Return of the Fellowship of Christian athletes

By Braden Weinel//

The Hood College Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is rising from the dead this semester with the help of Hood men’s soccer alum Luke Staley.

Three years ago, FCA was an active club on Hood’s campus, but since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been dormant.

As the club awaits approval from the Hood executive board and senate to be officially reestablished, participants are meeting off-campus.

The club held its first meeting across the street from Hood at Frederick Church of the Brethren on Oct. 28.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes is an international non-profit ministry that attempts to connect with youth, teenagers and young adults through sports.

Hannah Armstrong, a junior field hockey player, grew up in the church and has been a Christian for as long as she can remember.

Armstrong said she hopes that FCA can be a platform to meet new people and make friends.

“FCA is a place where athletes can find a common interest outside of sports,” Armstrong said.

At the first meeting, there were 11 Hood students. Led by Staley and assistant baseball coach Nathan Kessler, the members enjoyed free Chick-fil-A and competed in a sports and Bible knowledge Kahoot. 

The next FCA event will be held sometime in November. Staley said the club plans on hosting a Kan Jam tournament that any college student in Frederick County can participate in.

Staley joined the Frederick FCA staff in January of 2020 as the representative for Frederick High School, Governor Thomas Johnson High School and Hood.

In 2018, one of Staley’s friends asked for his help to start this club on campus. He became the vice president. After one semester, the club fizzled out.

Staley said that as a Christian Athlete on campus he felt lonely, but as he continued through college, he realized that there were so many more students just like him that just didn’t have a good community around them.

“I wanted to build it [FCA] up and leave it for the students behind me,” Staley said.

To get FCA reestablished at Hood, Staley said he’s been doing a lot of praying. He also had to find the preexisting club constitution and update it.

Hood FCA plans to meet once or twice a month and is designed to help Christian college students build a community on campus. Anyone at Hood is always welcome, students don’t even need to be an athlete to join.