AIA News

Yale Hockey Player Leans on Faith After National Champs Win

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:33:41 -0900

By all accounts, the Yale hockey team should not have been in the NCAA tournament this spring, much less in the championship game of the Frozen Four. To say they were a longshot is putting it mildly.

“The team was up and down this year. We showed signs of what we could be, but it was up and down,” says Colin Dueck, a senior defender from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “We finished toward the top of our league and were nationally ranked, but it ended disappointingly at the league tournament.”

Dueck, who has been involved with AIA since his first semester at Yale, says he felt the two losses at the league tourney had all but sealed the Bulldogs’ fate: There would be no national tourney appearance in this, his senior year. The teams had been good over the years, but not good enough to make it to the big dance.

“We just peaked at the right time”

But as the bracket began to fill up, Yale found itself with the last at-large bid into the tournament, earned more on another team’s loss than their own record. It was all uphill from there.

“We just peaked at the right time,” Dueck recalls. “The last four games of the year were the best four games of our year. Everything started fitting together, and we started knocking off some pretty high-ranked teams.”

At the championship game in Pittsburgh, Yale faced conference foe and nearby neighbor Quinnipiac, who came into the national tourney at No. 1 overall and had already knocked out the Bulldogs three times that season… handily. But as the last buzzer sounded, it was Yale on top 4-0, skating away with their first national title.

“It was the coolest possible way to end a college career,” Dueck says, recalling the crazy celebration with his teammates. “It’s been quite a ride, and a blessing.”

“I had to focus on the peace God has given me”

Off the ice, however, Dueck was battling with himself about how to handle the moment with grace and humility, seeking the Lord while doing so. Before the game, he’d wrestled with the magnitude of the crowd and the implications for his future: “How would I look to pro scouts in the stands? What were people going to think of me after tonight?”

On the advice of AIA staff member Craig Luekens, who serves at Yale, Dueck took time to pray and dedicate that time to God, no matter the outcome. He found a quiet calm amid the storm in the Bible.

“I read about God’s peace and found some comfort in that. One verse, John 14:27 (“Peace I give you, not as the world gives.”), was what I really focused on,” he recalls. “No matter how I play or what people think, that would never give me peace like God will. I had to focus on the peace God has given me and find comfort in that. I was able to give that up to God more than I had been.”

After the confetti had settled, Dueck again sought Luekens’ advice on what the godly reaction should be to the hype surrounding the national championships. While the player wanted to be humble and play down the achievement, Luekens had different ideas.

“He challenged me to think more about it, and I realized as big of a deal as it is to win the championships, I didn’t want people to think that was the biggest deal to me or that I’m a big deal,” he explains. “As exciting as it is to reach the pinnacle in your sport, that’s not all I’m playing for. I wanted to glorify God no matter what, whether we won or lost the game.”

“AIA has been such a blessing”

That shift in thinking has come on the heels of four years in the AIA ministry at Yale, something Dueck claims was just what he needed in the harried world of college sports and Ivy League academics. Looking back now as he graduates with a psychology degree and pursues hockey at the next level, Dueck can see how God orchestrated that involvement from before he even stepped foot on campus.

He recalls a letter from someone at Yale who had seen his profile information about being a church member. Scrawled on the bottom of the standard typed form, the employee had suggested Dueck check out AIA when he got to campus. Within the first few days of freshman orientation, he and his new roommate, Mark, also a believer and a football player, visited the AIA table at an extracurricular fair and met Luekens and other athletes.

“AIA has been such a blessing during my four years here,” he says. “It’s been the best possible experience that I hadn’t even imagined before coming. Having a Christian ‘running mate’ in Mark to bounce things off of, being able to trust his opinions and knowing they’ll be faith-based or scripture-based, has been so valuable. It was the hand of God for sure.”

“God has been able to use us to promote Himself”

In his tenure, Dueck says he has seen AIA grow exponentially, both in numbers and in impact, and he’s personally benefited from the fellowship and guidance of older students along the way.

At the end of his freshman year, Dueck joined the student leadership team and has led Bible studies as well.

All this was encouragement for the Canadian who came in with a strong faith learned from Christian parents and who hoped he would find a fellowship with other believers. He found it easier to avoid the typical college temptations by simply immersing himself in a group of friends who followed Christ.

“In general, our group has been pretty close-knit. Whether in alternative activities or keeping each other accountable on campus, keeping that perspective has been helpful,” he says. “It’s been neat to see others’ growth and to get them involved in leadership on campus as well. God has been able to use us to promote Himself and AIA.”

