities all across the country with Christian Service
Projects in their own backyards.
LAKELAND, Fla. – Student-athletes from Southeastern University (SEU)
in Lakeland, Florida recently conducted a sports clinic for the
kids on the Lakeland campus of the
Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. The event, held on a warm
Sunday afternoon in February, was designed to provide basic
instruction on certain sports as well as guidance from God’s
word on discovering and using the unique gifts God has given to
us.
Lauren Gutierrez, a sophomore at Southeastern and the Christian
community service chair for Southeastern student athletes, said
that they are trying to focus more on things they can do in
their own community. “We often go out to places that are far
away in order to help others, but in the process we often
overlook ministry opportunities right here in our own
community,” Gutierrez said. Gutierrez is originally from Miami
and plays soccer for Southeastern.
Dennis Harper, assistant supervisor for the emergency shelter on
the Lakeland campus said the sports clinic was a great
opportunity for their kids and they look forward to future
opportunities with Southeastern student athletes.
“Duane Aagaard, Southeastern’s athletic director, originally
asked for some ideas on what their student-athletes might be
able to do to help minister to our kids and this event came out
of those discussions. We have even talked about doing an event
like this twice a year,” Harper said.
“This was a great enrichment activity for our kids. They started
the clinic by opening with prayer and then leading our kids in
worship songs followed by some of the students giving
testimonies on how God has worked in their life. Some of the
students then did a skit called ‘Toolbox’ to illustrate how God
provides each of us our own unique gifts, and that we are all
part of the body of Christ,” Harper said.
The kids were able to attend a sports clinic of their choice.
They could choose among baseball, soccer, volleyball,
basketball, tennis, or cheerleading. While the kids were in
their sports clinics they were able to spend time with the
students, ask questions, and learn more about the sport of their
interest.
Used by permission of Florida Baptist Children's Home, (c)
2009.
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Basketball Team Challenges Opponents to Consider Christ…and
Succeeds!
Guatemala/El Salvador
(2/5/09): It seems like it was just last week when the NCCAA
assisted the Ozark Christian College men’s basketball team on
their ministry trip to Guatemala and El Salvador. Coach Chris
Lahm and his team joined efforts with Sports Ambassadors during
a summer ministry trip to use basketball to share the message of
Christ. Basketball was indeed part of the trip, but it was only
a tool to open doors for Coach Lahm and the team members to
build relationships in order to share their testimonies with
opponents, coaches, officials, and children. They not only
played the Guatemala and El Salvador National Teams, they also
visited schools during the day to talk about Jesus to the school
children.
Robin Cook, Director of Sports Ambassadors, reflected on
the trip and noted that the El Salvador Basketball Federation
Officials were very impressed with the team. “The officials
took me aside and requested that every time we come to their
country, they want to arrange games and have us speak to their
players.” The goal was “to play ball and challenge opponents
to consider Christ Jesus.” The team did an outstanding job
of doing just that by building relationships so that these doors
would remain open for future teams to go and continue the work
started there.
The highlight of the trip came through the very words of
the people they witnessed to during their visit (see below).
Hearts were changed for eternity in many young people the team
met along the way…people who may not otherwise have come to know
Christ without this team allowing God to use them and their
athletic abilities to spread the Good News of Christ.
Trips like these are made possible through donors who give
sacrificially, whether a little or a lot, to the NCCAA ministry.
Your giving helps us continue to send teams to plant seeds and
to reap the harvest across our great country and around the
world. Thank you! We need you and so does a soul ready for the
harvest.
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Comments from teens and young adults in Guatemala and El
Salvador:
“You guys are
so cool! I want Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.” (Victor, age
15)
“I want to
know more about Jesus. I want to live a life following the
right path.” (Cristopher, age 22)
“What an
awesome day! Today I prayed to have Jesus in my life.” (Keilly,
age 13)
“Today I
prayed Jesus to come into my life. It’s so great that there are
people like you guys doing this so people like me can be
saved.” (Silvia, age 16) |
 Coach
Chris Lahm and his team members
share their testimonies following a game.
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Lady Cougars Use Volleyball to Win Souls
(1/28/09)
The NCCAA assists member student-athletes and coaches on
sports ministry trips across the country and around the world as
funding is available. This last fall, the NCCAA was able to
assist the Clearwater Christian College volleyball team as they
traveled to Costa Rica prior to school starting. The Lady
Cougars were involved in many ministry activities throughout the
trip such as clean up, passing out tracts, and running
volleyball camps for children. The team also made sack lunches
to pass out to the homeless and needy of San Jose in the “red
light district”. However, they ran out of food so quickly that
it broke team members’ hearts to have to turn away a hungry
mother with a young baby, but they knew that feeding their
physical bodies was only a small part of their mission there.
The ladies were struggling to
connect with the locals, but received a bit of encouragement
when a pair of young men studying at a local university
approached Coach Vickie Denny asking to interview her for an
assignment on American culture. She was able to share with them
about our customs and food, but more importantly, she was able
to share about how Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
Coach Denny reflected on the exchange, “In a country where I
could not speak the language, God sent two Costa Rican young men
to talk with me in English. God never ceases to amaze me.”
