Sports Culture is Loud

When most parents think about youth sports, they picture uniforms, snacks, and carpool schedules. But what if I told you the sidelines could be one of the most important mission fields in your family’s life?

Sports culture is loud—it tells our kids their value comes from performance, stats, and wins. But as parents, we get to speak a louder truth. We can remind them they are loved, chosen, and valuable no matter what happens on the field.

This week, challenge yourself to see the sidelines as sacred. Use those moments before and after games to pour life into your child. Cheer for their effort, not just their points. Tell them you love watching them play—not because they’re great, but because they’re yours.

And on the ride home? Ask two simple but powerful questions:What was awesome today? What was challenging?

These questions open the door for honest conversation, help your child process the day, and show that you care about more than just the scoreboard.

Takeaway: Don’t let sports culture disciple your child. You’re the coach they’ll never forget.

Order your copy of Away Game Here!

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports League Director

Keeping Joy and Rest in the Game

Sports should be fun. But too often, kids burn out before they even hit middle school.

Why? Because we forget that God created play, rest, and joy.

Parents, protect those rhythms. Guard against over scheduling. Build in downtime. Celebrate effort, laughter, and goofy moments, not just wins or personal success.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 ERV).

If the pace of sports is stealing your family’s joy, it’s time to reset and re-center on what really matters.”

Order your copy of Away Game Here!

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports League Director

Focal Points

Game day comes with all kinds of emotions—excitement, pressure, frustration, joy. As parents, one of our best roles is to help our kids learn how to navigate those feelings in a healthy way.

One powerful tool from Away Game is the use of focal points—little reminders that help athletes reset when the game gets overwhelming. A wristband, a word written on a shoe, or even a hand gesture from us in the stands can become a visual cue that says: pause, breathe, and remember who you are.

A perfect example is The Four bracelet that every athlete in our league should have already received from their coach. It’s more than just a band—it’s a reminder of truth. When kids glance down at that bracelet, it can be their focal point to stop, take a breath, and reset both their attitude and their effort. You can learn more about The Four and what it stands for here: thefour.fca.org.

Focal points don’t just redirect behavior in the moment—they shape character. They help our kids flex their self-control muscles, choosing calm instead of anger, focus instead of panic. And here’s the gift: by learning this on the field or court, they’re actually picking up a tool they can use for the rest of their lives.

As you head into this week’s games, encourage your child to use their bracelet—or another focal point—as their personal “reset button” when emotions start to rise.

Coming Next… Meet Ray

Starting next week, we’ll introduce you to Ray—a fictional 10-year-old athlete navigating sports, life, and faith. Through short stories from his journey, you’ll get a front-row seat to what many of our kids experience: the excitement, the challenges, and the lessons learned along the way. Our hope is that as you follow Ray’s story, you’ll see your own child in his shoes—and discover new ways to guide them with grace.

Want to dive deeper? Away Game: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports reminds us that every practice, every game, and every ride home can become a moment of spiritual growth and intentional discipleship. Explore more of these insights here: Away Game on Amazon.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Words Create Worlds

Author Mark Batterson once wrote, “Words create worlds.” That’s true in life, and it’s especially true in youth sports.

The book we’re highlighting across all our FCA Sports programming, Away Game: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, echoes the same truth. The language we use as parents doesn’t just describe what’s happening—it shapes the way our kids see themselves, their team, and even their faith.

Think about it: the words spoken at home, in the car, and from the sideline become the soundtrack our kids play on repeat in their heads. Words can either tear down or build up. They can shrink a child’s confidence or launch them into a new level of courage.

At home, our words can remind our kids that their value isn’t tied to a scoreboard. In the car, our words can turn silence into a safe place for conversation. On the sideline, our words—cheers, encouragements, even simple reminders of effort—can echo louder than the crowd.

Meet Ray

This is where we’d like to introduce you to Ray—a fictional 10-year-old athlete whose story will weave through Parent Corner in the weeks ahead. Ray comes from a split home. He loves sports, but sometimes struggles with emotions and expectations that feel too big for him to handle.

Last weekend, Ray’s team had their first game. He missed an open shot and quickly glanced toward the sideline, nervous about what he might see. His mom smiled and called out, “Keep hustling, Ray—we love watching you play!” That one sentence changed everything. Ray sprinted back on defense with a grin.

Ray’s story reminds us: our words shape how kids see themselves, how they process mistakes, and how they step into the next play.

Takeaway: Batterson is right—words create worlds. And as Away Game reminds us, parents are always discipling—whether we realize it or not. Let’s choose words this week that build faith, courage, and joy in our athletes.