By Teresa Young, AIA Communications

Photos: Top: The Yale Bulldogs pose with the NCAA trophy as national champions after the April 15 win over league foe Quinnipiac in Pittsburgh.

Bottom: Colin Dueck breaks away from a pack of Quinnipiac defenders in the championship game.

Photos courtesy Yale Athletics

Scouts Drop Season Opener to Joes

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 05:17:08 -0900

It is rare to see a pitcher hit an opposing batter with a pitch three separate times in one inning. It is even rarer to see the pitcher get out of that kind of inning without giving up a run. It would be absurd to believe hitting three batters in an inning could happen twice in one game. But the Xenia Scouts pitchers did just that in Thursday night’s Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League season-opening 6-1 loss to the Hamilton Joes at Grady’s Field.

Scouts starter Channing Sanders plunked three Hamilton batters in a row in the second inning, then reliever Clay Brown reprised the feat, though he stretched it out over four hitters.

It was a garden variety walk that came back to bite Sanders (0-1). He walked lead-off hitter Ethan McAlpine on five pitches. Adam Collins hit into a fielder’s choice and McAlpine was retired at second base, leading to 3B Doug Teagarden depositing a hanging curveball over the rightfield wall to give the Joes a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Sanders struck out Tommy Ricciardi to open the frame. Then he plunked the next three men to come to the plate – JD Whetzel, McAlpine, and Collins – but induced Teagarden to hit into an inning-ending double play to get out of the bases-loaded jam.

Brown was not as fortunate. With the Scouts trailing 2-1 going into the ninth inning, Brown hit shortstop Curtis Olvey. Riccardi laid down a successful sacrifice bunt moving Olvey to second. Then the “hit parade” picked up. Brown hit Whetzel and McAlpine, loading the bases for Collins, who ripped a line drive to left-center, scoring Olvey and Whetzel. Teagarden followed with what was scored an infield single, opening the door for a two-run double for RF Tyler Dixon.

In total, Scouts pitchers hit nine Joes batters. Sanders hit five in three innings of work, Lucas Hamelink only hit one opposing batter in his four innings of scoreless relief, and Brown hit three.

Hamilton starter Darrick Brilz Jr. (1-0) picked up the win, allowing only one earned run in his five innings of work, walking two, striking out five and hitting one Scout batter. Eli Martin and Michael Roberts combined for four scoreless innings of relief, allowing only two Xenia baserunners. Catcher Will Taylor reached on an error by Olvey in the seventh and, SS Clayton Brandt got on board via, you guessed it, being hit by a pitch in the eighth.

Xenia, which only collected three hits the entire game, had two of those base knocks come in the second inning, including RF George Kirkland’s RBI single which drove in Taylor.

The Scouts and Joes meet again Friday, June 7 at Hamilton with a slated 7 p.m. first pitch.

By Tommy Young, AIA Communications

Salt and Light

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:38:48 -0900

The power of a lie is in its half-truth. Lies that are absurd and far-fetched are easily recognizable. Outlandish lies — the type you find on the covers of tabloids — can be spotted from a great distance and easily dismissed. But lies that possess a sliver of truth, a certain degree of intuitive rightness, prove to be the most damaging as we’re inclined to believe them.

As sports plays an increasingly influential role in society with athletes and coaches shouting their beliefs through proverbial mega-phones, and the culture continues to decline morally, it’s all the more necessary to discern truth from lies. This is increasingly true as biblical principles and the institution of family are replaced with the latest trending opinion on social media -- which now seems to serve as the governing rule. I write this in light of recent convoluted comments by Robbie Roberts (Los Angeles Galaxy) and Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets) that mix perversion with what they pick-and-choose as truth.

Children grow up believing that their heroes always speak the truth, know right from wrong and lead the way in doing good. As adults, we often project this fantasy onto our modern-day heroes -- our athletes. Thus the very platform from which they speak grants them moral authority in the eyes of many, and their public words become “gospel truth,” though it is anything but that.

As our culture abandons its moral compass, we may be tempted to “throw in the towel” in discouragement, but now is not the time for such things. As Christians, we’re called to be the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13,14), meaning we’re to bring light to the darkened areas and reveal the deception of that darkness.

