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Basketball 6-7 Year Olds Launch
FCA Sports Families, Basketball season is almost here! We are just ONE WEEK away from kicking off our 6–7-year-old basketball league, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome your family to another season of FCA Sports! Whether this is your first season with us or you've been part of the FCA Sports family for years, thank you for trusting us with your athlete. Here are a few important things to know as we get ready! SEASON KICKOFF & SCHEDULES Practices begin NEXT WEEK — Monday, November 2, or Tuesday, November 3! Our 6–7 basketball league is a weekday league, meaning practices and games will take place during the week. Practices: Mondays or Tuesdays, beginning November 2–3. Games: Wednesdays or Thursdays, beginning the following week. Location: Bethel Gymnasium for ALL practices and games. Your athlete's specific team schedule will be available through the FCA Sports App. WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST PRACTICE Before practice begins, please meet your coach in the Bethel Gymnasium lobby for a quick parent meeting with your team. This is an opportunity to introduce yourselves, connect with your coach, and hear what to expect this season. A few simple reminders: Bring a water bottle for your athlete. Basketballs are provided, but your athlete is welcome to bring their own. Basketball rules will be emailed to families this weekend, before practices begin. Our first week is all about getting comfortable, meeting teammates, learning the game, and having FUN! DOWNLOAD THE FCA SPORTS APP The BEST way to stay in the know throughout the season is through our FCA Sports App! Simply open your phone's App Store and search FCA Sports. Log in using the same email and password you originally used to register your athlete. Forgot your password? No problem! You can reset it directly through the app. This is where you'll find your athlete's schedule, team information, and important league updates. If you have trouble logging in, please reach out to me. I'm happy to help! INTRODUCING THE RAY & MEG FILES! This season, we're excited to introduce something brand new to FCA Sports! Our first-ever young athletes' devotional story, featuring our character Meg! The Ray & Meg Files: Ignore the Noise We've been working hard to create a story that helps young athletes discover what it means to grow in character, confidence, and faith while navigating the noise around them. And parents, this isn't just for your athlete. It's for you too! Our hope is that these stories create conversations that continue long after practice ends—in the car, around the dinner table, and at home. READ THE RAY & MEG FILES: IGNORE THE NOISE HERE Take a few minutes to read it together before the season begins. It's a great way to get a head start on our season theme! INTRODUCING OUR PARENT STANDARD One of the things we care deeply about at FCA Sports is the culture and environment we create together. That includes our coaches, athletes, referees, and especially our parents. This season, we're introducing our FCA Sports Parent Standard, a simple reminder of how we carry ourselves on the sidelines and how we partner together to create a positive experience for every athlete. Our kids are watching. They see how we encourage, how we respond to mistakes, how we treat officials, and how we celebrate others. We all have a role in setting the temperature. Please take a few minutes to review our Parent Standard before our first games. REVIEW THE FCA SPORTS PARENT STANDARD HERE MEET YOUR FCA SPORTS TEAM We're here to serve you throughout the season. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out! Troy Farley — FCA Sports League Director tfarley@fca.org Zach Lewison — Associate Director & Bethel Game Day Coordinator zlewison@fca.org Connor Davis — Bethel Game Day Coordinator cmdavis2802@gmail.com Amber Lewis — Operations Coordinator amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — Volunteer Coordinator hfiocchi@fca.org LET'S GET READY! At FCA Sports, our mission is to see every coach, athlete, and FAMILY in a growing relationship with Jesus and His Church. Basketball is simply the opportunity we get to use to build relationships, teach life lessons, and point families toward something greater than the scoreboard. We're excited to partner with you this season! Every Coach. Every Athlete. Every Family. See you in the gym! Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 26, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Basketball 6-7 Year Olds Launch
FCA Sports Families, Basketball season is almost here! We are just ONE WEEK away from kicking off our 6–7-year-old basketball league, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome your family to another season of FCA Sports! Whether this is your first season with us or you've been part of the FCA Sports family for years, thank you for trusting us with your athlete. Here are a few important things to know as we get ready! SEASON KICKOFF & SCHEDULES Practices begin NEXT WEEK — Monday, November 2, or Tuesday, November 3! Our 6–7 basketball league is a weekday league, meaning practices and games will take place during the week. Practices: Mondays or Tuesdays, beginning November 2–3. Games: Wednesdays or Thursdays, beginning the following week. Location: Bethel Gymnasium for ALL practices and games. Your athlete's specific team schedule will be available through the FCA Sports App. WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST PRACTICE Before practice begins, please meet your coach in the Bethel Gymnasium lobby for a quick parent meeting with your team. This is an opportunity to introduce yourselves, connect with your coach, and hear what to expect this season. A few simple reminders: Bring a water bottle for your athlete. Basketballs are provided, but your athlete is welcome to bring their own. Basketball rules will be emailed to families this weekend, before practices begin. Our first week is all about getting comfortable, meeting teammates, learning the game, and having FUN! DOWNLOAD THE FCA SPORTS APP The BEST way to stay in the know throughout the season is through our FCA Sports App! Simply open your phone's App Store and search FCA Sports. Log in using the same email and password you originally used to register your athlete. Forgot your password? No problem! You can reset it directly through the app. This is where you'll find your athlete's schedule, team information, and important league updates. If you have trouble logging in, please reach out to me. I'm happy to help! INTRODUCING THE RAY & MEG FILES! This season, we're excited to introduce something brand new to FCA Sports! Our first-ever young athletes' devotional story, featuring our character Meg! The Ray & Meg Files: Ignore the Noise We've been working hard to create a story that helps young athletes discover what it means to grow in character, confidence, and faith while navigating the noise around them. And parents, this isn't just for your athlete. It's for you too! Our hope is that these stories create conversations that continue long after practice ends—in the car, around the dinner table, and at home. READ THE RAY & MEG FILES: IGNORE THE NOISE HERE Take a few minutes to read it together before the season begins. It's a great way to get a head start on our season theme! INTRODUCING OUR PARENT STANDARD One of the things we care deeply about at FCA Sports is the culture and environment we create together. That includes our coaches, athletes, referees, and especially our parents. This season, we're introducing our FCA Sports Parent Standard, a simple reminder of how we carry ourselves on the sidelines and how we partner together to create a positive experience for every athlete. Our kids are watching. They see how we encourage, how we respond to mistakes, how we treat officials, and how we celebrate others. We all have a role in setting the temperature. Please take a few minutes to review our Parent Standard before our first games. REVIEW THE FCA SPORTS PARENT STANDARD HERE MEET YOUR FCA SPORTS TEAM We're here to serve you throughout the season. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out! Troy Farley — FCA Sports League Director
tfarley@fca.org Zach Lewison — Associate Director & Bethel Game Day Coordinator
zlewison@fca.org Connor Davis — Bethel Game Day Coordinator
cmdavis2802@gmail.com Amber Lewis — Operations Coordinator
amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — Volunteer Coordinator
hfiocchi@fca.org LET'S GET READY! At FCA Sports, our mission is to see every coach, athlete, and FAMILY in a growing relationship with Jesus and His Church. Basketball is simply the opportunity we get to use to build relationships, teach life lessons, and point families toward something greater than the scoreboard. We're excited to partner with you this season! Every Coach. Every Athlete. Every Family. See you in the gym! Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 26, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
THE PARENT CORNER #38 → THE LETTER
More Than a Letter What Meg’s Coach Needed to Hear Meg almost left the letter in her backpack. It was the last practice. Teammates were gathering their things, parents were waiting, and her coach was collecting volleyballs. “Coach? I made something for you.” She held out a folded piece of paper. Her coach smiled. “For me?” Meg nodded. “You can read it later.” What Meg didn’t know was how much her coach had needed something good that day. A painful divorce was unraveling life at home. Concentrating at work had become difficult. Conversations with her own children left her searching for answers she didn’t have. Then came practice. Wipe your eyes. Grab the whistle. Smile. “Bring it in, girls!” She wanted to be there for this team. But lately, showing up took more than anyone realized. A parent’s frustration over a game decision had followed her home. A forgotten drill felt like one more failure. Some nights, she wondered whether anything she did mattered anymore. She wasn’t just tired of coaching. She was tired of trying to hold her life together. After the last family left, she sat down and unfolded Meg’s letter. Meg wrote about being nervous to try volleyball. About being hard on herself. About the times she had wanted to quit—and how glad she was that she hadn’t. She wrote about belonging to a team. The encouragement during practice. The huddles that helped her understand she was chosen and didn’t have to prove her worth. Then her coach reached the part about mistakes not defining her. She read it again. That was something she had wanted Meg to understand. Somewhere along the way, she had stopped believing it about herself. She lowered the letter into her lap. The divorce wasn’t over. Tomorrow would still be difficult. She still needed support. But sitting there in that quiet gym, she could finally see something her exhaustion had hidden. She hadn’t failed at everything. Something good had happened this season. That evening, she called a trusted friend. “I’ve been saying I’m fine,” she admitted. “I’m not.” Meg hadn’t known the whole story. It wasn’t hers to fix. She had simply put her gratitude on paper. And her coach carried it home. Beyond the Story: The Parent Corner This story was inspired by a real letter an athlete wrote to her coach after a recent season. One line stopped me: “You have shown me that my mistakes don’t define me.” Think about that. We see a practice. A game. A decision we disagree with. But what about the rest of the week? The person coaching our child has a life beyond the sidelines. There may be burdens we know nothing about when we approach them frustrated. That doesn’t mean our concerns don’t matter. It means the person receiving them matters, too. Proverbs 12:25 puts it this way: “The weight of worry drags us down, but a good word lightens our day.” A good word. Not a perfect speech. Not an answer to every problem. Sometimes, a simple letter that says, “What you did mattered to me.” And maybe you’re the one who needs encouragement right now. Then let this Parent Corner offer you some: A difficult season is not the whole story of your life. You matter beyond what you accomplish. You don’t have to carry everything alone. One More Step Together Who came to mind while you were reading? A coach? A teacher? Your spouse? A friend who keeps showing up? Write to them this week. Tell them something specific they did. Tell them why it mattered. Don’t assume they already know. And if you’re struggling, let someone you trust know what you’re carrying, too. I believe we’re all one thought, one word, or one action away from a totally different life. Not because one moment fixes everything. But because one moment can become the beginning of something different. You don’t have to know someone’s whole story to offer a word that helps them keep writing it. One more step together. Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 26, 2026 •
The Ray Files: Fall 2026 — Volume 8 (The Finale)
October 17, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
READ THE PARENT CORNER #37 → ZERO TALENT
10 Things That Require ZERO Talent What Ray Learned from Aggie "Ray! Get yourself over here and help your grandma with these flowers!" Ray looked up from where he was sitting on the porch steps. Aggie was standing beside a flowerbed, holding a watering can in one hand and pointing toward a bag of soil with the other. "Coming, Aggie!" "Well, don't wear yourself out getting here!" she called back with a grin. Ray laughed and made his way over. As they worked, Aggie noticed something wasn't quite right. Ray wasn't his usual talkative self. "What's eating at you, sweetheart?" Ray shrugged. "Nothing, really. Just thinking about practice yesterday. Some of those kids are so good at everything. It's like they don't even have to try." Aggie set down her watering can. "Well, let me ask you something. Do you think being the most talented person is what makes somebody successful?" "I guess it helps," Ray replied. "Sure does. But talent isn't everything. In fact, some of the most important things in life don't require any talent at all." Ray looked puzzled. "Like what?" Aggie smiled. "Oh, honey. You better sit down. Grandma's got something to show you!" She reached into the pocket of her sweater and pulled out an old, folded piece of paper. The edges were worn, the creases deep, and the handwriting looked like it had been there for years. "What's that?" Ray asked. Aggie smiled as she carefully unfolded it. "This belonged to your grandpa Jack." Ray leaned in a little closer. "Grandpa Jack wrote that?" "He sure did. Your grandpa was a man of many talents, but he always believed that some of the most important things in life had nothing to do with talent at all." She handed Ray the paper. "He wrote these ten things down a long time ago. Said they were worth remembering. And you know what? I think he was right." Ray looked down at the faded handwriting. Across the top, in big letters, were the words: 10 THINGS THAT REQUIRE ZERO TALENT He began reading. Being on time. Making an effort. Being high energy. Having a positive attitude. Being passionate. Using good body language. Being coachable. Doing a little extra. Being prepared. Having a strong work ethic. Ray looked up. "That's a lot of things, Aggie." "Sure is. And here's the best part. You don't have to be the fastest, smartest, strongest, or most talented to work on a single one of them." "But what if I'm not good at something?" Aggie leaned back in her rocking chair. "Ray, I've lived long enough to see plenty of talented folks go nowhere because they wouldn't put in the work. And I've seen people nobody expected much from do remarkable things because they kept showing up." She pointed toward the flowerbed. "See those flowers? They don't all grow at the same speed. Some bloom early. Some take their sweet time. But they all need someone willing to water them, care for them, and keep showing up." Ray glanced at the watering can. "So you're saying I should just keep trying?" "I'm saying you can't control every gift you've been given. But you can be faithful with the gifts you have." Ray smiled. "And I suppose you're going to tell me to finish watering those flowers?" Aggie winked. "Now you're catching on! Number eight, sweetheart. Do a little extra!" Ray laughed, then looked down at the old piece of paper one more time. "Grandpa Jack must've been pretty smart." Aggie smiled, her eyes drifting toward the farmhouse. "Oh, he had his moments, sweetheart. He certainly had his moments." Beyond the Story: The Parent Corner Ten things. Zero talent required. