August 17, 2026
As youth sports chase success, Chicagoland FCA runs the race to a child’s heart
Metro ministry helps young athletes grow in character, faith and purpose through Christ-centered relationships
CHICAGO, Ill. — In today’s travel sports culture, the game is no longer the only competition, as an increasing emphasis on exposure, advancement and financial concerns can overshadow the game itself. In the process, something essential is often lost: the character development that has long been one of sports’ greatest benefits.
Chicagoland Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) believes the most important competition isn’t for a trophy or title — it’s for a child’s heart. By building Christ-centered relationships with young athletes, the ministry helps ensure sports remain a place where character grows alongside athletic achievement.
Chicagoland FCA leaders often describe this approach as a race for the hearts of young athletes.
“In the race to a child’s heart, the first one there wins,” one leader shared. “There are so many influences competing for our kids’ hearts. Athletes face the same challenges as everyone else, and the paths they choose can change the course of their lives.”
“Every day, young athletes are making decisions about who they are and what matters most,” said Deneé Barracato, executive director of Chicagoland FCA. “Sports create extraordinary opportunities to help shape those decisions through meaningful relationships. Our mission is to make sure those relationships point students to the hope and identity found in Jesus Christ.”
This philosophy shapes every aspect of Chicagoland FCA’s outreach. Through campus ministries, Huddles, Camps and events, FCA brings the Gospel into the places where athletes already spend their time, where relationships formed through sports become opportunities for faith to grow.
“We always talk about the race for a child’s heart, and we have an opportunity to reach them at a younger age and to get the Word of God in front of them,” one leader said. “If they can’t make it to church on Sunday, let’s bring church to them. I think this tension is often framed as sports versus church, but it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s the beautiful thing about FCA. We can combine them, and kids have the opportunity to hear the Gospel while playing the sport they love.”
For many students, these experiences become life-changing.
One student described FCA as “a fresh start in a fresh community with uplifting friends,” saying the ministry deepened their relationships with both the Lord and classmates. “It changes your entire life,” the student said.
Another student compared encountering Christ through FCA to “dropping baggage,” adding, “You just see Jesus work in an insane way, and the next thing you know, your life’s never going to be the same.”
Others say that FCA is changing the culture of their schools, creating unity through a shared faith while reshaping the way they approach competition.
“Especially in the high school community, FCA will bring people together and remove divisions,” one student said.
For Chicagoland FCA, these stories are a reminder of what can happen when coaches and athletes intentionally invest in the next generation.
“Winning the race to a child’s heart doesn’t happen in a single conversation or one season,” Barracato said. “It happens through faithful relationships that point students to Jesus Christ again and again. Our prayer is that every young athlete discovers an identity rooted in Him that shapes who they become long after the game is over.”
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ vision is to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. Its mission is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. FCA’s guiding values are integrity, serving, teamwork and excellence.
Since 1954, FCA has used the powerful medium of sports and building relationships to reach the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is cultivating Christian principles by engaging, equipping and empowering coaches and athletes to know and grow in Christ and lead others to do the same so that lives are changed for current and future generations.
Visit Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chicagoland at chicagolandfca.org.
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To interview a Chicagoland FCA representative, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Jeff Tolson, ext. 108.