If we are to rightly interpret the world and help those in the dark decipher truth from lies, and relate this truth in a loving manner, then we must be a people committed to prayer and studying the Bible. If not, our prayerlessness will result in powerlessness and ineffective lives. And our hollow claims -- if not tested through the crucible of God’s truth -- will be merely that. To affect the world for Christ, we must be effective in our prayer and study.

by Matt Dunn

(The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in this editorial are those of the author, Matt Dunn, and do not necessarily represent those of Athletes in Action or any other individuals with AIA)

International Night Builds Bridges With Athletes From Overseas

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:14:26 -0900

After spending time overseas on tours and projects with Athletes in Action, the campus staff at the University of Tennessee developed a special love for the nations; so much so, that they began to see their own campus in a different light.

When they looked around at home, they realized the world was present there as well, and those international student-athletes provide a unique hands-on ministry opportunity. Armed with that knowledge, staff started iNight.

The event was a chance to connect with international student-athletes at Tennessee and minister to them both in physical and spiritual ways.

“We understand how these athletes are coming from overseas and not having the same things they are used to, plus learning the whole college system of getting books, going to the bank, etc. We can relate,” says Ryan Matthews, AIA campus director at UT. “A lot of times people assume that everyone knows how to do those things, but many of them don’t have a car and can’t go anywhere.”

Matthews says the AIA staff members met with the athletic department and compliance employees to find out how the ministry might be able to lend a practical hand to internationals. Officials were excited to have a group reach out to these 35 students, and they even wanted to send a representative to learn how the school might be able to better help internationals in the future.

AIA secured the campus’ International House for the iNight event, ordered food from the Olive Garden for dinner at the gathering and set about planning the evening. Matthews asked Cherelle Thompson, a swimmer from Trinidad and Tobago whom he had visited earlier after her shoulder surgery, to share her faith testimony as one of the few believers in the group. The evening also included a round-table discussion among the 15 athletes present about things they wish they had known earlier.

The wins from the evening were numerous.

“Most of these students don’t know each other, so this was the first time they all got together on campus,” Matthews noted. “The athletes liked being able to discuss their hardships and encourage each other. It was helpful to know there were others who could relate and that the school wanted to help new students. They felt like they had a group who could resonate and challenge each other.

“It’s a win all the way around. And it’s not a really hard thing to do.”

Matthews sees fruit already from the event, which they are planning to repeat annually. Thompson, who had not really been involved in AIA activities, is considering leading a team Bible study, and staff members are able to continue building relationships with the athletes. Several are beginning to get involved with AIA events, including Peter, a runner from Uganda. UT staff learned that night Peter was a believer.

Staff members also hope to host helpful events in the late summer when new athletes begin arriving, to help them navigate the new campus and American life. These can include trips to the store and acquiring social security numbers and bank accounts to allow them to do simple tasks.

“We hope to be a welcoming face for them,” says Matthews.

By Teresa Young, AIA Communication

Photos by Ryan Matthews: Top: Cherelle Thompson, a swimmer from Trinidad & Tobago, shares her faith story at the first iNight. Middle, Jarryd from Australia (left) and Jamol from Trinidad & Tobago learn facts about each other during the icebreaker activity. Bottom: The group of athletes and staff gather for a photo at the end of the iNight event.

Total Athlete Camps Set for Area Youth at AIA

Thu, 30 May 2013 04:14:24 -0900

Athletes in Action will host the Total Athlete Sports Camp from June 10-13 at the AIA Sports Complex located at 1197 S. Detroit Street in Xenia.

The camp is opened to area youth ages 8-14 in partnership with Xenia Grace Chapel, Apex Community Church and Faith Community United Methodist Church. The camps will cover skills training in baseball, soccer and football for boys, and softball, soccer and volleyball for girls. Participants will receive core athletic development as well spiritual and leadership training.

The camp costs $65 per student, which includes lunch and a snack daily. To register, visit the AIA website here and set up a new user account to fill out the forms. Payment can be made by credit card online or by sending a check or cash to AIA.

For more information, contact Kevin Geiss by email.

Golf Classic to Benefit Athletes in Action

Tue, 28 May 2013 04:36:29 -0900

Need an excuse to hit the links for a good cause? The HiFive Golf Classic is your answer. Slated for Monday, Sept. 16 at the Oasis Golf Club and Conference Center in Loveland, Ohio, the classic includes a four-person, 18-hole scramble format with all proceeds benefiting the work of AIA.

Registration is $150 per individual golfer (or $600 for a foursome), which includes lunch, dinner and a one-year subscription to Golf Digest.