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? But here's what I've been thinking about. Just because something doesn't require talent doesn't mean it doesn't require intentionality. Think about it. Showing up on time when life is pulling you in a hundred different directions. Giving your best effort when you're tired. Choosing a positive attitude when things aren't going your way. Being coachable when someone points out something you could do better. None of those things necessarily come easy. And yet, none of them require us to be the most gifted person in the room. We spend so much of life comparing what we can do with what someone else can do. Who's faster? Who's smarter? Who has more opportunities, more experience, more ability? But what if we spent a little less time worrying about what we don't have and a little more time being faithful with what we do? Colossians 3:23 puts it this way: "So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s." (The Voice) No matter what your task is. I love that. Whether we're coaching a team, raising a family, leading at work, serving in ministry, sitting in a classroom, or simply trying to get through another Monday, the invitation is the same. Give your best with what you've been given. Not someone else's best. Not perfection. Your best. And maybe that's what makes Aggie's list so powerful. These ten things don't come with an age requirement, a talent evaluation, or a certain level of experience. They're available to every one of us. Now, does that mean we'll get all ten right every day? Absolutely not. Some days our energy is running on empty. Our attitude needs adjusting. We show up unprepared, resist correction, or simply go through the motions. But tomorrow gives us another opportunity. Another chance to show up. Another chance to grow. Another chance to be faithful with what's right in front of us. Because at the end of the day, it's not always about what we're capable of doing. Sometimes it's about what we're willing to do. One More Step Together Here's my challenge for all of us this week. Take another look at Aggie's ten things. Don't just think about your kids, your teammates, your coworkers, or the people around you. Think about yourself. Which of these ten things comes naturally to you? Which one requires a little more intentionality? Pick one. Just one. Maybe it's showing up a few minutes early. Bringing a better attitude into a difficult situation. Listening instead of defending. Or putting in a little extra effort when nobody would notice if you didn't. Whatever it is, take that step. Because talent may help determine what we're able to do. But our choices help determine what we actually do with it. One more step together. Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
Collections
October 26, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Basketball 6-7 Year Olds Launch
FCA Sports Families, Basketball season is almost here! We are just ONE WEEK away from kicking off our 6–7-year-old basketball league, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome your family to another season of FCA Sports! Whether this is your first season with us or you've been part of the FCA Sports family for years, thank you for trusting us with your athlete. Here are a few important things to know as we get ready! SEASON KICKOFF & SCHEDULES Practices begin NEXT WEEK — Monday, November 2, or Tuesday, November 3! Our 6–7 basketball league is a weekday league, meaning practices and games will take place during the week. Practices: Mondays or Tuesdays, beginning November 2–3. Games: Wednesdays or Thursdays, beginning the following week. Location: Bethel Gymnasium for ALL practices and games. Your athlete's specific team schedule will be available through the FCA Sports App. WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST PRACTICE Before practice begins, please meet your coach in the Bethel Gymnasium lobby for a quick parent meeting with your team. This is an opportunity to introduce yourselves, connect with your coach, and hear what to expect this season. A few simple reminders: Bring a water bottle for your athlete. Basketballs are provided, but your athlete is welcome to bring their own. Basketball rules will be emailed to families this weekend, before practices begin. Our first week is all about getting comfortable, meeting teammates, learning the game, and having FUN! DOWNLOAD THE FCA SPORTS APP The BEST way to stay in the know throughout the season is through our FCA Sports App! Simply open your phone's App Store and search FCA Sports. Log in using the same email and password you originally used to register your athlete. Forgot your password? No problem! You can reset it directly through the app. This is where you'll find your athlete's schedule, team information, and important league updates. If you have trouble logging in, please reach out to me. I'm happy to help! INTRODUCING THE RAY & MEG FILES! This season, we're excited to introduce something brand new to FCA Sports! Our first-ever young athletes' devotional story, featuring our character Meg! The Ray & Meg Files: Ignore the Noise We've been working hard to create a story that helps young athletes discover what it means to grow in character, confidence, and faith while navigating the noise around them. And parents, this isn't just for your athlete. It's for you too! Our hope is that these stories create conversations that continue long after practice ends—in the car, around the dinner table, and at home. READ THE RAY & MEG FILES: IGNORE THE NOISE HERE Take a few minutes to read it together before the season begins. It's a great way to get a head start on our season theme! INTRODUCING OUR PARENT STANDARD One of the things we care deeply about at FCA Sports is the culture and environment we create together. That includes our coaches, athletes, referees, and especially our parents. This season, we're introducing our FCA Sports Parent Standard, a simple reminder of how we carry ourselves on the sidelines and how we partner together to create a positive experience for every athlete. Our kids are watching. They see how we encourage, how we respond to mistakes, how we treat officials, and how we celebrate others. We all have a role in setting the temperature. Please take a few minutes to review our Parent Standard before our first games. REVIEW THE FCA SPORTS PARENT STANDARD HERE MEET YOUR FCA SPORTS TEAM We're here to serve you throughout the season. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out! Troy Farley — FCA Sports League Director
tfarley@fca.org Zach Lewison — Associate Director & Bethel Game Day Coordinator
zlewison@fca.org Connor Davis — Bethel Game Day Coordinator
cmdavis2802@gmail.com Amber Lewis — Operations Coordinator
amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — Volunteer Coordinator
hfiocchi@fca.org LET'S GET READY! At FCA Sports, our mission is to see every coach, athlete, and FAMILY in a growing relationship with Jesus and His Church. Basketball is simply the opportunity we get to use to build relationships, teach life lessons, and point families toward something greater than the scoreboard. We're excited to partner with you this season! Every Coach. Every Athlete. Every Family. See you in the gym! Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
August 24, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
FCA Basketball is BACK!
FCA Basketball is BACK! Registration is now open for winter basketball: November–December 4–5 and 6–7-year-old divisions (Weekday programming) January–February 8–9, 10–11, and 12–13-year-old divisions (Saturday games) Spots are limited, so don’t wait! Learn more about FCA Basketball HERE Register now HERE
June 10, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
2026 Summer Volleyball Roster/Schedule Release
FCA Volleyball Families, Summer Volleyball is here! Rosters and schedules have now been released. You should have received a separate email from TeamSnapONE inviting you to join your team. Once connected, you'll be able to view your schedule and begin communicating with your coach. Dates To Know Practices begin the week of June 22nd. Week of July 6th Games Begin Season Concludes August 13th Picture Day Details coming soon As you review your schedule, please pay close attention. Our league continues to grow, and with that comes the use of multiple facilities. This summer, practices will take place at both Bethel Church and Tri-Cities Calvary Chapel. We are incredibly thankful for our church partners who provide places for our athletes to play, learn, and grow. The Team I'd also like to introduce you to the team behind FCA Sports. Throughout the season, you'll see these names helping support our athletes, coaches, and families: Troy Farley — Director of FCA Sports, overseeing leagues and programming year-round across the Tri-Cities. (tfarley@fca.org) Amber Lewis — Engagement Lead, helping oversee schedules, games, and league administration. (amberlewis@fca.org) Hannah Fiocchi — VIP Specialist, assisting with volunteer onboarding and FCA requirements. (HFiocchi@fca.org) Zach Lewison — Game Day Coordinator, helping practices and games run smoothly. (zlewison@fca.org) Michael Groth — FCA Volleyball Specialist, helping with rules, league structure, and coaching best practices. (mgroth@libertychristian.net) One additional resource we'd love to point you to is our subscription page. By subscribing, you'll receive Parent Corner resources, league updates, registration announcements, and other FCA Sports news directly to your inbox.Subscribe Here: News & Updates Season Theme Also, stay tuned for next week's email as we introduce this summer's FCA Sports theme. Throughout the season, athletes will participate in weekly chapel and huddle experiences centered around this theme as we seek to engage, equip, and empower them both on and off the court. Thank you for being part of the FCA Sports family and for choosing to invest in your child through our leagues. We are looking forward to a great summer season together! Win The Day, Troy Farely FCA Sports Leagues Director
April 14, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
FCA Sports Updates
FCA Sports Families, As we head into the close of spring and prepare for the summer season, here are MULTIPLE easy ways to stay connected with everything happening at FCA Sports: 🏋️♂️ Summer Fitness Opportunities through Equip Fitness 📍 NextGen CrossFit Summer Session
June 16 – August 27 Tuesdays & Thursdays | 8:00–9:00 AM
For incoming 6th grade and up
focused on speed, agility, coordination, strength training, conditioning, and post-workout huddles to engage, equip, and empower athletes. 📍 KidsFit Summer Clinic
August 19–20 2:00–4:00 PM
For incoming 1st–5th graders
Held at Bethel Gym (600 Shockley Rd, Richland)
A fun, high-energy clinic focused on running, jumping, lifting, gymnastics, games, and building confidence. 🤝 Learn more and register at: Equip Fitness Registration Page ⚽ 🏈 📣 Fall Sports Registrations Are LIVE Head to Tri-Cities FCA Sports to view available fall programs and register. Fall Soccer, Cheer, and Flag Football are all LIVE at TriFCAsports.org ‼️ REGISTER HERE 🤞Subscribe to Stay in the Know Subscribe to my page for registration updates, Parent Corner resources, encouragement, and other FCA updates as we continue to transition to the new registration system that national FCA has introduced: SUBSCRIBE HERE 😜 FOR THOSE THAT SKIP TO THE END... 📌 Next STEPS to stay connected and plugged in with FCA Sports this summer. ⬇️ ✅ Equip Fitness Registration. Equip Fitness Summer Opportunities
NextGen CrossFit and KidsFit Summer Clinic registrations are now open. Learn more and sign up here: Equip Fitness Registration ✅ Tri-Cities FCA Sports Available Programs. Fall Sports Registrations Are LIVE
Visit our leagues page to see available fall programs and register today: Tri-Cities FCA Sports Available Programs ✅ Subscribe for Updates & Resources
Stay in the know with registration updates, Parent Corner resources, encouragement, and FCA Sports news: Subscribe Here Thank you for being part of FCA Sports. More than a league. It’s a mission. Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 26, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
THE PARENT CORNER #38 → THE LETTER
More Than a Letter What Meg’s Coach Needed to Hear Meg almost left the letter in her backpack. It was the last practice. Teammates were gathering their things, parents were waiting, and her coach was collecting volleyballs. “Coach? I made something for you.” She held out a folded piece of paper. Her coach smiled. “For me?” Meg nodded. “You can read it later.” What Meg didn’t know was how much her coach had needed something good that day. A painful divorce was unraveling life at home. Concentrating at work had become difficult. Conversations with her own children left her searching for answers she didn’t have. Then came practice. Wipe your eyes. Grab the whistle. Smile. “Bring it in, girls!” She wanted to be there for this team. But lately, showing up took more than anyone realized. A parent’s frustration over a game decision had followed her home. A forgotten drill felt like one more failure. Some nights, she wondered whether anything she did mattered anymore. She wasn’t just tired of coaching. She was tired of trying to hold her life together. After the last family left, she sat down and unfolded Meg’s letter. Meg wrote about being nervous to try volleyball. About being hard on herself. About the times she had wanted to quit—and how glad she was that she hadn’t. She wrote about belonging to a team. The encouragement during practice. The huddles that helped her understand she was chosen and didn’t have to prove her worth. Then her coach reached the part about mistakes not defining her. She read it again. That was something she had wanted Meg to understand. Somewhere along the way, she had stopped believing it about herself. She lowered the letter into her lap. The divorce wasn’t over. Tomorrow would still be difficult. She still needed support. But sitting there in that quiet gym, she could finally see something her exhaustion had hidden. She hadn’t failed at everything. Something good had happened this season. That evening, she called a trusted friend. “I’ve been saying I’m fine,” she admitted. “I’m not.” Meg hadn’t known the whole story. It wasn’t hers to fix. She had simply put her gratitude on paper. And her coach carried it home. Beyond the Story: The Parent Corner This story was inspired by a real letter an athlete wrote to her coach after a recent season. One line stopped me: “You have shown me that my mistakes don’t define me.” Think about that. We see a practice. A game. A decision we disagree with. But what about the rest of the week? The person coaching our child has a life beyond the sidelines. There may be burdens we know nothing about when we approach them frustrated. That doesn’t mean our concerns don’t matter. It means the person receiving them matters, too. Proverbs 12:25 puts it this way: “The weight of worry drags us down, but a good word lightens our day.” A good word. Not a perfect speech. Not an answer to every problem. Sometimes, a simple letter that says, “What you did mattered to me.” And maybe you’re the one who needs encouragement right now. Then let this Parent Corner offer you some: A difficult season is not the whole story of your life. You matter beyond what you accomplish. You don’t have to carry everything alone. One More Step Together Who came to mind while you were reading? A coach? A teacher? Your spouse? A friend who keeps showing up? Write to them this week. Tell them something specific they did. Tell them why it mattered. Don’t assume they already know. And if you’re struggling, let someone you trust know what you’re carrying, too. I believe we’re all one thought, one word, or one action away from a totally different life. Not because one moment fixes everything. But because one moment can become the beginning of something different. You don’t have to know someone’s whole story to offer a word that helps them keep writing it. One more step together. Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 17, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
