***NEWS RELEASE***
For Immediate Release
April 11, 2017
CONTACT:
Deborah Hamilton, Hamilton Strategies, 215.815.7716, 610.584.1096, ext. 102, or Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com
More Camps Added Daily for Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Summer Camps Ministry
In 2016, More than 106,000 Coaches and Athletes Participated in 720 Camps in 40 States and 45 Countries Around the World
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—It’s time to go to camp.
While a camp experience with hikes, campfires and s’mores is memorable, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ (FCA, www.fca.org) 2017 Camps season could be life-changing for coaches and athletes worldwide.
Especially as parents begin to contemplate the end of the school year and consider their kids’ summer activities, FCA is reminding moms and dads that just a few days at an FCA Camp will help young athletes grow both in their sports skills and their faith in God.
FCA recently announced its Camps theme for 2017—“ONE”—based on the Bible verse Philippians 1:27: “… I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News” (NLT).
“For the past 61 summers, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been honored to a part of His plan to impact coaches and athletes for Christ,” said FCA President and CEO Shane Williamson. “We absolutely love watching God transform lives through the love of sports, from the youngest player to professional-caliber athletes. FCA Camps bring life-changing impact to hundreds of thousands of coaches and athletes. This summer, more than 100,000 coaches, athletes, teams and leaders will be pushed, stretched and challenged to advance in their sport and go deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ. And, as always, FCA can’t wait to be a part of it all.”
Through FCA’s easy-to-use Camps website, parents can find Camps for their kids by sport, day or location. Last summer, more than 100,000 coaches and athletes converged at 720 Camp events in 40 states and in 45 countries around the world, where 8,788 coaches and athletes made first-time commitments to Christ and 11,256 recommitted their lives to Christ. The 2016 attendance was an increase of more than 10,000 over 2015.
“FCA Camp was the best week of my life,” said one camper. “Not only did I get better at sports, more importantly, I recommitted my life to the Lord. The coaches and the Huddle Leaders were inspiring people, and I can honestly say I saw the Lord’s spirit at work full force the whole week.”
Added another camper, “God has surprised me with the people I’m meeting. When I came in, I worried they’d all be cocky and confident, but from Day One, it was different. They are the most down-to-earth people I’ve met.”
Still another camper had these simple words of life change: “I’ve grown so much in my faith. God has surely made a difference in my life as a leader.”
Coaches, leaders and staff are impacted just as much as the young athletes they are guiding and mentoring.
“As a coach from a Christian college, I was not prepared for how mightily God would challenge me at an FCA Camp for youth,” said one coach. “The Camp director, chaplain, Huddle Leaders and all the staff were there to help kids discover Jesus through sport. Camp was motivational, inspirational and an experience I will carry with me throughout the year.”
An FCA Huddle Leader added, “Beyond basketball and beyond making friends, what I love about FCA Camp is you get a chance to interact with God and have a chance to get to know Him on a new level to hopefully realize how important He is not only to your athletic life, but also to your life overall.”
FCA Camps combine leadership, sports and faith, as well as provide top sports training from expert athletes and coaches for a time of inspiration and perspiration. The 2017 Camps theme of “ONE” highlights the power and impact that one passion, one purpose and one goal can have on a competitor in sports and in life. Campers will understand how everything comes down to One—One Gospel, One Truth and the power of One Great God who transforms hearts and brings victory.
FCA Camps take the best attributes of an athletic-focused camp and a spiritual-focused camp and combines them into an athletic/spiritual experience like none other. FCA Camps remove athletes and coaches from the rut and routine of their sport, friends, co-workers and community and place them into an exciting, healthy, athletic environment that allows them to pursue their passion for sport and clearly see and hear Christ’s passion for them.
The life-changing impact on coaches and athletes has been the main focus of FCA Camps since 1956. Today, competitors who want to reach their potential through comprehensive athletic, spiritual and leadership training attend a variety of Camps: Coaches Camps, Sports Camps, Leadership Camps, Power Camps, Partnership Camps, Team Camps and International Camps.
FCA staff lead Camps, and the 4,000-plus instructors have been carefully selected and consist of FCA staff, current collegiate and high school coaches, professional athletes and current and former college athletes. They bring years of coaching and performance experience to FCA Camps and serve as role models for campers both on and off the field. Every Camp is led by certified FCA staff, and each director has been trained and certified as an FCA Camp leader. These leaders collectively provide years of FCA Camp experience.
To find FCA Camps in specific areas or to inquire about volunteering at an FCA Camp, visit www.fcacamps.org. Read more about Fellowship of Christian Athletes here, visit FCA’s web site at www.fca.org, its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fcafans or its Twitter feed @fcanews.
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To interview a representative from Fellowship of Christian Athletes, contact Deborah Hamilton at 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096, ext. 102, or Beth Harrison at 610-584-1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com.