Want to dive deeper? Away Game: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports reminds us that every practice, every game, and every ride home can become a moment of spiritual growth and intentional discipleship. Explore more of these insights here: Away Game on Amazon.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Why Sports?

If you know me, you know I’m passionate about the process—not the outcome. The journey, not the destination.

One of my favorite athletes, the late great Kobe Bryant, said one of my favorite quotes of all time: “Don’t get bored with the basics.” That line captures why I love FCA Sports and why I’m so passionate about leading our leagues.

My hope is that our coaches and you as parents won’t get caught up in wins or weighed down by losses. I hope your athlete won’t get too high after a great performance or too low after a tough one (and the same goes for you on the sideline). Instead, I hope we can all fall in love with the grind. The work done when no one is watching. The effort given when you’re not feeling your best. Whether it’s a winning season or a losing one, whether your child is playing a lot or sitting more than they’d like, whether they click with the coach or struggle to, the truth remains: hard work works.

This is why I believe in sports. And it’s why Away Game (Order Book Here) puts it this way: “Sports provide daily opportunities for our kids to follow in the steps of Jesus.” Following Jesus isn’t about one big decision—it’s an everyday grind. Some days are great, others are not. But like every relationship, it’s ongoing. It’s a process. A journey.

Meet Ray

The driveway hoop was a little bent, and the ball had lost some of its bounce, but that didn’t stop Ray. As soon as he got home from school, he dropped his backpack, laced up his shoes, and grabbed the ball.

Most kids on his block were inside playing video games, but Ray set up three old cones in the driveway. He dribbled through them again and again—left hand, right hand, crossovers—then moved to free throws. Ten shots. Twenty. Thirty. Miss after miss didn’t discourage him. He chased down the ball, reset, and shot again.

Ray’s mom peeked out the kitchen window. “Ray, don’t you want to take a break?” she called. He shook his head. “Coach always says, the only way to get better is to keep showing up.”

It wasn’t a game. No scoreboard. No fans cheering. Just the basics, repeated in the quiet. That’s the grind. And slowly but surely, Ray was learning that what he did in practice—the unseen work—was shaping who he was becoming on and off the court.

Takeaway: Let’s teach our kids to fall in love with today. Win the day. Step into growth today so we can learn to know God better and better.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

The Upside-Down Kingdom

The book Away Game puts it this way: “Jesus’ kingdom is an upside-down kingdom.” (Order Here)

When you look at the life of Jesus—how He led, how He built His team, how He modeled what it means to love God and love others—it was completely different from the way Rome led in His day. Jesus flipped leadership on its head. He served instead of demanded. He gave instead of took. He lifted others up instead of using them to climb higher.

Fast forward to today—we’re called to live the same way. To lead, love, and live differently than the culture around us.

That’s exactly what we’re striving for in FCA Sports. We want to flip the script on what youth sports can be. Not just another league that chases trophies, but a movement that values development—of athletes, leaders, and followers of Jesus. A place where wins aren’t the ultimate goal, but growth, character, and faith are.

And it goes beyond the athletes. FCA Sports is about coaches, it’s about you as parents, and it’s about families. We’re all on this journey together—discovering who Jesus is, developing the gifts He’s given us, and learning to live them out.

Meet Ray

Ray’s soccer team lost a close game last weekend. A couple of kids stormed off, frustrated. But Ray’s coach gathered the team in a circle and said, “You know what? I’m proud of how you encouraged each other out there. That matters more than the score.”

The reason was simple: this season’s theme is TEAM. Every practice, every game, the coaches remind the kids that being part of a team means lifting each other up, not just chasing individual success. Ray thought about it on the ride home. He had seen teams before where players yelled at each other after mistakes. But this felt different. His team wasn’t just about winning—it was about something bigger.

Ray smiled and thought, “This team is upside down from the others—and I like it.”

Takeaway: FCA Sports isn’t just a league. It’s a movement. Thank you for being part of this upside-down story, where kids, coaches, and families are all learning that TEAM is bigger than trophies—and that God’s way always flips the script.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Respect The Stripes

It was the night before the big game, and all was quiet through the house, until the next day when Mom’s boy didn’t like the play,

the poor referee barely got away, as a mom and a dad started chirping away. Sound familiar?

I’ve heard the chirps in our own league toward our referees. As we get deeper into the season, parents become more comfortable—which often leads to parents getting on our refs for missed calls. Sounds helpful, right? Not really.