Registration and lunch begins at noon that day, with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Dinner and the awards ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. The evening also includes a raffle, door prizes, and silent and live auctions.

Sponsorship packages are available at various levels. Visit the website at www.HiFive1.com/golf to learn more about these opportunities, which include a presenting sponsor, event sponsor, dinner sponsor, beverage cart sponsor, golf cart sponsor, hole-in-one sponsor and hole sponsor. For more information, contact Steve Daniels at steve@hifive1.com.

Located in Mason, Ohio, HiFive is a leading provider of design-build architecture and construction services in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania and throughout the Midwest and East Coast. The firm offers architectural design; construction and general contractor services; site development and management; and land planning, civil engineering and site evaluation.

Registration for the golf classic can be completed at www.HiFive1.com/golf. Directions and links to the course at Oasis are available there as well. To download a flyer about the event for posting and promotion, click here.

AIA Football Hosting Kicking Camp

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:42:06 -0900

Xenia, OH – Athletes in Action will host its first Kicking Camp at the World Resource and Training Center Athletic Complex in Xenia, on Saturday, May 25, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The camp, open to current high school athletes grades 9-12, will provide instruction for place kickers, punters and long snappers. The purpose of the camp is to help each athlete reach their maximum potential as a specialist.

In addition to three-time Division III All-American at Capital University and current AIA staff member Matt Spitz, kickers, punters and long snappers from eight regional Division I football programs, including punter Ben Buchanan and placekicker Drew Basil from Ohio State, will serve as camp instructors.

Cost is $150 per athlete and includes lunch and a camp t-shirt, but drops to $125 per camper if athletes bring a teammate. Applications are available online at www.my.athletesinaction.org. Registration will remain open, and walk-up campers will be welcomed.

A second camp will also be held Saturday, June 1, in Parkersburg, W.V., at Parkersburg High school, also from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Registration for the Parkersburg camp will also remain open.

For more information, contact Spitz at 937-681-2396, or via email at matt.spitz@athletesinaction.org or Tyler Warner at 304-481-3708.

Athletes in Action is a Christian ministry based in Xenia, Ohio, committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the platform of sport. AIA is currently working on 219 college campuses across the United States and has ministry in 93 nations around the globe.

By Tommy Young, AIA Communications

Hall of Famers, NCAA Stars Celebrate Faith at Night of Champions

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:15:35 -0900

On Thursday, May 9, Athletes in Action honored the newest inductees in the AIA Hall of Faith – Ashland University women’s basketball head coach Sue Ramsey and chairman of USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo – for their exemplary character, integrity and faith displayed on and off the court. The induction was the main event of AIA’s eighth annual Night of Champions, which celebrates character and faith in the world of sports.

Receiving her award, Ramsey immediately gave honor to God for her successes in life and mentioned the crucial role her late parents played. In light of the success she’s had at Ashland this year, culminating in a Division II national title, Ramsey said her parents, “had the best seats in the house….I’m sure they were high-fiving the angels.”

AIA President Mark Householder commented on Ramsey’s success, attributing it to three primary qualities: brokenness, prayer, and vision.

“She had a goal of being the very best Sue Ramsey she could be so that she could be a blessing to others,” said Householder.

“You have to be hungry to use what talents you’ve been given and be humble when the accolades come,” Ramsey said. “All the things we accomplish come from God.”

AIA staff member Alethea Lamberson, who played for Ramsey at Ashland, shared how Ramsey’s coaching impacted her life.

“She genuinely cares about her athletes,” she said. “Coach took me under her wing and helped me along the way. She’s unashamed of her faith and boldly lives it out.”

“As I look back on my life, it doesn’t make sense. Why did this happen to me?”

Before accepting his award, Colangelo received congratulations by video from Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat and NBA commissioner David Stern.

“What started with you bled out to everyone else,” Bosh said, recalling Colangelo’s leadership of the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic basketball team. “Thank you for the opportunity. I think it’s made me a better person.” (I just combined those two since they were short.)

“Jerry has demonstrated impeccable character and excellent leadership…he is a man of deep faith,” Stern said. “I know tonight’s honor is just as meaningful to him as [being inducted in the basketball Hall of Fame].”

“Hall of Fames are hall of fames, but the Hall of Faith is a whole other dimension,” said Colangelo. He went on to share about a newspaper article by Billy Graham on priorities in life that influenced him early in his career.