The following day, the team
hosted a volleyball clinic at a local middle school. The
language barrier proved to be a challenge, but they were able to
overcome. “They barely knew us and yet they were respectful and
open to instruction,” wrote Peggy Compton, outsider hitter for
the team. “Although there was a language barrier, we still were
able to show our enthusiasm and care for them by smiling, being
positive, and taking time with each individual.” After teaching
volleyball skills to the children, Kayla Whitely, right side
offense, was able to share her testimony. “A seed was planted
in each heart and that is more important than any volleyball
skill they might have learned,” Peggy added. The Cougars also
played some matches against local volleyball teams while there.
Two more clinics were held for eighth
and ninth graders. This group knew English pretty well, so
conversing with them was a lot easier. Middle hitter Summer
Jelsma recalls, “My favorite part of the day was when we broke
up into small groups after the clinics. Each team member took
three kids and shared the Gospel with them.”
Summer had the opportunity to see a
young girl named Erica asked Christ into her heart!
“It was the best fifteen minutes of the day!” Summer wrote.
Over the next few days, the team participated in a number
of community service opportunities. One day they traveled to
a beautiful piece of property outside of the city. This
land had once been a bar, but a Christian organization had
recently bought it. It was a real joy to clean up what once was
used to ruin lives but now would be used to restore lives.
The team could see God’s work when a schedule change
brought about another clinic opportunity. Junior outsider
hitter Rachel Farrell
wrote, “These girls were so energetic and had such sweet
spirits. We also gave them wordless bracelets and presented the
Gospel.” This day we had the best response to the sharing of
the gospel on our trip. Seven young
ladies made a clear profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
God had again showed us that "His way is perfect."
Your financial giving to the NCCAA makes these types
of outreach possible. Please continue to pray for our
organization as we use athletics to share the message of Christ
and help souls find their way to a life with Christ.
# # # # #
NCCAA Soccer Student-Athletes Prove Chivalry Still Stands:
More
Than Just Another Soccer Story
St. Louis, Missouri (1/23/09): The National Soccer Coaches Association of
America (NSCAA) held its annual convention in St. Louis,
Missouri last week at which 60 NCCAA men’s and women’s soccer
student-athletes received All-American honors. In order for
these student-athletes to be eligible for this award, they must
represent the ideals of the NCCAA, and their behavior both on
and off the field must be complimentary to the NCCAA and its
Christ-like standards.
These character
traits were proven true one evening after the sessions of the
day. A vendor attending the convention was on her way to her
hotel and recounts the following incident:
“Late last evening, I had the great fortune
of meeting two young [NCCAA/NSCAA] All American athletes that
were being honored at the luncheon. Long story short...I was
walking to my hotel alone, and noticed I was being followed by
two men, one of whom seemed to be lurking in a shadow. I became
extremely frightened, with no taxi in sight I saw a group of 4
young men walking toward me. I ran to them and asked them to
please stop and talk to me for a minute to deter these two men.
Within about 20 seconds of meeting them, they took it upon
themselves to decide/insist that two of them were going to walk
me to my hotel, a mile away, in 15 degrees, and one of the young
men didn't even have a coat on.
Joel Trainer and Christian Davis from Indiana
Wesleyan University should be commended for more than just being
2008 NCCAA/NSCAA All American athletes. They saved me from a
situation that I'm pretty sure was about to go south very
quickly. They are very classy young men and represent the
values All American athletes used to possess in the 1950s.”
Kudos to these outstanding young men on making right and
honorable decisions, even when circumstances were not
comfortable or convenient. Trainer and Davis are true heroes to
this “damsel in distress” and certainly represented their
institution, coach (Mark Castro), the NCCAA and their families
well.
IWU's Joel Trainer (l) and
Christian Davis (r)
# # # # #
Incredible Power Released Around the World
Orlando, Florida 1/14/09: “WOW! AMAZING! INCREDIBLE!” Those were words heard
from the Wycliffe Bible Translator (WBT) staff during the
Division I NCCAA National Soccer Championships. Over 400
NCCAA student-athletes and coaches visited the WBT campus in
Orlando, Florida during their day off for their second Christian
Service Project (CSP) of the week for the sole purpose of
PRAYING. (A
free clinic was held earlier in the week for local youth.
During that clinic, two children asked Jesus into their hearts.)
“One area we can never get enough help in is prayer,” stated
Gary Peterson, Youth & Young Adult Programs Manager for WBT.
“It was pretty exciting to have that many young people praying
specific prayers for 20 key countries, 40 Bibleless language
groups, and 20 translations nearing completion.”
WBT has a lake behind their offices with a one-half mile path
around it. The path has 20 stations placed along the path
representing the 20 key countries. “As the young people
took off and began to pray, we saw teams stop, come together,
put arms around each other and begin to pray. People in
our offices saw what was happening and they began to pray for
each of the players, that God would touch their hearts as they
prayed,” stated Peterson.