The truth is, the louder we get, the smaller the experience becomes for everyone involved—especially our kids.

Away Game (order book HERE) puts it bluntly:

“Officials are becoming extinct. At the high school level, 80 percent of officials quit after just two years according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Sports officials, arguably the most important people in organized sports, are an endangered species. Why are officials leaving? A 2024 study from the Sport Journal entitled ‘The Real Cause of Losing Sports Officials’ concluded what anyone paying attention at games already knows. It’s us.”

— Away Game by Brian Smith & Ed Uszynski

That one hits home.

At FCA Sports, we want to do things differently—to flip the script on how families, coaches, and fans approach the game. If Jesus’ kingdom is an upside-down kingdom, then we should reflect that even in the way we treat referees. We can model patience, gratitude, and grace—even when the call doesn’t go our way.

When we lead that way, our kids notice. They see that respect matters more than the result. And when they see that, they learn to play and live differently, too.

Meet Ray

Ray’s team was in a tight game—one goal could decide it all. Late in the match, a whistle blew and the call went against them. A couple of parents in the stands stood up, yelling in disbelief. Ray looked over, uneasy. His coach quickly shouted, “Hey, let’s play on! Control what we can control!”

After the game, Ray told his mom, “Coach says the refs are part of the team too. Without them, we don’t get to play.” She smiled, proud of how far he’d come. Ray was learning what so many adults still forget—respecting the stripes is part of the game.

Takeaway: Let’s lead the way in how we respond. Thank your officials this week. Smile. Shake their hand. Model the kind of sportsmanship that makes youth sports a joy to be part of—for everyone involved.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Dream Season Begins

Hey FCA Families!

Winter League – Season 1 is off and running as we are already 3 weeks into our Flag Football, Basketball 6–7, and Basketball 4–5 programs.

This season’s theme is simple: Team - Teammate - Self.

When kids learn to put others first — on the court, at home, in the classroom, and in our community — everything changes. Teams get better, culture grows stronger, and kids develop character and compassion.

This is the kind of environment that shapes future guides, and it is why our mission is to engage, equip, and empower kids, coaches, and families.

Dream Season

With Thanksgiving and Christmas upcoming, I like to call it Dream Season.

So here is one of my “scary dreams”:

A full SnapCourt complex at Grace Point by Winter 2026 (see photos attached of our mock ups) — two smaller courts and one middle school court — a hub where FCA Sports can reach more families and more neighborhoods across the Tri-Cities.

It is a dream too big for me, which makes it exactly the kind of dream God loves to step into.

What about you?

What is a dream that feels too big unless God shows up?

This Season’s Book: The Circle Maker (Order Here) By Mark Batterson

This winter, we will pull one truth each week from this book. Here is Week 1.

Week 1 – Dream Big

(God Honors Big Prayers)

The Circle Maker reminds us that dreaming small does not honor God. Dreaming big does.

God is not intimidated by your biggest dream or overwhelmed by your impossible. Most of us do not dream too big — we dream too small.

So as we start this season, what dream do you need to begin circling? For your child? Your home? Your marriage? Your walk with Jesus?

If our kids are learning Team - Teammate - Self, we can model what it looks like to trust God with dreams bigger than ourselves.

I also want to point our newer FCA families to an incredible resource on parenting kids in youth sports: Away Game (order book HERE)

Meet Ray

Ray sat at the kitchen table after school, his homework spread out but untouched. Instead, he was sketching something on a scrap piece of paper.

His mom came over and asked, “What are you working on?”

Ray held up the paper — it was a drawing of a basketball court, sloppy lines and all. Around it, he had drawn a big circle. He grinned. “Coach told us to think of a dream we have… something we want God to help us with. So I drew this. I want to make the game-winning shot one day.”

His mom laughed softly. “I like that dream. Want me to pray with you about it?”

Ray nodded, and the two of them prayed right there at the kitchen table. It was simple, honest, and big. Ray circled the court again with his pencil before putting the paper on the fridge.

His first prayer circle.

Takeaway: Bold prayers honor God.

This winter, let us dream big, circle those dreams, and trust Jesus with every step.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Thanksgiving 2025

There are no games this week, giving us a chance to pause, catch our breath, rest, and reflect. As we head into Thanksgiving, I want to simply say thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for encouraging your kids. Thank you for helping us build a community that is about more than sports.

Our theme this season has been learning to be the best teammate we can be — on the court, at home, in the classroom, and in our communities. Gratitude is a big part of that. A grateful person becomes a better teammate in every area of life.

