FCA Hockey News

40 Players Attend First California Camp

FCA Hockey — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:08:17 GMT

More than 40 hockey players, from Mites to Bantams, participated in FCA Hockey’s first California camp, in Stockton on Aug. 1.
Staffed by former San Jose Sharks assistant coach and current Jr. Sharks coach Derek Eisler and New York Islanders prospect Rhett Rakhshani, the camp taught fundamentals of the game on the ice, and some fundamentals of faith off it.
The camp included two on-ice sessions – one that focused on skating, passing and stick handling drills, and another on team play – as well as an off-ice session centered on conditioning. Mixed in were devotions led by Mike Benton, the director of broadcast and media relations for the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder, and Pastor Jesse Kenyon, a Stockton-area youth pastor.
The turnout impressed Rakhshani, a top-10 finalist for college hockey’s Hobey Baker Award this past season while at Denver University.
“It was a really good turnout for a new camp,” he said.
Rakhshani shared his testimony with the young players.
“I touched on how my life in hockey and my life with God are bridged,” he said. “It’s something that is inseparable for me.
“I emphasized how consistent He is when there are so many inconsistencies in hockey and in life. All we’re asked to do is plant seeds.”
One seed that was planted was a young player’s new newfound devotion to reading the Bible after the camp.
“That father was overjoyed when his son started to read the Bible,” Eisler said. “He has been trying to have his boy read it for a long time. But since he found a common sport in hockey, his son started reading.”
-- Chris Bayee, former editor of California Rubber Magazine

Meet "Team FCA"

Rick Randazzo — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:26:27 GMT

FCA Hockey announces inaugural "Team FCA"

Three “Athlete of the Month” award winners, players from 7 different states and former Division I Head Coach to lead team in Buffalo, NY from May 27-May 30.

For more information go to http://www.fca.org/TeamFCA

FCA Hockey Announces TEAM FCA

FCA Hockey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:38:24 GMT

FCA Hockey will be selecting an All Star team to compete in Buffalo, New York this upcoming May. The team will consist of players from the 1992 & 1993 birth years and will becoached by current NAHL and former NCAA Division 1 Head Coach Doc Del Castillo. Click Here to Learn More.

Hurricane Season

Jill Ewert — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:59:25 GMT

The name of any sports team says something about the nature of the game being played. It's revealing to note, then, that the NHL has more teams named after natural disasters than any other pro sport: the Flames, the Lightning, the Avalanche, and perhaps most indicative, the Carolina Hurricanes. These names alert fans that they're watching, not a game of slow precision or deliberate grit, but of collective fury and fast-paced skill.

Caught in the "eye," if you will, of this NHL storm are athletes brave enough to hit the ice in what is predominantly considered a rough-and-tumble sport. (Evidence: It's the only sport in which fighting is unofficially condoned.) Though, for Christian Hurricanes Cam Ward and Matt Cullen, the sport's toughness is merely the way to play the game. Throughout their careers, both have learned to harness the aggressive hockey mindset and use it to give glory to the One who gave them the ability to compete at all: Jesus Christ.

As the 2009 season gets underway — and just as FCA's national hockey ministry enters its second year — Ward and Cullen share their thoughts on what it means to compete for the Lord on the ice and why hockey could take FCA by storm.

Cam Ward — #30

Position: Goaltender
Height/Weight: 6-1/200
Catches: Left
Born: Feb. 29, 1984 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Family: Wife – Cody

Trivia:
• Last season, Ward established new franchise records for goaltender victories in a season (39) and consecutive victories (9), and also matched the franchise record for shutouts in a season (6).
• In 2006, he became the first rookie goalie to win the Stanley Cup since Hall of Famer Patrick Roy in 1986.

CAM WARD — GOALIE

STV: Hockey is a rough sport, and it really takes a certain level of toughness to play it. How is that a reflection and an extension of your faith?
CW: In a way, it reflects how you have to stand proud and strong for what you believe in.

When you look at hockey players, we do play a rough, tough sport, but if you talk to most people off the ice, they're just big teddy bears. We just have to change our mindset when we get on the ice. But truthfully, I think you'll see that hockey players are some of the nicest people you'll meet in sports.

STV: Is that one of the things that would surprise people if they met NHL guys?
CW: I think so. Especially if you are coming to a game, and you see your typical fight or something like that, which doesn't really take place in other sports. But really, that's just part of the game. We're going out there playing — hopefully within the rules — but once the final buzzer stops and you get off the ice, it's back to being who you are as a person.

