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Wednesday, Jan. 07, 2009

Fellowship of Christian Athletes schedules coach Richt

University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt will be in Houston County for the 2nd Annual Flint River Fellowship of Christian Athletes Spring Banquet at the Georgia National Fairgrounds on Feb. 26.

Not only will Richt be the guest speaker, but he also will be available for photo opportunities for sponsors of tables on the Corporate ($5,000), Gold ($1,500), Silver ($1,200) and Bronze ($700) levels.

Individual tickets for the event are $100. There will be a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by the banquet at 7.

“Here’s the great thing about FCA,” said Chad Wood, FCA area representative. “Relationships. It’s built on relationships that consist of people who want to see the greatest kind of influence happen. It’s seeing coaches have the relationships both with their players and their peers to encourage athletes to realize that they matter in life for much more than just the sport they play”.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes was created in 1954 to challenge coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use their powerful medium of athletics to impact Christians throughout the country. FCA is the largest Christian sports organization in America and focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference.

At a recent Warner Robins Rotary Club meeting, Wood described coaches as being the most influential people in the world through the leadership skills and values they impart.

“Whether through sports camps, school assemblies, Friday night football games, huddle groups studying biblical lessons before school begins, team devotions, seeing volunteers arise in the community or having lunch with a businessman who prays for FCA and me, I am just blown away by the influence coaches have through this ministry,” Wood said.

He cited four C’s key to FCA.

Camps provide times of “inspiration and perspiration” for athletes and coaches to reach their potential by offering comprehensive athletic, spiritual and leadership training.

Community refers to the non-school-based FCA ministries reaching the community through partnerships with local churches, businesses, parents and volunteers.

Coaches are the heart of the FCA and are ministered through Bible studies, staff contacts, prayer support, discipleship, mentoring, outreach events, national and local conventions, retreats and “Behind the Bench,” a program for the wives of coaches.

Campus Ministry is initiated and led by student-athletes and coaches on middle school, high school and college campuses.

“I officially came on staff with Fellowship of Christian Athletes in September, 2008, as the Flint River chapter’s area representative for Houston, Peach, Crawford, Taylor and Macon counties,” Wood said. His plans for the future include yearly community events such as the annual banquet with Mark Richt, a golf scramble, a coaches dinner, FCA 5K/10K Run and Leadership, Student, Team, Coaches and Sports Camps.

One hundred percent of FCA’s budget is raised by support of individual, business, church and family donors, Wood noted.

For ticket information for the Feb. 26 banquet with UGA coach Mark Richt or to learn more about the Flint River Fellowship of Christian Athletes, call Cad Wood at 478-550-6156 or e-mail sedwards@fca.org.

Marsha Priest Buzzell can be reached at 478-922-5100 or cvb@warnerrobinsga.gov.