Shauna Niequist puts it perfectly: “When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

Those words make sense for Thanksgiving, but they also connect to Week 2 of The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Week 2 – Pray Hard (From The Circle Maker)

Last week we talked about dreaming big. This week’s focus is simple: dreamers who circle big prayers must also learn to pray hard.

Praying hard is not about perfection. It is about consistency. It is showing up on the days when life is sweet and showing up on the days when life is bitter. It is trusting that God hears, God sees, and God moves — even when we cannot see the answer yet.

Praying hard is choosing gratitude in every season, not because everything is easy, but because everything is shaping us.

The best teammates — in sports and in life — are the ones who stay steady, show up consistently, and find reasons to be thankful no matter what the scoreboard says.

Meet Ray

Ray woke up the Monday before break in a bad mood. His basketball team had lost two tough games, and he felt like nothing was going his way. At breakfast, his dad asked him to share one thing he was thankful for, but Ray just shrugged.

Later that day at school, Ray’s teacher handed out a quote for Thanksgiving week: “When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

Ray read it twice. He thought about the missed shots, the tough losses, and how frustrated he had been. Then he remembered something from last week’s practice when Coach said, “Hard days are where you grow the most.”

That night, Ray sat at the table and circled one simple line in his notebook: “Thank you for helping me grow.” It wasn’t much, but it was honest. It was his way of praying hard. His way of showing up. His way of choosing gratitude even when the week had been bitter.

Takeaway: Gratitude is not just a feeling; it is a discipline. This Thanksgiving, may we celebrate the sweet moments and grow from the bitter ones, trusting that God is shaping our families in every season.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Take One More Step

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family. After a short break, we are excited to see our programs back in action this week. These next few weeks always seem to move quickly, but they also offer some of the best opportunities to encourage our kids, build confidence, and reinforce the habits that shape them far beyond sports.

Recently I shared a quote that has stayed with me:

“Take one more step. Then take the one you don’t think you can.”

It applies to our own story, to the story we are living as families, and to the story each young athlete is living this season. Growth almost always happens one step beyond where we feel comfortable. One step deeper in courage. One step further in trust. One step longer in perseverance.

This ties directly into Week 3 of The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Week 3 – Think Long (From The Circle Maker)

Dreams rarely grow overnight. Growth is long, slow, deep work. In Week 3, Batterson reminds us that some of the most important prayers we pray are not just for today, but for years from now.

Thinking long is about believing God is shaping something over time — in our kids, in our homes, and in us. It is about trusting that one more step, even when it feels small or unnoticed, moves us toward who we are becoming.

Thinking long requires endurance. It requires patience. And often, it requires taking the step we don’t think we can.

Meet Ray

Ray’s team had their first practice back after the holiday break, but he didn’t feel like his normal self. He missed a few shots early, lost the ball on a dribble move he usually nailed, and felt the old frustration start to creep in.

During a water break, Ray sat down and stared at the floor. His coach walked by and said quietly, “Ray, just take one more step today. And then take the step you don’t think you can.”

Ray nodded but didn’t say much. Near the end of practice, Coach set up a tough finishing drill. Ray hesitated — he didn’t want to end practice on another mistake. But he remembered the quote. He took a deep breath, jogged to the line, and stepped in.

His first rep wasn’t perfect. His second was better. His third? Solid. As practice ended, Ray realized something: the breakthrough wasn’t in the perfect rep but in taking the step he didn’t think he could take.

It was only one step. But it moved him forward.

Takeaway: Growth happens one step at a time. Help your child take one more step this week — and when they face the step they don’t think they can take, remind them that’s usually where the real growth begins.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

The Right Path

There is a simple and powerful prayer found in the Psalms:

“Show me the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by your truth and teach me.”

(Psalm 25:4–5)

As parents, coaches, and leaders, this is the cry of our hearts. We want to know the right road to take. We want clarity, wisdom, and direction—for ourselves, for our families, and for our kids. And yet, so often, God reveals His path one step at a time.

This ties perfectly into Week 4 of our book for the season The Circle Maker.

Week 4 – Walk the Circles (From The Circle Maker)

In Week 4, Batterson reminds us that prayer is not passive. It is prayer plus movement.

It is circling God’s promises in prayer and then walking forward in obedience.

Joshua didn’t just pray around the walls of Jericho.

He walked. He circled. He showed up daily—trusting God to do what he could not do on his own.

Walking the circles means taking faithful action even when we don’t see results yet. It means choosing consistency over convenience. It means following God’s truth today while trusting Him with tomorrow.