READ THE PARENT CORNER #37 → ZERO TALENT
10 Things That Require ZERO Talent What Ray Learned from Aggie "Ray! Get yourself over here and help your grandma with these flowers!" Ray looked up from where he was sitting on the porch steps. Aggie was standing beside a flowerbed, holding a watering can in one hand and pointing toward a bag of soil with the other. "Coming, Aggie!" "Well, don't wear yourself out getting here!" she called back with a grin. Ray laughed and made his way over. As they worked, Aggie noticed something wasn't quite right. Ray wasn't his usual talkative self. "What's eating at you, sweetheart?" Ray shrugged. "Nothing, really. Just thinking about practice yesterday. Some of those kids are so good at everything. It's like they don't even have to try." Aggie set down her watering can. "Well, let me ask you something. Do you think being the most talented person is what makes somebody successful?" "I guess it helps," Ray replied. "Sure does. But talent isn't everything. In fact, some of the most important things in life don't require any talent at all." Ray looked puzzled. "Like what?" Aggie smiled. "Oh, honey. You better sit down. Grandma's got something to show you!" She reached into the pocket of her sweater and pulled out an old, folded piece of paper. The edges were worn, the creases deep, and the handwriting looked like it had been there for years. "What's that?" Ray asked. Aggie smiled as she carefully unfolded it. "This belonged to your grandpa Jack." Ray leaned in a little closer. "Grandpa Jack wrote that?" "He sure did. Your grandpa was a man of many talents, but he always believed that some of the most important things in life had nothing to do with talent at all." She handed Ray the paper. "He wrote these ten things down a long time ago. Said they were worth remembering. And you know what? I think he was right." Ray looked down at the faded handwriting. Across the top, in big letters, were the words: 10 THINGS THAT REQUIRE ZERO TALENT He began reading. Being on time. Making an effort. Being high energy. Having a positive attitude. Being passionate. Using good body language. Being coachable. Doing a little extra. Being prepared. Having a strong work ethic. Ray looked up. "That's a lot of things, Aggie." "Sure is. And here's the best part. You don't have to be the fastest, smartest, strongest, or most talented to work on a single one of them." "But what if I'm not good at something?" Aggie leaned back in her rocking chair. "Ray, I've lived long enough to see plenty of talented folks go nowhere because they wouldn't put in the work. And I've seen people nobody expected much from do remarkable things because they kept showing up." She pointed toward the flowerbed. "See those flowers? They don't all grow at the same speed. Some bloom early. Some take their sweet time. But they all need someone willing to water them, care for them, and keep showing up." Ray glanced at the watering can. "So you're saying I should just keep trying?" "I'm saying you can't control every gift you've been given. But you can be faithful with the gifts you have." Ray smiled. "And I suppose you're going to tell me to finish watering those flowers?" Aggie winked. "Now you're catching on! Number eight, sweetheart. Do a little extra!" Ray laughed, then looked down at the old piece of paper one more time. "Grandpa Jack must've been pretty smart." Aggie smiled, her eyes drifting toward the farmhouse. "Oh, he had his moments, sweetheart. He certainly had his moments." Beyond the Story: The Parent Corner Ten things. Zero talent required. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? But here's what I've been thinking about. Just because something doesn't require talent doesn't mean it doesn't require intentionality. Think about it. Showing up on time when life is pulling you in a hundred different directions. Giving your best effort when you're tired. Choosing a positive attitude when things aren't going your way. Being coachable when someone points out something you could do better. None of those things necessarily come easy. And yet, none of them require us to be the most gifted person in the room. We spend so much of life comparing what we can do with what someone else can do. Who's faster? Who's smarter? Who has more opportunities, more experience, more ability? But what if we spent a little less time worrying about what we don't have and a little more time being faithful with what we do? Colossians 3:23 puts it this way: "So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s." (The Voice) No matter what your task is. I love that. Whether we're coaching a team, raising a family, leading at work, serving in ministry, sitting in a classroom, or simply trying to get through another Monday, the invitation is the same. Give your best with what you've been given. Not someone else's best. Not perfection. Your best. And maybe that's what makes Aggie's list so powerful. These ten things don't come with an age requirement, a talent evaluation, or a certain level of experience. They're available to every one of us. Now, does that mean we'll get all ten right every day? Absolutely not. Some days our energy is running on empty. Our attitude needs adjusting. We show up unprepared, resist correction, or simply go through the motions. But tomorrow gives us another opportunity. Another chance to show up. Another chance to grow. Another chance to be faithful with what's right in front of us. Because at the end of the day, it's not always about what we're capable of doing. Sometimes it's about what we're willing to do. One More Step Together Here's my challenge for all of us this week. Take another look at Aggie's ten things. Don't just think about your kids, your teammates, your coworkers, or the people around you. Think about yourself. Which of these ten things comes naturally to you? Which one requires a little more intentionality? Pick one. Just one. Maybe it's showing up a few minutes early. Bringing a better attitude into a difficult situation. Listening instead of defending. Or putting in a little extra effort when nobody would notice if you didn't. Whatever it is, take that step. Because talent may help determine what we're able to do. But our choices help determine what we actually do with it. One more step together. Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 10, 2026 • 5 Minute Read
Parent Corner #36: Open Doors
I turn 42 next month. And I've already made a decision about 42: I want it to be the best year of my life. For my family. Professionally. Personally. Spiritually. And I want to keep doing things that remind me I'm still living, learning and becoming. I want to ride the Seattle to Portland bike ride in honor of my dad. I want to finally learn how to play the piano. I've wanted to for years but have never taken the time. And I want to release my first full children's book, Just a Donkey—the story of my donkey friend JJ, who keeps wrestling with a question I understand more than I'd probably like to admit:“What could somebody like me ever do?” At 42, I still have things I want to try. Things I want to learn. Things I want to create. Ways I want to grow. Which is probably why these words have been sitting with me lately: “There is no cut-off age for development.” I love that. Because I spend a lot of time thinking about the development of kids. Their gifts. Their character. Their faith. Their leadership. Their next step. But this Parent Corner isn't really about them. This one's for us: The parents. Your story isn't over. You still hold the pen. What will you write next? That thought makes me think about one of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis. I love the way Lewis could take something ordinary—a wardrobe, a painting, a doorway—and suddenly another world was waiting on the other side. I've started thinking about our lives that way. Open doors. A conversation can be an open door. A book can be an open door. A new friendship. A class. A ministry. A job opportunity. A decision to finally get healthy. Picking up something you put down twenty years ago. Trying something you're terrible at. Saying yes to something that scares you. Sometimes the next world doesn't require us to find a magical wardrobe. Sometimes it begins by changing our mind about what is still possible. Dad's Open Door One evening Ray walked into the garage and found Dad staring at an old guitar case. Ray had seen it plenty of times. He'd just never seen it open. “You play guitar?” Dad laughed. “Used to.” He picked it up and tried a chord. It wasn't pretty. Ray laughed. Dad did too. “I was actually pretty good once.” “So why'd you stop?” Dad didn't really have an answer. Life, probably. Work. Marriage. Kids. Schedules. Responsibilities. None of them bad. Somewhere along the way, though, “I play guitar” became “I used to play guitar.” Ray looked at him. “So...why don't you play anymore?” Simple question. Hard answer. Dad looked down at the guitar. Then back at Ray. Maybe the door wasn't locked. Maybe he'd just stopped trying the handle. So Dad played again. Badly. Then again the next night. And again. A few weeks later, Ray walked through the garage and heard music. Not perfect music. Developing music. And maybe that was the point. We Don't Graduate From Growth There is no age where God looks at us and says: That's enough development for you. Scripture keeps giving us language of renewal, growth, transformation and becoming. Romans 12:2tells us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Not have been transformed. Be transformed. That's movement. That's development. That's an open door. And history gives us some beautiful reminders. Leonard Cohen had already built a life as a writer before beginning his recording career in his early 30s. Giuseppe Verdi could have comfortably let an extraordinary career be finished. Instead, after stepping away from opera, he returned and created Otello in his 70s and Falstaff around 80. Their stories weren't over. Neither is ours. Keep the Doors Open Maybe that's part of what we owe our kids. Not just telling them: Keep learning. Keep growing. Try something new. Don't be afraid to fail. But letting them watch us do it. Let them see Dad be a beginner. Let them see Mom change her mind. Let them watch us read, learn, create, train, apologize, ask questions, develop a gift, deepen our faith or walk through a door we once assumed had closed. Because it's hard to convince our kids that growth is lifelong if they think we stopped growing at 35. Maybe the question this week isn't: What does my kid need to work on? Maybe it's: WHAT'S MY NEXT OPEN DOOR? What have you been curious about? What have you talked yourself out of? What gift have you stopped developing? What has God been nudging you toward? What would you try if you weren't worried about being a beginner again? Your story isn't over. You still hold the pen. There is no cut-off age for development. Keep as many doors open as possible. And when God puts one in front of you...turn the handle. Win the Day Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 4, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Parent Corner #35: Sidelines to Sunday
SIDELINES TO SUNDAY I need to be real with you, parents. I struggle with Sundays. More specifically, I struggle with the gap between our Saturday sidelines and our Sunday mornings. Sunday comes. We smile. We show kindness. We raise our hands in church. Our kids sit beside us. In that setting, living out our faith can feel pretty comfortable. But rewind 24 hours. Your kid didn’t play enough. Your kid had a bad game. Their team lost badly. You didn’t like the officiating, your coach’s decisions, or how the opposing coach handled their team. Shall I go on? I see it every week. I hear it. I experience it. The outbursts. The dirty looks. The league gets blamed. I get blamed. There are rude emails, passive-aggressive texts, and hard phone calls. And here is my part: I have lost my cool on some of those calls. Some have ended with someone hanging up. I’m responsible for how I respond, and there are conversations I wish I had handled better. Leading a faith-based league doesn’t give me a pass. I’m in this conversation too. People sometimes wonder why I’m so passionate about the sidelines. Because I believe they reveal things about us that we need to pay attention to. How do we respond when we don’t get our way? When our child struggles? When someone makes a mistake that affects our family? Those moments put our character under pressure. And our kids are right there, watching. I’m concerned about how quickly we step in to remove every disappointment. How easily protecting our kids becomes blaming someone else. How much of our character we’re willing to surrender over a 45-minute youth recreational game. The game matters to our kids. I understand that. But that Saturday score will not determine their future. The way we teach them to handle it can help shape it. Let’s get even more real. Your athlete might not be very good at this sport yet. Their team might struggle all season. They might play their hardest and still lose by a lot. That is a reality we have to leave room for. It says nothing about their worth, how deeply they are loved, or what they can become. They need adults who can help them face disappointment without treating every difficult experience as an injustice. Ask questions. Bring concerns. Hold us accountable. We have things to improve too. We can have those conversations with honesty and respect. And about the cartoons I create, the stories I share, and the JESUS WON shirts I wear—please understand how seriously I take the message behind them. Those stories carry the things I want our families to wrestle with: Character Responsibility Forgiveness Courage How we treat people when life gets hard. There is a deeper message in them for us as parents too. My love for Jesus is where I find strength to keep showing up, have hard conversations, set boundaries, and own my mistakes. It also calls me to apologize when I fall short. Being a faith-based league means we should be willing to practice all of that. Here is why I’m writing this If we can raise our hands on Sunday after tearing people down on Saturday, without stopping to recognize that something needs to change, our theology is off. What we say we believe about Jesus needs to reach the way we treat people. Including me, our referees - coaches - other parents my - the people answering our emails. I’ve done this long enough, had enough conversations, and watched enough sidelines to know we need to talk about this honestly. Our kids need to see us live our faith when the score is ugly, the call goes against us, and we are frustrated. They also need to hear us say, “I handled that poorly.” - “ I’m sorry.” Me included. I will keep fighting for the sidelines. I will keep caring about your kids and the adults we are becoming in front of them.Check out our Parent Standard HERE But I won’t promise you that your child’s team won’t get blown out again. We all have growing to do when it happens. Win The Day, Troy Farley Tri-Cities FCA Sports Leagues Director
October 3, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
Parent Corner #34: Give it Away
There is an idea about purpose that I haven't been able to shake from a quote I recently read: The purpose of life is to DISCOVER your gifts.