“First faith, then family, your business, then anything else you’re doing,” he explained. “If people would focus on [keeping those priorities], things would be so much better.”

Colangelo also gave insight on the factors behind the success he’s experienced in life. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood, he became a successful entrepreneur in the world of sports, largely due to athletic skill that opened the door to a college education.

“As I look back on my life, it doesn’t make sense. Why did this happen to me?” he said. “It was because God had a plan for my life.”

“With all the wins, world championships, gold medals and all of those things…they wouldn’t matter much if I didn’t have one thing: a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Colangelo said.

“It’s a testament to how good God is and how hard work pays off.”

NBA star Michael Redd, a part of the 2008 Olympic gold medal team, was on hand to honor Colangelo.

“[The team] was something I had desired to be a part of,” he said. “It was a privilege to be asked to play. It was an amazing three years being with that team.”

Special guests Aaron Craft, junior guard at Ohio State University, and Trey Burke of Michigan, named the 2013 Naismith Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year, shared their perspective on contributing to a team and handling the pressures that come with great athletic success.

Reflecting on his success with Michigan, Burke said, “It was a blessing. I can’t say that two years ago everyone would have expected that….it comes from the source – Jesus – and I just enjoy it.”

“I don’t think [success] changes me,” he continued. “I try to stay humble, work for everything I’ve got. It’s a testament to how good God is and how hard work pays off.”

Agreeing with Burke’s perspective, Craft encouraged younger players to focus on being part of a team rather than playing for individual glory.

“There are two things I’d say to younger players. One – no matter how good you may look, if your team’s not winning no one looks good,” said Craft. “Two is that I’m better for my team if I’m myself. Just being yourself, it might not be the most flashy thing, but it helps your team.”

Craft also emphasized the importance of being part of a community that encourages him in the midst of challenges.

“There are always people out there who tell you that you can’t do something,” he said. “I surround myself with people who tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.”

“You can’t work hard enough, or do enough to earn it. It’s a gift.”

NFL Hall-of-Famer Anthony Munoz, a previous Hall of Faith inductee, co-emceed the evening with Brad Johansen, sports director at WKRC Cincinnati and Ed Uszynski, former AIA basketball player.

“There’s a common thread that’s been woven all night: the faith component,” said Munoz, explaining the difference a relationship with Jesus Christ has made in his life.

“For myself, 35 years ago I made this decision, because I realized…I couldn’t do it on my own,” he continued. “You can’t work hard enough, or do enough to earn [a relationship with God]. It’s a gift.”

“We have a strong belief that we can make a difference in this community, state, nation and world,” said Householder, explaining the mission of Athletes in Action. “Sports is simply the vehicle for us to deliver the greatest message in the world.”

Night of Champions was held at the Schindler Banquet Center at the AIA World Training and Resource Center in Xenia, Ohio.

By Katie Neff, AIA Communications; Photos by David Perlow

Top: Hall of Faith Inductee Sue Ramsey, coach at Ashland University, speaks about our philosophy of ministry in coaching after receiving her award.

Middle: USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo accepts the honor for the Hall of Faith from emcees Ed Uszynski and Anthony Munoz and AIA President Mark Householder.

Bottom: Trey Burke from Michigan (left) and Aaron Craft from Ohio State shared how their faith impacts their basketball game at the Night of Champions program.

Coming Out

Fri, 03 May 2013 06:07:21 -0900

Sports offer an uncanny way of connecting channels that couldn't otherwise be crossed; it bridges the generational gaps and breaks political and socio-economic barriers — it serves as a rallying cry for commonality. It deals with hard issues such as racial integration, mistrust and resentment, and it shows how the friction of preconceived notions can be readily reduced by walking a mile in another’s shoes. Serving as a catalyst and universal language, sports, like nothing else, shapes cultures, removes stereotypes, creates unity and restores pride. Therefore, it was inevitable that sports too would serve as a platform for sexual orientation.

The recent media attention surrounding Jason Collins, Brittney Griner and many others has me both excited and troubled. At the risk of being labeled an ignorant heretic, I’ll explain further...

I’m excited that people are finally bringing to light tough issues that once were dismissed as taboo and hidden in the dark. It’s not some new shocking revelation that homosexuality exists — especially in sports — as it has been an unspoken topic (particularly in women’s sports) for the past few decades. However, I’m troubled that the media is suddenly the new judge and jury of morality — making rash comparisons of Jason Collins to Jackie Robinson — serving as some moral compass of right and wrong, dismissing the Bible and individual convictions in the process; and attaching labels of bigotry, intolerance and hate speech on anything that counters their view.