One WBT employee commented, "As I watched them huddle
together and then begin to pray, I could hardly contain myself -
to think of the incredible power being released around the world
and the results that would happen because of it."
As a result of their time spent at WBT, one NCCAA team
adopted a Bibleless People Group from Cameroon, West Africa, and
committed to pray for them at every practice. Another
coach shared how it opened doors to talk with the non-Christians
on the team in ways that hadn't been there before. And an
assistant coach told how she and the other assistant had been
trying to talk to their players about prayer and its importance,
and that this experience made it come alive.
“The prayers offered up were worth more than if they had
all offered us 8 hours of physical labor each. We really believe
there will be people in heaven because of what happened,” added
Peterson.
#
# # # #
Where There’s A Need, God Is There!
(1/9/09)
The NCCAA, like
most charitable organizations, has had to watch expenses due to
shortfalls in gift income since September. In December, an
updated cash flow analysis was shared with members of the Board
during a planning session at the Desert Pro-Am. That
meeting was organized by man but managed by God alone! The
Board members present committed to meet the needs of this
association by personally giving above and beyond and seeking
additional donors from their circle of influence.
As of today,
over $45,000 has been received in gift income since that meeting
on December 4. The majority of these funds have come
directly from Board members and/or donors to whom they shared
the need within their area. We must remember this has
happened during one of the most uncertain financial climates in
the past 60 years! We do not praise the Lord for the funds
alone. We praise Him for rewarding the commitment of men
and women who know the critical need for the NCCAA to continue
to serve and assist today’s Christ-centered institutions.
Please continue to pray as we all strive
to secure an additional $45,000 between now and the end of
January. Success in this effort would address the
shortfalls experienced since September 2008. If you know
of donors who might desire to share in this effort, please alert
us at
info@thenccaa.org.
When God Closes A Door, Look For A Window 
These words
from a Dallas Holmes song in the 1980’s rang so true during our
church’s Christmas Eve service. Literally minutes before
leaving for worship, I had sat in our recliner and spent time
offering a prayer for those impacted by the closings at
Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and Vennard College just weeks
earlier. I fought back tears as I envisioned students,
administrators, faculty, and staff facing uncertainties for
their future during this celebration of the very Savior their
former school was founded to promote.
As we entered
what has become one of my favorite services of the year, it was
minutes into the service when I noticed the family in front of
us. When we were asked to greet those near us, I offered
my hand to Bob Bagley and his family. Who is Bob Bagley?
A long time friend of our family and former missionary from our
church who had been serving as the VP for Finance at VENNARD
COLLEGE! He even had a Vennard College sweater on.
In that very moment, God reminded me that neither Vennard nor
Pillsbury were closed in His eyes. Their legacies of
developing servants of Christ will last all the way to eternity.
The souls won for Christ at Spiritual Emphasis/Revival services
still live. Student-athletes given wisdom by a coach on a return
trip from a road contest still serve today.
Can you imagine
a classroom filled with students beginning the Spring Semester
today or tomorrow? Returning students will be talking
about Christmas break while a new student will be there looking
to make new friends and gain some comfort zone. Now
imagine that new student turning to say hello to a classmate.
Can you see it? The collegiate looking hooded sweatshirt
with VENNARD or PILLSBURY proudly displayed on the left chest.
Now imagine a God that already knew that student would be right
there on that day.
No, these two
bastions of Christ are not closed in God eyes. He has
simply sent the former occupants of these schools out to places
where they will impact eternity. Praise the Lord!
Dan Wood
NCCAA Executive
Director
# # # # #
NCCAA Championship Golfers Ace Food Drive
(12/30/08)
Panama City,
Florida:
Regardless of how the 90 collegiate golfers competing in the
NCCAA National Men's Golf Championship played in the final
round, they were already winners in the eyes of the Panama City
Rescue Mission. The players and coaches of NCCAA member
universities collected over 200 pounds of food and contributed
$250 toward the Rescue Mission's Food Pantry before teeing off
for their final rounds.
"This effort is
central to the mission of the NCCAA and its member colleges,"
stated Dan Wood, NCCAA Executive Director. "The
association has set a specific goal of collecting over 4,000
pounds of food for the host cities of our 21 National
Championships during the 2008-09 championship calendar.
With the National Golf Championship being one of the smallest
events relative to the number of competitors, we were thrilled
to get off to such a good start," Wood added.
Players delivered
their team’s food to the scoreboard at The Hombre Golf Club
before play began and then assisted Rescue Mission staff in
loading for delivery. One school successfully challenged a
local grocery store to match whatever they purchased and came
away with over 30 pounds of food for their effort.
As a worker from
the Rescue Mission was presented a check, one of the mission’s
residents said, “Now this is what the Body of Christ is supposed
to look like!” James 1:27 (NIV) states, “Religion that God
our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after
the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself
from being polluted by the world.”
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