The work of life is to DEVELOP your gifts.
The meaning of life is to GIVE your gifts away. Discover. Develop. Give. Those three words take me back a long way. Years ago, I felt like God gave me a compass for what I was supposed to spend my life doing: Help people DISCOVER and DEVELOP their gifts for Jesus. The older I get, the more I realize how much that compass has shaped my life. And honestly, it explains a lot about why I care so much about FCA Sports. Why 46 Weeks? We operate FCA Sports nearly year-round. 46 weeks throughout the calendar year. Sometimes I look at that number and think we're crazy. Soccer becomes basketball - Basketball becomes soccer again - Then volleyball - Camps. Flag football - Cheer - REPEAT and around we go. But the sports have never really been the point. They're the opportunity. Every practice, game, conversation, win, loss, mistake, new friendship and hard moment gives a kid another opportunity to discover something about who God created them to be. Maybe a kid discovers: I can lead. I love encouraging people. I'm a great teammate. I can do hard things. I'm good at bringing people together. I care about the kid nobody else notices. And yes, sometimes they discover they can really shoot a basketball, kick a soccer ball or throw a football. That's great too. Because gifts come in all kinds of packages. The question is what happens next. DISCOVER Isn't Enough Once we discover a gift, we have to develop it. That's where sports can be such an incredible classroom. You practice. You fail. You listen. You try again. You learn from a coach. You encourage a teammate. You keep showing up. Little by little, something God placed inside you begins to grow. Scripture puts it this way: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others.” — 1 Peter 4:10 Notice the progression. You've received something. Now you're supposed to use it. But sometimes our kids need someone else to see the gift before they can see it themselves. Ray Discovers Something Ray wasn't the best player on his team: He knew it too. There were kids who were faster. Kids who scored more. Kids who seemed to make everything look easy. For a while, Ray assumed that meant they had something he didn't. They had the gift. Then one practice, Coach pulled Ray aside. “Do you know what happens every time someone on this team makes a mistake?” Ray shook his head. “You're the first person to encourage them.” Ray hadn't noticed. Coach had. Then Coach said something Ray wouldn't forget: “You see people, Ray. That's a gift.” That sentence stayed with him. So Ray started paying attention. When a teammate missed a shot, Ray was there. When the new kid didn't know where to stand, Ray helped him. When practice got hard and everyone got quiet, Ray found a way to bring some energy. At first, it was something Ray did without thinking. Then he started doing it on purpose. He was developing his gift. And eventually something changed. Ray stopped asking: “What am I good at?” and started asking: “How can what I'm good at help somebody else?” That's when a gift becomes more than talent. You discover it. You develop it. Then you give it away. And parents, maybe there's a question for us buried inside Ray's story: What do I see in my kid that they may not see in themselves yet? Maybe part of our job is helping them name it. GIVE I don't want our kids to discover their gifts simply so they can become more successful. I don't want them developing their gifts only so they can collect trophies, followers, scholarships, applause or accomplishments. Those things may come. But there's something bigger available. Give it away. Use your leadership to help somebody else. Use your encouragement to lift up a teammate. Use your creativity to build something. Use your strength to protect somebody. Use your influence to point people toward Jesus. Use whatever God has placed in your hands to serve the person standing in front of you. That's purpose. Parents, This Includes Us This is also why I keep working to build a library of resources for our FCA Sports parents. Parent Corner. The Ray and Meg Files Devotionals. Stories. Conversations that hopefully make their way from a phone screen to a dinner table, car ride or sideline. I'm not creating these because families need more content. We have plenty of content. I'm praying something SPARKS. Something that makes a kid—or maybe a parent—wonder: What has God put inside me? Then: How can I develop it? And eventually: Who can I give it to? Because maybe somewhere during those 46 weeks, a kid discovers something. Maybe a coach calls something out of them. Maybe a parent sees something they hadn't noticed before. Maybe a story about Ray or Meg starts a conversation. Maybe a season of soccer becomes the place where a kid realizes they were made to lead. And maybe years later, that gift gets given away in a place that has absolutely nothing to do with sports. That's the dream. More Than Sports So yes, we'll keep playing games. We'll keep keeping score. We'll keep practicing, competing, laughing and learning. But underneath all of it is something much bigger. DISCOVER your gifts. DEVELOP your gifts. And then don't keep them for yourself. GIVE them away. For your teammates. For your family. For your community. For the person God puts in front of you. For Jesus. That's my purpose. That's the purpose behind these leagues. And maybe that's a pretty good picture of the purpose of life. Discover. Develop. Give. Win the Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
September 27, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Parent Corner #33: The Invitation
Sometimes the biggest moments in a kid’s life start with something incredibly small. An invitation. “Want to come with me?” That’s it. No perfect speech. No pressure. No guarantee they’ll even say yes. Just an invitation. That’s what Ray and Meg are learning in this week’s story as they experience Fields of Faith. They show up expecting an event. They leave thinking about people. Friends. Teammates. Classmates. The kid sitting beside them at lunch. The person they pass in the hallway every day. Because somewhere along the way, the question changes from: “What did I get out of tonight?” to: “Who could I bring with me next time?” Your kid already has a mission field Sometimes we make sharing our faith feel much more complicated than Jesus did. Our kids don’t need a stage. They already have hallways. They don’t need an audience. They already have teammates. They don’t need thousands of followers. They have the kid sitting beside them on the bus, the friend they FaceTime after school, the teammate standing next to them in line, and the classmate they see every single day. Those relationships matter. And sometimes the most powerful thing our kids can do is simply notice the person God has already placed in front of them. Who needs a friend? Who needs encouragement? Who needs to know they belong? Who could I invite? An invitation can change a story Think about how many important moments in our own lives started because somebody invited us. Come sit with us. Come play. Come to practice. Come to church. Come with me. An invitation communicates something before the event ever begins: I thought about you. I want you there. There’s a place for you beside me. That’s something our kids can carry into their schools, teams, neighborhoods, and friendships every day. And parents, we can model it too. Our kids are watching how we welcome people. How we notice people. Whether our circles stay closed or whether we’re willing to make room for somebody new. Maybe one of the best questions we can ask around the dinner table this week isn’t: “How was school?” Maybe it’s: “Who did you notice today?” And then eventually: “Is there someone you could invite?” One field. One invitation. One next step. On Sunday, October 11 at 4 PM, we’ll gather at Lampson Stadium in Kennewick for Fields of Faith. (Learn more HERE) There will be worship. Stories. Jesus. Students from different schools and different teams coming together on one field. But I want to make something really clear: This invitation is for EVERYONE. Bring the whole family. Bring your FCA Sports athlete. Bring your middle school athlete. Your high school athlete. College students, parents, grandparents—you’re invited too. Seriously. All the way up to my dad, who at a young and fit 80 years old better be there too. This isn’t an event where parents need to drop their kids off and come back later. Come experience it together. And afterward, stick around. We’ll keep the night going with a tailgate and free food. But before October 11 gets here, there’s one question worth asking your family: Who will you invite? Maybe it’s a teammate. A classmate. Another family. A neighbor. A coworker. Someone who has never been to anything like this before. You don’t need the perfect words. Sometimes two are enough: Come with me. One field. One invitation. One next step. Win the Day – Troy Farley
September 19, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Parent Corner #32 — Missing the Mark
Parent Corner #32 — Missing the Mark You ever make a mistake? As a parent? As a spouse? As a leader? Just as a person? I have. Plenty of them. And when you know you missed the mark, there is a feeling that can come with it. Guilt. Shame. Self-doubt. That voice in your head that keeps replaying what happened. You should have known better. You should have handled that differently. You blew it. You missed the mark. And maybe that phrase means more than we realize. Missing the Mark There is an ancient connection between the idea of sin and missing the mark—like an archer aiming at a target and failing to hit it. I love that picture because I've missed plenty of targets in my life. As a husband. As a father. As a leader. As a friend. There have been moments when I knew exactly where I wanted the arrow to go...and watched it land somewhere else. But here's what I love about the picture of an archer: The story doesn't end with the miss. What does the archer do? Take aim. SHOOT AGAIN. Repeat. You learn. You adjust. You refocus. You take another shot. And maybe that's a picture some of us need right now. Don't Spiral Down When I miss the mark, I have a tendency to spiral. Maybe you do too. One mistake becomes: I'm a terrible parent. One bad conversation becomes: I'm failing as a spouse. One leadership decision goes sideways and suddenly: I'm not cut out for this. We take something we did and turn it into something we believe we are. That's the downward spiral. But what if there is another way? What if instead of spiraling down, we learned to... SPIRAL UP Own it. Confess it. Make it right when we can. Learn from it. And then...take the next shot. Why I Love “THE FOUR” We talk about sin in FCA. And one of my favorite things about THE FOUR is that we don't stop there. The story isn't simply: You missed the mark. The story is that there is a way back. THE FOUR walks through a simple message: God Loves You. Sin Separates You. Jesus Saves You. Will You Trust Jesus? That's why talking about sin matters. Not so kids walk away buried in shame. But because they understand why we need rescue. Why we need grace. Why we need Jesus. Romans 3:23 says: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” We all miss. Parents. Coaches. Kids. Leaders. All of us. But the Gospel doesn't leave us staring at the arrow in the dirt. Jesus gives us a way forward. Meet Ray Ray stared at the target. Then he looked down. His arrow was buried in the dirt several feet short. He had missed. Again. Ray dropped his shoulders. "I'm terrible at this." Coach walked over and stood beside him. "Did you miss?" Ray nodded. "Yep." Coach picked up another arrow and handed it to him. Ray looked confused. Coach smiled. "What do you do when you miss?" Ray shrugged. Coach pointed toward the target. "Take aim." Ray lifted his bow. "Shoot again." Ray pulled the string back. "Repeat." This arrow didn't hit the center either. But it got closer. Ray smiled. Coach smiled too. And Ray reached for another arrow. Parents, Our Kids Are Watching Our kids are going to miss the mark. A lot. So are we. Maybe one of the greatest things we can teach them isn't how to avoid every mistake. Maybe it's teaching them what to do next. Don't hide it. Don't pretend it didn't happen. Don't let shame tell you the story is over. Turn toward Jesus. Own it. Make it right. Learn from it. Then take the next shot. Because grace doesn't mean the miss didn't matter. Grace means the miss isn't the end. So the next time you miss the mark—and you will—remember the archer. Take aim. SHOOT AGAIN. Repeat. And when that voice tries to pull you into guilt, shame and self-doubt... Spiral up. Let Jesus shape your thoughts. Let Jesus shape your response. Let Jesus shape your next step. You missed the mark. That's not the end of your story. More than a league. It's a mission.