Despite the sudden excitement of people “coming out” and being authentic, there still remains truth to be told. If we, as Christians, are to be authentic too and live like Jesus did and love like He did, then like Him showing genuine love and compassion for the woman caught in adultery, we must genuinely love people enough to tell them the truth concerning hard topics—we must challenge the status quo and refuse to stay quiet when sin exists—to do anything less would be a great disservice both to God and to the world. Though many people in our culture consider homosexuality a viable alternative lifestyle, Scripture clearly states otherwise (Leviticus 20:13), restricting sexual activity to a heterosexual marriage relationship. Yet, just like any sin -- for the repentant -- God’s grace is bigger still.

Fortunately, the issue of homosexuality is no longer pushed under the rug; it is finally in a place where true healing can begin. And though I trust that the warnings of 2 Timothy 4:3 ("For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.") are ever applicable here, Christians must continue to be committed to telling the truth where truth is concerned and not back down when mainstream media, or the majority, demand otherwise.

Equally challenging now as we move forward, Christians in sports and Christians in society are faced with the fine-line balance between lovingly relating to those with whom we disagree —as Jesus would—without endorsing the beliefs and lifestyle choices with which we disagree. We must love and accept people where they are, yet love them enough to not leave them there. In that truth, we too can then be open and authentic for the waiting world to see.

By Matt Dunn

Former AIA Student Leader Brings Principles to Life Again at Church

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 05:39:15 -0900

“My days of competing are long over, but that platform is something that will stay with me,” says Kevin Herd, an AIA alum from track and field and the campus at Iowa.

Herd, now 41 and the director of carbonated soft drinks with PepsiCo’s Kroger account, is far removed from his days in AIA meetings and track meets. But he says the principles he learned back in those days are still relevant in his life.

He was already a believer when he arrived at Iowa on a cross country and track scholarship from Aurora, Colo., as a long-distance athlete. Herd had accepted Jesus as his Savior at age 12 after a Young Life camp, where he heard the gospel for the first time. His world changed, and he began attending church and youth group regularly.

While Herd’s relationship with God was pretty consistent by the time he came to college, he admits he fell into a common behavior: God was welcome to every aspect of His life… except one.

“Purity was an issue for me; I wasn’t giving that over to God,” he says. “Toward the end of my freshman year, a teammate invited me to Athletes in Action, and I started going. But I was still living this double life, being promiscuous and making poor choices.”

“That was a switch flipped in my mind”

At the end of his junior year, Herd attended the Ultimate Training Camp and says he “walked away feeling stronger about the faith and sports aspect but not this other issue.” The next summer, he ended up at UTC once more. This time was different.

“They had two guest speakers talking about purity, and this was the first time I had really heard it explained biblically why God desires for us to wait (for sex until marriage). They weren’t shy about discussing the damage it does to your own heart along with others if you don’t,” he recalls. “It was a major dark time for me, but they were careful to mention the good news and how we could start over.

“That was a switch that flipped in my mind, and I realized it was holding me back from being a true, growing believer.”

Herd made drastic life changes, breaking up with his girlfriend and committing to a life of purity in future dating relationships. He found improvement in his academics and his athletics as well as his leadership, all due to vanished guilt from his promiscuity. AIA leader Jim Goodrich took Herd and several other athletes to area schools and youth groups to speak on wise choices, and Herd was able to use his testimony to impact others.

He began a team Bible study, spurred by renewed confidence in Christ and feeling comfortable being transparent with teammates and friends. He reconnected with a former college date over that same summer and eventually the two married. Goodrich performed the ceremony.

Herd earned a degree in marketing and an MBA, then ran track for AIA for two years, training for the 1996 Olympics Trials. An injury kept him from the Trials, and Herd hung up his spikes. Currently, he is involved in ministry through his church, sensing a particular call to help men become better Christ-followers. The lessons learned about leadership and dependence on Christ stay with him today.

“I firmly believe that platform of learning how to use my athletics to influence others for Christ is just a general principle, and that can happen anywhere,” he says. “The choice is whether you will pick up that mantle and trust God to show up in those challenges faced. When I got out of the way and let God make a difference through me, He really showed up.”

By Teresa Young, AIA Communications

Captions: Kevin Herd and his family gather for a photo at a park.