When we ask God to show us the right path, He often responds by asking us to take the next step in front of us.

Meet Ray

Ray’s team practiced a new defensive drill that didn’t make much sense at first. They were learning to slide, recover, and communicate. To Ray, it felt slow and confusing. He wanted to skip it and get to scrimmaging.

During a break, Ray asked his coach, “Why are we doing this? It doesn’t even feel like real defense.”

His coach smiled. “Ray, sometimes you learn the right path before you see why it matters. Trust the steps. They add up.”

Ray didn’t fully understand, but he chose to trust.

He circled back to the drill, focused on his footwork, and stuck with it.

Two days later in a game, the other team ran a fast break. Ray instinctively slid, recovered, and cut off the drive—exactly like the drill. His coach shouted, “That’s it! That’s the path. Now you see it.”

Ray grinned. What seemed pointless earlier became the step that helped him succeed.

Sometimes the right path becomes clear only after you’ve walked it.

Takeaway: When we pray, “Show me the right path,” God often answers through simple, faithful steps of obedience. Help your child trust the process, walk the circles, and follow the next right step in front of them.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Luke 2:52

There is a simple and powerful verse that captures what healthy growth looks like in the life of all of us:

“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all people.” Luke 2:52

This single sentence gives us four areas of growth — the same four areas we hope to see in every FCA coach, athlete, and family:

Wisdom

Strength

Faith

Relationships

These are the areas that shape a child not only in sports, but in school, in the community, at home, and throughout their entire life. This is at the heart of what we mean when we talk about emPOWERed Kids. We aren’t just developing athletes and coaches. We are helping shape whole people.

This brings us to Week 5 of The Circle Maker.

Week 5 – Don’t Quit (From The Circle Maker)

Week 5 reminds us that meaningful growth takes perseverance. Dreams do not develop overnight. Prayers often unfold slowly. And God-shaped growth is almost always the result of steady steps taken faithfully over time.

Jesus grew in wisdom, strength, faith, and relationships. These four areas were not built in a moment. They were built through consistency, patience, challenge, and trust. Growth happens in the ordinary. In repetition. In choosing not to quit when progress feels slow. That is the kind of mindset we want to pass on to our kids — in sports and in life.

Meet Ray

Ray had been working on his ball-handling for weeks, circling cones in the driveway every night. But lately he felt stuck. His crossover still felt slow. His confidence dipped. One evening he told his mom, “I don’t think I’m getting better at all.”

She pointed to a note on the fridge with Scripture he had memorized earlier in the season: “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all people.” She said, “Ray, growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quiet and steady. Keep showing up. It matters.”

At practice the next day, Ray hesitated before the same ball-handling drill that had been frustrating him. But he remembered the verse. He remembered not to quit. He leaned in, focused, and finished stronger than he began. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t perfect. But it was growth in all the right areas.

Takeaway: Luke 2:52 gives us the four areas of growth we hope to build into every athlete, coach, and family: wisdom, strength, faith, and relationships. These do not grow overnight. They grow through steady effort, daily choices, and refusing to quit. That is the to becoming emPOWERed.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Bigger Than Basketball

Welcome back. We’re excited to kick off January and February basketball for our 8–12 year olds. This season includes 225 athletes, but as always, the purpose is bigger than basketball.

Every practice, every game, every huddle is an opportunity to shape hearts, habits, and character. We’re grateful you’ve chosen to be part of this journey with us.

As we step into this next stretch of the season, our theme continues to be the same: TEAMMATE.

Our Vision This Season

Being a great teammate is more than passing the ball or cheering from the bench. It’s about how kids treat one another. How they respond to adversity. How they show respect to coaches, officials, classmates, siblings, and parents.

Our goal is to help kids learn to put others first — on the court, at home, in the classroom, and in our community.

When kids learn to be great teammates, they become better athletes.

Better students.

Better friends.

Better leaders.

This season, we want to reinforce that message intentionally through a new book.

This Season’s Book: All In By Mark Batterson

Learn more about the book HERE

If our last book The Circle Maker taught us to pray bold prayers, All In challenges us to live bold lives.

The central idea is simple: following Jesus is not a half-hearted decision. It’s a daily choice to give our best effort, our full attention, and our whole heart — even when it’s uncomfortable or unnoticed.

This fits perfectly with our TEAMMATE theme. Great teammates don’t play halfway. They show up. They commit. They give their best for the good of the group.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll pull simple, practical truths from All In to help parents, athletes, and coaches think about commitment, effort, and what it looks like to live with purpose.