September 12, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Parent Corner #31: Your Suitcase Was Never Supposed to Have Wheels
Parent Corner #31 — Your Suitcase Was Never Supposed to Have Wheels There is a word I have grown to dislike. Convenience. We love it. Faster. Easier. Delivered. Automated. Anything that removes another obstacle from our day. And then I heard Sylvester Stallone—one of my heroes—talking about how much easier life continues to become. His example made me laugh. Suitcases have wheels now. Something designed to be carried doesn't even have to be carried anymore. His bigger point stuck with me: Force yourself into tough situations. And it got me thinking about our kids. About sports. About FCA Sports. And about growth. Because convenience and growth rarely travel together. We Aren't Trying to Make Everything Easy I'll say something that might sound strange coming from someone who runs youth sports: Convenience is not one of our goals at FCA Sports. Of course, we want to communicate clearly. We want to be organized. We want to serve families well. But our mission isn't to remove every difficult thing from the experience. Not for our athletes. Not for our coaches. Not for our parents. Because growth is rarely convenient. Sometimes practice is at a difficult time. Sometimes the weather isn't perfect. Sometimes your child gets a coach who challenges them. Sometimes they don't play the position they wanted. Sometimes they lose. Sometimes the official misses the call. Sometimes they have to sit on the bench. Sometimes they have to apologize to a teammate. Sometimes they have to keep showing up when they'd rather quit. And our first instinct can be: How do I make this easier? Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe we should ask: What could God grow through this? Jesus Never Promised Convenient Following Jesus has never been about finding the easiest road. Jesus actually said: "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
Luke 9:23 Take up your cross. Follow me. There isn't much convenience in those words. Jesus wasn't calling people toward comfort. He was calling them toward something worth giving their lives to. And I think there's something incredibly important there for our kids. We don't need to manufacture hardship. Life will provide plenty of it. But we also don't need to remove every ounce of resistance from their lives. Because resistance can build something. Perseverance. Discipline. Courage. Faith. Character. Growth. Meet Ray Ray hated conditioning. His coach blew the whistle. "One more!" Ray put his hands on his knees. His legs hurt. His lungs burned. And he had already decided the last sprint was supposed to be the last sprint. "Come on, Ray!" Zach yelled. Ray looked toward Coach. For half a second, he hoped Coach would tell him he had done enough. Coach didn't. He just pointed toward the line. Ray stood up. He ran. It wasn't his fastest. It definitely wasn't pretty. But he finished. Walking off the field later, Ray told his dad, "That was hard." Dad smiled. "I know." Ray waited for something else. Nothing. Finally Ray asked, "That's it?" Dad laughed. "Yep." Then he put his hand on Ray's shoulder. "Not everything hard needs to be made easier." Ray thought about that one all the way home. Takeaway Parents, I wonder if sometimes we're putting wheels on things our kids were meant to learn how to carry. We call the coach. We solve the conflict. We make the excuse. We remove the consequence. We carry the bag. And yes—there are absolutely times our kids need us to step in. But there are also times they need us to step back. To encourage. To listen. To remind them they can keep going. And maybe even allow something to remain hard. Because someday the challenges will be bigger than youth sports. There won't always be a parent standing on the sideline who can make it easier. That's why this matters now. Sports give us a training ground for life. A place to practice doing difficult things before the stakes get much higher. So this week, before removing an obstacle from your child's path, maybe ask: Does this need to be fixed? Or... Does this need to be carried? Because your suitcase was never supposed to have wheels. And maybe... Neither was everything in your child's life. More than a league. It's a mission. Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
September 11, 2026 • 8 Minute Read
The Parent Standard
The FCA Sports Parent Standard FCA Sports exists to provide a safe, positive, and Christ-centered environment where athletes can grow physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually. Parents help set the tone. The way we encourage, communicate, and respond teaches our athletes what matters most. Our priorities are: Safety. Fun. Growth. Our Ultimate Foundation Represent Jesus in every word, every reaction, and every relationship. “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” — Colossians 3:17 Our Five Parent Pillars 1. Encourage Loudly. Never Tear Down. Our sidelines should be filled with joy, energy, and encouragement. Celebrate effort, teamwork, courage, and growth. Never use your voice to embarrass, criticize, or place unnecessary pressure on an athlete. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.” — Ephesians 4:29 2. Respect Everyone—Especially Under Pressure. Treat athletes, coaches, referees, FCA staff, opposing teams, and other parents with dignity. Competition never gives us permission to insult, intimidate, argue, or tear someone down. “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” — Romans 12:10 3. Let Coaches Coach and Referees Officiate. Encourage your athlete without coaching from the sideline. Allow coaches to lead and referees to make calls. Many FCA Sports referees are young people developing communication, confidence, command, and leadership skills. They will not make every call perfectly. Neither will our athletes or coaches. Parents may not yell at, argue with, insult, or approach a referee to dispute a call. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” — James 1:19 4. Protect the Athlete Experience. Our games belong to the athletes. Follow sideline boundaries, remain in designated spectator areas, and never allow adult emotions to take away an athlete’s safety, joy, or opportunity to grow. “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” — Philippians 2:4 5. Keep the Mission Bigger Than the Score. We want to compete, improve, and pursue excellence—but winning is not the ultimate goal. Every game is an opportunity to help athletes grow and show families something different in the way FCA Sports competes and serves. “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31 Game-Day Expectations As an FCA Sports parent or guardian, I will: Bring a positive attitude. Encourage athletes from the sideline. Allow coaches to coach and referees to officiate. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Use appropriate and positive language. Remain calm when I disagree with a decision. Communicate concerns directly and respectfully. Follow all facility and spectator boundaries. Place athlete safety and growth above the outcome of the game. Respecting Coaches Our coaches are volunteers who give their time to serve athletes and families. Parents and spectators may not use profanity, vulgar or abusive language, personal insults, threats, intimidation, or aggressive confrontations at any FCA Sports practice, game, or event. These expectations apply whether or not children are within earshot. Concerns about playing time, positions, officiating, or coaching decisions must be communicated respectfully. A disagreement never excuses mistreating a coach, referee, staff member, athlete, or another family. Parents should encourage without giving coaching instructions from the sideline. Multiple voices create confusion and unnecessary pressure for athletes. Parents shoul not visit the sideline unless for injury reasons during the duration of the game. Questions should be discussed with the coach privately and at an appropriate time—not during the game or in front of athletes. Respecting Referees Parents and spectators may not: Yell at or argue with a referee. Make insulting or inappropriate comments. Question a referee’s character or integrity. Approach a referee to dispute a call. Encourage an athlete to disrespect an official. Questions involving rules, safety, or serious concerns should be brought calmly to the site coordinator or FCA staff. Respecting Opposing Families Competition should never become personal. Parents may not taunt, mock, intimidate, or argue with opposing athletes, coaches, or families. We can compete hard without tearing someone else down. Soccer Sideline Expectations Stay Away From the Goals Parents and spectators may not stand or sit beside or behind either goal. All spectators must remain in the designated viewing area along the sideline. This protects the athletes, gives referees a clear view, and prevents distractions behind the goal. Parent Side and Athlete Side For our older soccer divisions serving athletes ages 8–12: One side of the field is reserved for athletes and coaches. The opposite side is reserved for parents and spectators. Parents may not stand or gather on the athlete side. Spectators must stay away from team areas, corner areas, and both goals. This separation helps athletes focus, allows coaches to lead, and creates a safer and more organized environment. Communicating a Concern We want parents to communicate with us. Concerns should be handled calmly, directly, and at the appropriate time. Unless there is an immediate safety concern: Allow the game or practice to finish. Avoid addressing the issue in front of athletes or other families. Speak privately with the coach, site coordinator, or FCA staff. Email the League Director Troy Farley @tfarley@fca.org Focus on facts, safety, and possible solutions. Allow FCA Sports time to gather information and respond. (See our 24 hour rule below) Communicating a Concern — The 24-Hour Rule We want to hear your concerns, and how we communicate matters. For concerns or complaints following a game or practice, wait at least 24 hours before contacting FCA staff. This allows emotions to settle and creates space for a thoughtful, respectful conversation. After 24 hours, email League Director Troy Farley at tfarley@fca.org. Please do not call or text with complaints. Explain what happened clearly, respectfully, and with a focus on facts and possible solutions. After reviewing and dependant on the issue I will respond over email. If a phone conversation would help address your concern, I’ll call you using the contact information you provided during registration. For weekend concerns, please allow time during the following week for Troy to review the issue, gather information, and respond. Do not expect a response over the weekend. Immediate safety concerns should be reported to the site coordinator right away. The 24-hour rule does not apply when someone’s safety is at risk. Our kids are watching. Let’s model the patience and respect we ask of them. When emotions rise, pause, lower your voice, and remember who is watching. Accountability Behavior that does not meet the FCA Sports Parent Standard may result in: A reminder or warning A conversation with FCA staff Removal from the playing area Suspension from future games Removal from the league in serious or repeated situations FCA Sports leadership determines the appropriate response based on the seriousness of the behavior and any previous incidents. The consequences listed above are not required to occur in order. A serious incident may result in immediate removal or suspension without a prior warning. FCA Sports may require a parent, guardian, or spectator to complete a phone conversation or an in-person meeting with designated FCA staff before returning to practices, games, or other league activities. When this requirement is issued, the individual must complete the conversation and receive approval from FCA Sports leadership before returning. Declining or failing to arrange the required conversation does not remove the attendance restriction. Any restriction remains in effect until FCA Sports leadership approves a return. Any behavior that threatens the safety of an athlete, coach, referee, staff member, or family will be addressed immediately. Our leagues are operated by FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). Decisions about league conduct, required meetings, suspensions, and approval to return are made by FCA Sports leadership. These are FCA league decisions, not disciplinary decisions made by the church or facility hosting the activity. The Parent Standard applies across all FCA Sports locations. Changing locations does not remove a league attendance restriction. Each host site also maintains its own facility rules and expectations. The Standard We Carry Encourage loudly. Respect everyone. Trust the leaders. Protect the athletes. Keep the mission bigger than the score. Above it all: Represent Jesus in every word, every reaction, and every relationship. Every game should finish with athletes feeling safe, coaches feeling supported, referees feeling respected, and families seeing something different in the way FCA Sports competes and serves. Meet The Team Troy Farley — FCA Sports League Director — tfarley@fca.org Zach Lewison — Associate Director & Bethel Game Day Coordinator — zlewison@fca.org Amber Lewis — Operations Coordinator — amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — Volunteer Coordinator — hfiocchi@fca.org Preston Jonas — Flag Football Game Day Coordinator — prestonjonas123@gmail.com
September 11, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Fall Sports Game Day
Coaches, Tomorrow is GAME DAY! This is the day we get to step back a little and let the kids truly PLAY. My challenge for every one of us tomorrow is simple: BE THE THERMOSTAT. Help me set the right temperature for your athletes and families. See the opposing coach as a partner, not an opponent. Don’t overcoach. Let your players play. Let them make mistakes. Let them figure some things out. Constantly being loud from the sideline does not mean good coaching is taking place. Teach during the week. Encourage on Game Day. There will certainly be moments to coach, but give these kids room to compete, make decisions, make mistakes, and grow. PRE-GAME ROUTINE This applies to every team—younger soccer, older soccer, and flag football. 10 MINUTES BEFORE KICKOFF — COACH + REF MEETING Meet with the opposing coach and referee. For 4–7 Soccer, remember that the coaches are also the referees. Take a minute to: Greet and introduce yourselves. Connect on any questions before the game. Say a quick prayer for one another. Remind yourselves that we're working together to create a great experience for these kids. 5 MINUTES BEFORE KICKOFF — FCA BREAK Bring both teams and coaches together at center field. As ONE group, do an FCA BREAK on 3! Then both teams take a lap around the field, high-fiving the parents and families along the way. FLAG FOOTBALL: Our cheer athletes will form a tunnel for you to run through after the FCA Break before beginning your lap around the field. Once the lap is complete, LET'S PLAY! POST-GAME ROUTINE How we finish matters just as much as how we start. Celebrate the other team.
Gather your team and on 1-2-3 yell the other team's name. Good Game Line.
Both teams meet and go through the traditional post-game line. Circle Up + Pray.
Bring both teams together and end the game in prayer. We encourage an athlete to lead the prayer. Give them the opportunity! If no athlete wants to step up, one of the coaches can lead. Win or lose, we leave the field together. KNOW YOUR RULES Please take a few minutes TODAY to review the rules for your sport and age division before tomorrow's first game. These rules pages will remain LIVE throughout the season, so bookmark them and use them as a reference whenever you need them.SOCCER RULESFLAG FOOTBALL RULES WEEK 1 = LOTS OF GRACE Coaches, this is Week 1 of games. Please bring LOTS OF GRACE tomorrow. Athletes are learning. Parents are learning. Coaches are learning. And our young referees are learning too. Please refrain from complaining about missed calls or calls you disagree with. Our referees are going to miss things. That's part of youth sports, especially in Week 1. If you're frustrated with something that happens during a game, come to me. Let me handle it. Don't let one call change your sideline. Don't let frustration change your body language. Don't let the temperature rise because something didn't go your way. I'll say it one more time: YOU ARE THE THERMOSTAT. Your players and families will feed off your energy, your demeanor, and your response. Tomorrow, let's set the temperature together. Encourage. Celebrate. Compete. Have fun. Let them PLAY. Let's have an incredible first Game Day! Meet The Team Troy Farley (509-430-7222) — FCA Sports League Director — tfarley@fca.org Zach Lewison (641-590-4900) — Associate Director & Bethel Game Day Coordinator — zlewison@fca.org Amber Lewis — Operations Coordinator — amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — Volunteer Coordinator — hfiocchi@fca.org Preston Jonas (509-619-2748) — Flag Football Game Day Coordinator — prestonjonas123@gmail.com Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
September 6, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Fall Soccer
FCA Coach's Corner | Picture Update! Coaches, Your picture date and time are listed below. COACHES: If your team has pictures NEXT WEEK (September 21–23), please pick up picture packets BEFORE your game THIS WEEKEND so you can hand them out to your families. Pick up picture packets at the concession stands by the white trailer next to the small fields. If your team has pictures on Saturday, September 26, or the following week, please pick up packets before practice next week and hand them out at practice. Please share your picture date and time with your team so everyone is prepared. Picture packets will also be available on-site when you check in for photos. All photos will be taken in the Bethel Gym Lobby. Please note: no retakes will be offered. Monday, September 21, 2026 4:30 PM — BA1 Cheetahs 4:45 PM — BA6 Lions 5:00 PM — GB1 Eagles 5:15 PM — GB5 Ducks 5:30 PM — GA1 Bunnies 5:45 PM — GA2 Foxes 6:00 PM — BB2 Rattlesnakes 6:15 PM — BB6 Crocodiles Tuesday, September 22, 2026 4:30 PM — GA3 Raccoons 4:45 PM — BA2 Panthers 5:00 PM — GC2 Sea Turtles 5:30 PM — BA3 Tigers 5:45 PM — BB3 Alligators 6:00 PM — BB4 Geckos 6:15 PM — BC2 Wildfires Wednesday, September 23, 2026 4:30 PM — GA4 Bears 4:45 PM — BA4 Leopards 5:00 PM — GB3 Falcons 5:30 PM — GA5 Fawns 5:45 PM — BB5 Iguanas 6:00 PM — GC3 Polar Bears Saturday, September 26, 2026 10:05 AM — GD1 Tulips 10:20 AM — GD6 Poppies 10:35 AM — GD4 Lilies 10:50 AM — BD2 Cockroaches 11:20 AM — BD1 Titan Beetles 11:35 AM — BD3 Scorpionflies 12:30 PM — BB7 Lizards 12:45 PM — BB10 Cobras 1:05 PM — BD5 Hornets 1:20 PM — BD4 Tarantulas 1:50 PM — GD7 Daffodils 2:05 PM — GD5 Daisies 3:05 PM — GD2 Roses 3:20 PM — GD3 Sunflowers Monday, September 28, 2026 4:30 PM — BB1 Turtles 4:45 PM — GC8 Puffins 5:30 PM — GB2 Cardinals 5:45 PM — GC1 Dolphins 6:00 PM — BC1 Tornadoes Tuesday, September 29, 2026 5:30 PM — BA8 Cougars 5:45 PM — BB9 Komodo Dragons 6:00 PM — BC3 Hurricanes Wednesday, September 30, 2026 4:30 PM — BC4 Tsunamis 4:45 PM — BC6 Volcanoes 5:30 PM — BA7 Jaguars 5:45 PM — GC4 Penguins Thursday, October 1, 2026 4:30 PM — GA6 Squirrels 4:45 PM — GB4 Owls 5:00 PM — GC5 Seals 5:15 PM — BC5 Earthquakes 5:30 PM — BA5 Pumas 5:45 PM — GB6 Parrots 6:00 PM — BB8 Chameleons 6:15 PM — GC6 Orcas 6:30 PM — GC7 Manatees VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING If your FCA volunteer onboarding is still incomplete, please get this finished. Hannah is continuing to follow up with coaches who have outstanding steps. Please respond to her and help us get everyone across the finish line. This is an important part of providing a safe and prepared environment for every athlete and family. MEET YOUR FCA SPORTS TEAM We're here to serve you throughout the season. If you have questions or need help, reach out. Troy Farley — Leagues Director
tfarley@fca.org Zach Lewison — Associate Director
zlewison@fca.org Amber Lewis — Operations Coordinator
amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — Volunteer Coordinator
hfiocchi@fca.org Preston Jonas — Flag Football Coordinator
prestonjonas123@gmail.com You're not coaching alone. We're in this together. Win The Day, Troy Farley
FCA Sports Tri-Cities
June 10, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Volleyball: The Coaches Corner
Welcome to the Weekly Coaches Corner Recap 🏐 This is your one-stop spot for everything you need as an FCA Sports Volleyball Coach. Whether you attended one of our Coaches Meetings or are catching up afterward, you'll find key dates, expectations, resources, and next steps below. Thank you for saying "yes" to investing in athletes and families this summer. We believe sports are a powerful platform to Engage, Equip, and Empower people through the Gospel, and we're excited to see how Jesus uses you this season. Action Items Attended a Coaches Meeting? Thank you for joining us this week. We are grateful for your willingness to serve and lead. Missed Both Coaches Meetings? Please contact Troy as soon as possible by replying to this email. If we do not hear from you by Friday, we will move forward with other coaching candidates for those teams. Until we hear from you and complete the required coaching process, you are not cleared to coach this season. Upcoming Dates Week of June 22 Practices Begin Week of July 6th Games Begin Season Concludes August 13th Picture Day Details coming soonHave Questions? Reach Out! Volunteer Onboarding (VIP) Hannah will be reaching out to every coach regarding volunteer onboarding requirements. This includes: VIP Registration Background Check Child Abuse Prevention Training E3 Training Please watch for her email and complete these items as quickly as possible so we can prepare for the season. Questions? Reach out to Hannah directly: HFiocchi@fca.org This Seasons Chapel Theme Proven: Faith That Holds Up Under Pressure
| John 15:8 We’re all trying to prove something: our spot on the team; being captain material; being accepted by our peers; earning success and accolades; even love. We put time and energy into doing all we can to fit into these spaces, but it leaves us exhausted and unfulfilled. But we don’t have to keep striving to prove our worth; God has proven everything for us through His Son Jesus Christ. We simply receive what has already been done for us. We are proven in Him. Learn what it looks like to go from living for approval to living from the love of God with this 4-Day Devotional — What Are You Trying to Prove? FCA Sports Coaching Expectations As an FCA Sports Coach: Be Positive Be Prepared Be an Example Communicate Well with Parents Develop Athletes On and Off the Court Create a Fun and Safe Environment Help Athletes Take Their Next Step with Jesus Remember our E3 Strategy Engage: Build relationships with athletes and families. Equip: Use practices, devotionals, and conversations to point athletes/families toward Jesus. Empower: Challenge athletes and families to live out their faith beyond the season. Resources Coach's Corner: Weekly coaching encouragement and ministry resources while in season. Parent Corner: Resources to help families grow beyond the game. The FOUR: A simple way to share the Gospel using four biblical truths. Learn more HERE. TeamSnap App: Communication, schedules, rosters, and season updates. Looking Ahead Over the next two weeks we'll be: Completing volunteer onboarding Preparing for practice week 1 Thank you again for serving with FCA Sports. We are praying for you and looking forward to seeing how Jesus works in and through our coaches, athletes, and families this summer. Stay Connected Troy Farley — Director of FCA Sports leagues happening year-round across the Tri-Cities (tfarley@fca.org) Amber Lewis — Engagement Lead helping oversee schedules, games, and administration (amberlewis@fca.org Hannah Fiocchi — VIP Specialist assisting with volunteer onboarding and FCA requirements (HFiocchi@fca.org) Zach Lewison — Game Day Coordinator helping practices and games run smoothly. (zlewison@fca.org) Michael Groth — FCA Volleyball Specialist helping with rules, structure, and coaching best practices. (mgroth@libertychristian.net) Subscribe and never miss an FCA Sports Update again!Subscribe Here Win The Day, Troy Farley FCA Sports Leagues Director
September 5, 2026 • 7 Minute Read
Fall Sports Referee Standard
FCA Sports Referees FCA Sports referees do more than enforce the rules. They help create a safe, positive, and competitive environment where athletes, coaches, and families can grow. Our goal is to prepare every referee to lead with confidence, protect the athletes, communicate clearly, and represent FCA well at every game. More Than a Game FCA Sports is about more than competition. We want athletes to grow: Physically Mentally Relationally Spiritually Referees help set the tone for the entire game. Every call, conversation, and interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and represent Jesus well. Our three game-day priorities are: Safety. Fun. Growth. Professionalism and Leadership Serving as an FCA Sports referee is a job, and professionalism is expected. Throughout the season, referees will have opportunities to develop valuable skills, including: Clear communication Confidence and command Decision-making Conflict management Personal responsibility Leadership under pressure These skills will serve referees both on and off the field. Creating a Positive Athlete Experience Every athlete should feel seen, valued, and encouraged during an FCA Sports game. Referees can help create that experience by: Greeting athletes and coaches before the game Using positive and respectful language Giving clear, calm instructions Listening before reacting Correcting athletes without embarrassing them Remaining present and approachable Leading with confidence without becoming confrontational Fall Sports Locations Referees may be assigned to one of four FCA Sports locations: Bethel: Soccer Reata: Soccer Columbia: Soccer Calvary: Flag Football Field assignments, schedules, parking information, and additional site instructions will be communicated with each assignment. Site leadership includes: Bethel: Zach Lewison Calvary: Preston Jonas Referees should check in with the site coordinator immediately upon arrival. Referee Arrival Times Please arrive on time and ready to help with setup. Bethel: 8:15 AM or 11:00 AM, depending on the assigned shift Reata: 8:15 AM Columbia: 8:15 AM Calvary: 8:00 AM Arriving at the listed time is part of the assignment. Referees should not arrive immediately before their first game. Before the Game Before officiating, every referee should: Check in with the site coordinator Confirm the field assignment and game schedule Help complete the required field setup Inspect the playing area for safety concerns Check the game equipment Meet the coaches Review any age-specific or division-specific rules Ask questions about any rule that is unclear Athlete safety should always be addressed before play begins. Field Setup Responsibilities Bethel Soccer Referees assigned to Bethel may be responsible for a complete field setup, including: Corner flags Field number flags Game balls Cones Yard signs Reata and Columbia Soccer These locations operate using a “Show and Go” setup. Referees should still: Confirm that the field is ready Inspect goals and equipment Check for hazards Report any concerns to the site coordinator Calvary Flag Football Referees assigned to Calvary may assist with: Yard markers Pylons Footballs Athlete flag belts Game-Day Timeline To keep games running on time, referees should follow this schedule: 10 Minutes Before the Game Meet with both coaches Confirm the division and game format Review any important age-specific rules Address questions before play begins 5 Minutes Before the Game Connect with the athletes Offer high fives and encouragement Check equipment Prepare both teams for the opening play Game Time Start the game on time Keep the game moving Communicate time and game situations clearly Do not sacrifice athlete safety to stay on schedule During the Game Referees are expected to: Communicate calls clearly and respectfully Use confident signals and instructions Remain calm and professional Work together as a referee team Apply the rules fairly and consistently Keep the game moving at a steady pace Watch for unsafe play Treat athletes, coaches, parents, and other officials with respect Referees should be firm, fair, consistent, and approachable. After the Game At the conclusion of every game: Confirm that the substitution periods were handled correctly Bring the teams together for the postgame circle Pray with the athletes and coaches Report injuries or unusual incidents Report major conduct concerns Reset the field promptly for the next game Begin cleanup if it is the final game of the day Field Cleanup Referees may be asked to help collect and return: Game balls Corner flags Field number flags Yard signs Cones Yard markers Pylons Athlete flags Trash Lost-and-found items Everyone is responsible for leaving