Meet Ray

Ray walked into the gym for the first practice of the new season and immediately noticed how loud it was. New faces. New teams. New expectations. He bounced the ball nervously while the coach talked.

During a drill, Ray missed an easy layup and felt his shoulders drop. Before he could say anything, a teammate jogged over and said, “You’ve got the next one.”

Ray nodded and smiled. Something felt different. Instead of worrying about his mistake, he focused on the next play. He hustled back on defense, passed the ball, and encouraged someone else.

On the drive home, Ray thought about it. Basketball felt more fun when it wasn’t all about him. Being a teammate didn’t make the game smaller — it made it better.

Takeaway: This season is bigger than basketball. As we begin January and February, let’s help our kids learn what it means to be all in — committed teammates who show up, encourage others, and play with purpose in every area of life.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

Every Face Has A Story

I recently finished reading a novel called Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, and one simple line from the book has stayed with me:

“Every face has a story.”

It’s a powerful reminder — especially in youth sports. Every player on the court, every teammate on the bench, every coach, referee, and parent in the stands is carrying something we cannot see.

That truth fits perfectly with our season theme: TEAMMATE. Being a great teammate starts with awareness. With empathy. With choosing to see people as more than performances, mistakes, or roles.

When kids learn this early, it shapes how they treat others not just in sports, but in every part of life.

All In – Seeing People Differently

Our book for the season, All In by Mark Batterson, challenges us to live with full commitment — not just to goals, but to people. Being “all in” means we don’t live halfway aware or halfway engaged. We show up fully. We care deeply. We love intentionally.

Being all in as a teammate means recognizing that encouragement matters just as much as effort, and that understanding people matters just as much as winning games.

When we teach kids to be all in with people, we teach them how to lead, serve, and love well.

Meet Ray

Ray noticed something during practice that week. One of his teammates — usually the loudest kid in the gym — was quiet. He missed a few shots, dropped his head, and kept to himself.

At first, Ray felt frustrated. “Why isn’t he trying?” he thought.

Then he remembered something his coach had said earlier in the season: “Every face has a story. Be curious before you’re critical.”

During a water break, Ray walked over and asked, “You okay?”

The teammate shrugged. “My grandma’s in the hospital. I didn’t sleep much.”

Ray didn’t know what to say, so he did the one thing he could. He stayed. He listened. And later, when his teammate finally made a basket, Ray was the first one clapping.

On the drive home, Ray realized something. Being a teammate wasn’t about fixing people. It was about seeing them.

Takeaway: Every face has a story. This week, help your child slow down, look around, and choose empathy. The best teammates don’t just play the game well — they see people well.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director

A Question That Changes Everything

This week, we pause to remember and celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr..

Among the many powerful words Dr. King shared, one question continues to challenge us today:

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

That question cuts straight to the heart. It shifts the focus away from self and toward service. And it matters deeply in youth sports, where it’s easy to measure success by points, minutes, and wins instead of character and impact.

This question fits perfectly with our season theme: TEAMMATE.

Because at its core, being a great teammate is about choosing others over self.

All In – By Mark Batterson

In All In, Mark Batterson writes: “If Jesus is not Lord of all, then Jesus is not Lord at all.”

That statement is bold, simple, and uncomfortable — and that’s the point. Being all in doesn’t mean partial commitment or selective obedience. It means surrendering every area of life, including how we treat people when no one is keeping score.

Being all in as a teammate looks like choosing encouragement over criticism. Humility over attention.

Service over spotlight.

When kids learn this early, they begin to understand something Dr. King lived out so clearly: a life centered on serving others is a life that truly matters.

Meet Ray

Ray had just finished a game where he played well. He scored. He hustled. He did his part. But as the team walked off the court, Ray noticed one of his teammates sitting quietly at the end of the bench, shoulders slumped.

Ray hesitated. He wanted to find his parents. He wanted to talk about his own game. But something stopped him.

Earlier that week, his coach had said, “Great teammates ask one question: Who needs me right now?”

Ray sat down next to his teammate and said, “Hey, I’m glad you’re on our team.”

The teammate looked up and smiled. It wasn’t a long conversation. Nothing was fixed. But something changed.

On the drive home, Ray realized something important. Being all in as a teammate didn’t mean giving more effort on the court. It meant giving more of himself to the people around him.

Takeaway: Dr. King’s question still challenges us today: What are you doing for others? This week, help your child look for simple, everyday ways to serve their teammates. That’s what being all in looks like — on the court and in life.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director