the facility better than we found it. Scheduling and Weekly Assignments Zach Lewison will communicate with referees regarding available weekly assignments at all four locations. Referees can contact Zach at zlewison@fca.org with scheduling questions. Please remember: Weekly assignments are not promised or guaranteed. The number of available games may change each week. If you do not receive a message, there may not be an available slot that week. Coach and staff feedback will help determine future assignments. Communication, reliability, professionalism, and conduct will also affect scheduling decisions. Approximate weekly referee openings include: Bethel: 6 Reata: 2 Columbia: 2 Calvary: 2 The 24-Hour Rule Referees must respond to an assignment offer within 24 hours. If no response is received within that time, the assignment may be offered to another referee. Once an assignment is accepted, FCA Sports and the participating teams are counting on that referee to be there. If an emergency or unavoidable conflict prevents a referee from working an accepted assignment, the referee must communicate with FCA Sports immediately. Do not wait until game day if the conflict is already known. Referee Pay The referee pay structure is: $25 per game $100 for a three-game assignment Referees must submit their payment information through Databasics every Monday. Payment options include: Direct deposit Check Direct-deposit payments are generally processed by the end of the week. Payments are processed through National FCA. New referees must complete all required digital paperwork before payment can be issued. No payment will be processed until the required paperwork is complete. Referee Uniform and Equipment FCA Sports will provide referee jerseys and whistles. Referees are responsible for these items throughout the season and must return them at the end of the season. The cost of equipment that is not returned may be deducted from the referee’s pay. Referees should arrive wearing the required uniform and bring all assigned equipment to every game. Referee Expectations Every FCA Sports referee is expected to: Arrive early and prepared Wear the required referee uniform Know the rules for the assigned sport and division Treat everyone respectfully Remain calm under pressure Communicate confidently without being confrontational Avoid arguing with coaches or spectators Never use inappropriate language Keep phones put away while officiating Stay engaged throughout the entire assignment Ask the site coordinator for help before a situation escalates Remember that athlete safety is more important than keeping the game moving Handling Difficult Situations When a coach, parent, or athlete becomes upset: Stay calm. State the call clearly. Set a respectful boundary. Contact the site coordinator if the situation continues. Referees should not argue with coaches or spectators. Explain the call briefly, remain professional, and return attention to the game. If a situation begins to feel unsafe or unmanageable, pause the game and involve the site coordinator. Know the Rules Referees should review the rules for their assigned sport before accepting games. Soccer Rules HERE Important soccer topics include: Game length and substitutions Offside rules by division Fouls and restarts Handball Slide tackling Heading restrictions Coach and spectator conduct Review the FCA Sports Soccer Rules Flag Football Rules HERE Important flag football topics include: Game length and possession Starting play and the line of scrimmage Flag guarding Rushing and blitzing Running restrictions Passing requirements Blocking and contact Interceptions and turnovers Scoring Penalties and enforcement Score-management rules Coach and spectator conduct Age-specific modifications Review the FCA Sports Flag Football Rules Never Guess at an FCA-Specific Rule If you are uncertain about a rule: Pause the game if necessary Ask the lead referee Consult the site coordinator Confirm the correct ruling before continuing It is always better to ask than to guess. Final Referee Reminder Protect the athletes. Communicate clearly. Stay consistent. Represent FCA well. Every game should finish with athletes feeling safe, coaches feeling respected, and families seeing something different in the way FCA Sports serves.
September 5, 2026 • 9 Minute Read
Flag Football Rules
Flag Football Rules FCA Flag Football is built around three priorities: Safety, Fun, and Growth. Our referees will focus on the rules that protect athletes, maintain fair competition, and keep the game moving. Officials should communicate calls clearly, briefly explain violations when needed, and avoid turning games into constant rule stoppages. Game Format Games are played 6 versus 6. Referees will lead both teams in our FCA Pre-Game “FCA Break” BEFORE the game followed by the atheltes running around the field high fiving the fans. Referees/Coaches/Athletes will lead both teams in our FCA post game prayer AFTER the game. The visiting team will call the coin toss. The winner of the coin toss may choose possession or which goal to defend. The team that begins the game on defense will begin the second half on offense. Teams switch ends of the field at halftime. There are no physical kickoffs or punts. Possessions begin at the offensive team’s 5-yard line. The team possessing the ball at the end of a period keeps possession when play resumes. Game Clock Games are 36 minutes long. The clock will stop briefly for scheduled substitution periods. Halftime is eight minutes. Each team receives one 30-second timeout per half. Unused timeouts do not carry over. Teams have 30 seconds to begin their next play after the referee spots the ball. During the final minute of each half, the clock will stop for: An incomplete pass A ball carrier going out of bounds A touchdown An extra-point attempt A timeout An official’s timeout A change of possession Downs and Possession The offensive team has four downs to cross midfield and earn a first down. After crossing midfield, the offense receives four additional downs to score a touchdown. If the offense does not cross midfield or score within four downs, possession changes. Fourth-Down Options In older divisions, a team may: Attempt to earn a first down or score a touchdown If attempt fails - Turnover on Downs: If a team goes for it on fourth down and fails to earn a first down or score, the opposing team takes possession at its own designated hash mark near the 50-yard line. Declare a punt and give the opposing team possession at its own 5-yard line No physical punt will take place. Scoring Touchdown: 6 points One-point conversion: From the 5-yard line and must be a pass Two-point conversion: From the 10-yard line and may be a run or pass Safety: 2 points Following a safety, the scoring team receives possession at its own 5-yard line. Starting the Play The offense must have at least three players on the line of scrimmage. Only one offensive player may be in motion when the ball is snapped. Older divisions must snap the ball between the center’s legs. Younger divisions may use a side snap. The quarterback must clearly receive possession from the center before handing off, pitching, or passing. A false start, multiple players in motion, or an illegal formation may result in a penalty. Running the Football Quarterback Runs The player who receives the snap is considered the quarterback. The quarterback may not run across the line of scrimmage. The quarterback may: Hand the ball off Pitch the ball Throw a forward pass After receiving a handoff or pitch, another player may run or throw a pass from behind the line of scrimmage. Handoffs and Pitches Handoffs and pitches must occur behind the line of scrimmage. Multiple handoffs are permitted behind the line of scrimmage. Handoffs and laterals are not permitted after the ball crosses the line of scrimmage. Only the quarterback may make the initial pitch. No-Run Zones No-run zones are located within five yards of: The midfield first-down line The goal line When a play begins inside a no-run zone, the ball must be passed forward beyond the line of scrimmage. The quarterback may not run, and a running back may not run directly through the no-run area. No-run zones do not apply to the youngest division. Spotting the Ball The ball is spotted where the ball carrier’s feet are located when the flag is pulled—not where the football is being held. Passing The quarterback has seven seconds to throw the ball. If the quarterback does not pass within seven seconds, the play is ruled an incomplete pass and the offense loses the down. A handoff or pitch ends the seven-second count. Only one forward pass is permitted during a play. A forward pass must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage. Inside a no-run zone, the pass must travel beyond the line of scrimmage. Intentional grounding is not permitted. Receiving All six offensive players are eligible to receive a pass. The quarterback becomes an eligible receiver after handing off or pitching the ball. A receiver must control the football and have at least one foot in bounds for a completed pass. If a receiver catches the ball with a knee on the ground, the play is immediately dead at the location of the catch. Quarterback Rush and Blitz Rules The defense may use one immediate blitz during each set of four downs. Only one defensive player may rush the quarterback on an immediate blitz. On all other plays, defenders must wait until the referee completes the seven-second count before crossing the line of scrimmage. Once the seven-second count is completed, any number of defensive players may rush the quarterback. A defender who begins a rush from inside the seven-yard rush line will be called for an illegal rush. Interceptions and Turnovers Interceptions may be returned. An interception made in the end zone may be returned. If the interceptor’s flag is pulled inside the end zone, the play results in a touchback and the ball is placed at the 5-yard line. Bad Snaps and Fumbles The ball remains live following a bad or botched snap. A loose ball may be recovered by either the offense or defense. Once a player gains possession of the loose ball by falling on it, the play is immediately dead at the spot of recovery. The player may not advance the ball. If the offense recovers the ball, it retains possession and the next down begins from the recovery spot. If a defensive player recovers the ball, the play remains live and the player may advance it until their flag is pulled, they step out of bounds, or they score. Dead-Ball Situations The play is over when: The ball carrier’s flag is pulled The ball carrier’s flag falls out The ball carrier steps out of bounds The ball carrier’s knee touches the ground The football touches the ground A pass is incomplete A touchdown or safety is scored The referee blows the whistle Contact and Blocking FCA Flag Football is a limited-contact sport. Players may not: Tackle Push Hold Shove Stiff-arm Lower a shoulder into an opponent Initiate unnecessary contact Pull or grab clothing Make contact with a receiver while the ball is in the air Offensive players may shield a defender by maintaining their position, but they may not initiate contact with their hands or arms. Any dangerous or unnecessary contact should be called immediately. Flag Guarding The ball carrier may not use a hand, arm, elbow, or the football to prevent a defender from pulling a flag. Flag guarding may be intentional or unintentional. Examples include: Swatting a defender’s hand away Holding an arm over the flag Stiff-arming Lowering the football over the flag belt Spinning with an arm extended to block access to the flag Diving Ball carriers may not dive toward: The end zone The first-down line A defender A player may jump to avoid a collision, but may not dive forward to gain additional yardage. Pass Interference Defensive Pass Interference A defender may not: Push or hold a receiver Make early contact before the ball arrives Pull a receiver’s flag before the catch Prevent a receiver from making a play on the ball through illegal contact Defenders may make a play on the football but must avoid unnecessary contact with the receiver. Offensive Pass Interference An offensive player may not: Push a defender away Hold a defender Create an illegal pick or screen Initiate contact to create separation Primary Penalties Referees should focus on clear and meaningful violations that affect safety or give a team an unfair advantage. Defensive Penalties Encroachment Illegal rushing Pass interference Holding, pushing, or illegal contact Pulling a receiver’s flag before the catch Offensive Penalties False start More than one player in motion Illegal formation Quarterback crossing the line of scrimmage Running inside a no-run zone Illegal forward pass Delay of game Flag guarding Stiff-arming or illegal use of the hands Offensive pass interference Diving Illegal blocking Penalties occurring near the end zone may be enforced at half the distance to the goal. Player Conduct Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to demonstrate respect and self-control. The referee may stop the game and contact the site coordinator when there is: Dangerous or aggressive play Repeated intentional fouling Inappropriate language Disrespect toward an official Continued misconduct by a player, coach, or spectator Athlete safety is always more important than keeping the game moving. Referee Approach Our referees are learning and developing just like our athletes. Officials are expected to: Prioritize athlete safety Call clear violations Communicate confidently and respectfully Briefly explain calls when helpful Keep the game moving Remain consistent for both teams Ask the site coordinator for help when uncertain Referees should not guess at an FCA-specific rule. If there is uncertainty, play should be paused while the referee checks with the lead referee or site coordinator.
September 5, 2026 • 9 Minute Read
Soccer Rules
FCA Soccer Rules FCA Sports soccer leagues are designed around three priorities: Safety, Fun, and Growth. These rules help create an age-appropriate environment where athletes can learn the game, develop their skills, and enjoy playing together. Ages 4–5 and 6–7 Game Format Ages 4–5 Games are played 4 versus 4. Goalkeepers are not used. Ages 6–7 Games are played 5 versus 5. Goalkeepers are used. Teams are required to play two offensive players and two defensive players. Coaches will facilitate and manage the games. Officials will not be used for these divisions. Game Length and Substitutions Games consist of two 18-minute halves. Each half is divided into three 6-minute periods. The clock will stop every six minutes for substitutions. Halftime is five minutes. Coaches may choose whether to switch goals at halftime. A parent or coach will manage the game clock. FCA Sports does not officially keep score in these divisions. Coach Meeting Head coaches are required to meet before the game to discuss game management and establish a team-focused approach. The goal is for both coaches to work together so the athletes can have fun, stay safe, and learn the game. Starting and Restarting Play A kickoff is taken from the center circle at the beginning of each half and after a goal. The first touch does not have to travel forward. A goal may not be scored directly from a kickoff. At the beginning of a new 6-minute period, play will restart with the team that had possession when the previous period ended. If the ball remains live inside the goal arc during a scoring attempt, the offensive team may finish the play. Throw-Ins Throw-ins will be used when the ball crosses the sideline. Coaches should use incorrect throw-ins as teaching opportunities while keeping the game moving. Corner Kicks A corner kick is awarded when the defending team last touches the ball before it crosses the end line. Defending players must remain at least six adult strides away from the ball until it is put into play. Goal Kicks Goal kicks are taken from the end line. The defending team must retreat to midfield and remain there until the ball is put into play. Fouls and Free Kicks General fouls include: Handballs Pushing Tripping Dangerous play These fouls will result in a direct free kick from the location of the foul. All opposing players must remain at least four adult strides away from the ball until it is put back into play. Coaches must explain all rule violations to the player involved. A player who commits two fouls resulting in direct free kicks during the same game must sit out for the remainder of the game. Handballs are excluded from this rule. Player and Spectator Misconduct Misconduct by players or spectators will be reported to the FCA Sports League Director. If a player is required to sit out because of misconduct or aggressive or dangerous play, a meeting will be held with the player’s family, coach, and League Director. Goal-Area Development Coaches should teach defenders not to remain directly in front of the goal for the entire game. Defenders may protect the goal area but must remain outside the goal arc unless the ball enters the arc. Recommended Positions Ages 4–5 Coaches are encouraged to use: One defensive player Three offensive players The defensive player should stay primarily on their team’s defensive half of the field, while the offensive players stay primarily on the attacking half. Coaches may gradually introduce and rotate the defensive position throughout the game. Ages 6–7 Teams are required to play: Two offensive players Two defensive players Defensive players should stay primarily on their team’s defensive half of the field, while offensive players should stay primarily on the attacking half. The goal is to teach proper soccer spacing and positions while preventing all players from crowding around the ball in a “beehive.” Dangerous Play Players may not kick at the ball while lying or sitting on the ground. Player Equipment — Ages 4–7 Toe cleats are not permitted. Toe cleats are most commonly found on football, baseball, and lacrosse cleats. Athletes may wear warmer clothing underneath their uniforms. Warm hats and gloves are permitted. Jewelry should be removed whenever possible. Ages 8–9 and 10–12 Game Format Ages 8–9 Games are played 7 versus 7. Offside will not be called. Ages 10–12 Games are played 9 versus 9. Offside is in effect and will be called to the best ability of the referee crew. Goalkeepers are used in both divisions. Game Length and Substitutions Games consist of two 21-minute halves. Each half is divided into three 7-minute periods. The clock will stop every seven minutes for substitutions. Substitution periods should last no longer than 60 seconds. Substitution periods are not coaching timeouts. Coaches must ensure that every athlete plays at least 50% of the game. Halftime is five minutes. Teams will switch goals at halftime. Extended time will not be played. Players should have opportunities to play both offense and defense during the game. Pregame Meeting Head coaches are required to meet with the referees before the game to discuss game management. Coaches and referees should work together to create an environment focused on safety, fun, learning, and growth. Starting and Restarting Play A kickoff is taken from the center circle: At the beginning of each half After a goal is scored The first touch does not have to travel forward. The player taking the kickoff may not touch the ball again until it has touched another player. A goal may not be scored directly from a kickoff. Before the kickoff: Both teams must be on their own half of the field. The opposing team must remain outside the center circle. Players must remain in position until the first touch is made. The team that did not begin the game with the kickoff will begin the second half with the kickoff. End-of-Period Restarts When a period ends, the team that had possession will restart play from the appropriate location. The restart may be: A throw-in A goal kick A corner kick Ball In and Out of Play The entire ball must cross the boundary line to be considered out of play. If any part of the ball remains on or above the line, play will continue. Throw-Ins During the first game of the season, athletes will receive one additional attempt after an incorrect throw-in before possession is awarded to the other team. After the grace period, an incorrect throw-in will result in a turnover. Referees will work to keep the game moving. Extended instruction should be handled by the head coach rather than stopping the game repeatedly. Goal Kicks Goal kicks are taken from the top of the goal box. Any player may take the goal kick. Opponents are encouraged to retreat to their own half of the field. The team taking the goal kick does not have to wait for the opposing team to retreat. The ball is in play after it has been kicked out of the penalty area. Goalkeeper Rules Goalkeepers may use their hands inside the penalty area. Goalkeepers may not pick up a ball that was intentionally kicked back to them by a teammate. Goalkeeper drop kicks are permitted in both divisions. Ages 8–9 — Goalkeeper Possession: When the goalkeeper saves a shot and gains possession, the opposing team does NOT have to retreat to midfield. Corner Kicks A corner kick is awarded when the defending team last touches the ball before it crosses the end line. Opposing players must remain at least seven adult strides away from the ball until it is put into play. Offside Offside is not enforced in the 8–9 division. Offside is enforced in the 10–12 division. Offside will be called to the best ability of the referee crew. Penalty Kicks A penalty kick will be awarded when the defending team commits a direct-free-kick foul inside its own penalty area. Indirect Free-Kick Fouls An indirect free kick may be awarded for: Obstructing or impeding an opponent Extending an arm to prevent an opponent from moving toward the ball Preventing an opponent from getting off the ground High kicking above the waist of an opposing player Delaying the game A goalkeeper handling a ball intentionally passed back by a teammate Intentionally heading the ball Shoulder-to-shoulder challenges are permitted when performed safely. Direct Free-Kick Fouls A direct free kick may be awarded for: Handball, including contact with the arm below the shoulder Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent Hitting or attempting to hit an opponent Pushing Charging Tripping Jumping at an opponent Holding an opponent Unsportsmanlike conduct Slide tackling Kicking at the ball while on the ground when the referee considers the action dangerous Opposing players must remain at least eight adult strides away from the ball until it is put into play. Major Fouls and Player Removal The referee or coach should explain rule violations to the player involved. A player who commits two major fouls during the same period must sit out. A player who commits two fouls resulting in direct free kicks during the same game must sit out for the remainder of the game. Handballs are excluded from this rule. Misconduct Misconduct by players or spectators will be reported to the FCA Sports League Director. If a player is required to sit out because of misconduct or aggressive or dangerous play, a meeting will be held with the player’s parent or guardian, coach, and League Director. Slide Tackling and Heading Slide tackling is not permitted. Intentional heading is not permitted. Scoring Own goals will count. A goal may only be scored from the attacking team’s offensive half of the field. A goal may not be scored directly from a kickoff or goal kick. This rule encourages athletes to pass the ball and play as a team instead of attempting to score from the opposite end of the field. Player Equipment — Ages 8–12 Toe cleats are not permitted. Toe cleats are most commonly found on football, baseball, and lacrosse cleats. Athletes may wear warmer clothing underneath their uniforms. Warm hats and gloves are permitted. Hoodies are discouraged. Bracelets and rings are not permitted. Earrings should be removed during games whenever possible. A newly pierced ear may have one small post if removal is not possible. The post must be covered with athletic tape on both sides of the earlobe.
July 8, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
Volleyball Rules
FCA Volleyball Game Rules & Regulations REGULATIONS: Each team will have a 10 minute warmup before their match 4 minutes shared for ball-handling/stretching 2 minutes each full court to themselves (team serving first for the match will get the first 2 minutes) 2 minutes shared serving. All divisions will be based on time. For the first two sets, the team to the left of the scorekeeper will serve first. If match is tied 1-1, a coin toss will determine which team serves first in set 3. The winner of the coin toss may decide on serve/receive or side. If the winner of the coin toss chooses serve or receive, the loser of the coin toss will get to choose which side they play on. If the winner of the coin toss chooses which side they play on, the loser of the coin toss will get to choose whether their team serves or receives first. If first two sets are won by one team, a 3rd set can be played if time permits. Skip a coin toss, teams can stay on the same side, and the team down 0-2 may serve first. Matches will end after 60 minutes. If a set ends with less than 8 minutes left on the clock, a new set will not be played. If there is about 8-12 minutes left on the clock, teams can play an abbreviated set to 11 points, cap at 11. This just allows for opportunity to play. There will be one (30 second) time out per team, per set. Unused timeouts will not carry over to new sets. Rally scoring will be used for every game. Teams must win by two (2) points, with a cap of 27 points for the first two sets and 17 for the third set. Teams will get a minute and a half (90 seconds) between sets, whether they are switching sides or not. AGE DIVISION REGULATIONS Age Division Net Height Game Length Ball Size: 8-9: 6’8 | 2 out of 3 (25-25-15) or 60 minutes | Volley Lite 10-12: 6’8 | 2 out of 3 (25-25-15) or 60 minutes | Volley Lite RULES SERVING All players should strive to successfully serve from behind the end line (it may not happen during the season). The server may not serve until the referee has blown the whistle. Overhand and underhand serves are allowed. All serves should be progressive until service line is reached. Any serve that contacts the ceiling, net, or basketball backboard (and doesn’t go over) is an automatic side out. However, there are accommodations for this league (see below). Serving by Age divisions: In the 8-9 y.o. division, players may step 10’- 15’ into the court as needed for player success. If a player is able to serve the ball over the net, then 10’ in is preferred. The 15’ line is for novice players that need the additional help. Be gracious. In the 10-12 y.o. division, players are encouraged to step forward no more than 7’ into the court (about 3 steps). Please be gracious if a player needs a few more steps. When the serving team wins the rally, the player who served on that point serves again. For the 8-9 y.o. division, if the server wins 3 points in row, the opposing team rotates one position and gains the serve. The opposing team does NOT receive a sideout point. For the 10-12 y.o. division, if the server wins 5 points in row, the opposing team rotates one position and gains the serve. The opposing team does NOT receive a sideout point. After the whistle, the server is allowed to commit tossing errors (letting the ball bounce without hitting it or catching the ball after tossing it up for a serve) per serve. Be gracious to opposing players, but encourage players to progressively work on only getting one re-serve. For every new service turn, all players are allowed a second service attempt, if their first attempt did not cross over the net. Should first serve clear, or go over the net, it is in play even if going out of bounds. A second attempt will NOT be allowed. For the 10-12 y.o. division, we will strongly encourage players to attempt their first serve overhand. If this first attempt does not clear, their second attempt can be another overhand try, or they may switch to underhand. If the overhand serve is successful, that player will have to take a step back per each successful serve until behind the service line (Coaches are to enforce this rule). GENERAL RULES Each team will have three (3) hits to return the ball. On a volley, if the ball contacts the ceiling, hoop, or anything attached to the ceiling, it still may be played as long as the ball comes down on the side of the court of the team who caused the contact, and that team still has one or more hits remaining. If the ball hits the ceiling and goes over the net, the ball is considered out of bounds. Side walls/backgrounds are at no time playable. All serves can be received with open hands. Serves may not be blocked or spiked. Centerline: a player can cross the centerline on a return or block if the player does not touch the net or interfere with the opposing player. Net violations will be called as a safety precaution following the same protocol, or while making an attempt on the ball. If any object disrupts a point, the whistle will stop play and a replay will be issued. Standard Volleyball Rules Reminders If two players contact the ball at the same time it is considered one hit. Either player may make the next contact. A ball hit over the net must cross between the two antennas. Players may run out of bounds to hit a ball back into playing area for other teammates to play. If any portion of the ball contacts a line it is considered “in”. SUBSTITUTIONS/ROTATIONS For the 8-9 y.o. and the 10-12 y.o. division, each team will start the game with six players on the court. The remaining players will rotate into play when a side-out is called. Players will sub in and out in the substitution zone between the 10-foot line and center line. Everyone on the team will serve. Looking forward, we will strive to get the 10-12 y.o. division doing standard substitutions. Each team will start the game with six players on the court. The remaining players will rotate into play using the NFHS/USAV high school substitution rule (coaches, please use the honor system). A player may only enter the set in one of six rotational positions. The player may not enter the court until the official signals to come in. Coaches, please be fair in giving as many players as possible the chance to play “all-around” and having their turn subbing in and out. Please be sure all players are getting a chance to serve.
October 26, 2026 •
The Ray Files: Fall 2026 — Volume 8 (The Finale)