STV: You have a couple of Christian teammates here with the Hurricanes — guys like Matt Cullen and Eric Staal — and the influence of former Hurricane Glen Wesley. Is it important to you to have Christian brothers on your team?
CW: It's really important. I think back to my rookie year especially. It can be pretty intimidating when you make the NHL for the first season. When I came into the Hurricanes dressing room, one of the first guys I met was Glen Wesley (now the team's director of defensemen development). He is a strong believer, and he introduced me to a church here in Raleigh, which was huge for me being new to the area and outside my comfort zone being in the United States for the first time. He really took me under his wing, and I was lucky to have a guy like that on my team.

Obviously, he is retired now, and we have guys like Matt Cullen and Eric Staal. And as a team we have chapel here every other week to get together and reflect with one another, and just take a breather, really. Because, during the hockey schedule, it gets to be a grind with so many things going on.

STV: Last year, FCA established a new national hockey ministry. For so long, FCA has been very popular in mainstream sports like football and baseball. With that in mind, how would you introduce hockey to a group of football players?
CW: That's a good question. When you talk to athletes, everyone has things in common. We're all competitive people. But it would be awfully interesting to see big football players on skates. Personally, from a goaltender's perspective, if we could throw some of those big guys in the net, that would be great. They could probably cover up the net and stop a lot of goals.

Ward (left) spoke at the 2008 FCA Night with the Hurricanes where he was interviewed by FCA Area Director Scott Williams (right).

STV: You've connected with the FCA staff here in Raleigh and have spoken at some local events. How important is it for you to step out and share your faith in group settings?
CW: I think it's really important and definitely something I'm growing into. Typically I'm a little bit more on the quiet side. But I realize that I'm in a position where, if I speak, people may listen, and, if I get that opportunity, like with today's interview, it's something I want to do.

STV: When speaking for FCA events, what advice do you try to share with the kids who come out to hear you?
CW: When I grew up, my dad always told me — and it was somewhat of a golden rule for him — that the more fun you have, the better you do. I strongly believe that. I think at a young age kids typically get a little too serious too soon, whether that be the kids or the parents. I think it's important for kids to enjoy the game for what it is and to have fun with it. In my position, making the NHL, you are kind of under the microscope and you get criticized here and there, so there is a little more pressure. But I still make sure that, every time I come to the rink, I come to have some fun. And I find that I play my best when I am having fun.

MATT CULLEN — FORWARD

STV: Cam shared some great thoughts about this, and we wanted to get your take on it, too. How does the rough nature of hockey affect the faith aspect of the guys who play it?
MC: It might be a challenge for some guys. I'm not a big fighter. You can see that I'm not physically that big. But, you know, it is part of the game, and it's a real competitive game. Tempers flare, and, to be totally honest, some of the best Christian players I've ever met are guys who fight for a living. That may seem like a problem, but to me it's more of a way you learn the game growing up and part of a code within the game.

Matt Cullen — #8

Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6-1/200
Shoots: Left
Born: Nov. 2, 1976 – Virginia, Minn.
Family: Wife – Bridget
Children – Two sons: Brooks and Wyatt

Trivia:
• Led the team last season in shooting percentage (15.8%) and reached the 20-goal mark for the second time in his career.
• Netted his first hat trick on Feb. 22, 2009, against the Colorado Avalanche.

I think most guys are able to separate the game and real life, because what happens on the ice is kind of something that you're born with. You play this way, and it's just part of the game. Then, when you're off the ice, you are yourself. It's funny. Some of the most physical, toughest guys that I've I ever played with are some of the strongest Christians I've known.

STV: Being a tough competitor is an important part of being a Christian athlete. In your career, you've had to use that toughness to get through several injuries. What has God taught you through those situations?
MC: Well, for one it brings perspective. When you are playing the game, you play 82 games a season and you're in the rink every day. Hockey can become everything to you and overshadow everything else. When you get hurt, you kind of step back and are able to have better awareness and say, "OK, I'm playing a game. It's important, but it isn't the end-all be-all here. This is hockey. I work hard at it, but I need to focus on certain other things."

STV: You have a couple of Christian brothers on your team, including Cam Ward. Does it help you to have someone on the team who shares your faith?
MC: No doubt. I tell you what — it's pretty impressive for a kid like him and Eric Staal, too. They are both the same age, and they impress me a lot. They are both young guys who have stayed strong in their faith and who aren't afraid to share it with others in a game where it's not as much of an accepted thing to speak about your faith. To see those two young guys do all that they are doing is really impressive.

It means a lot to have guys you can confide in who share the same values and beliefs. We are able to draw from each other because there are so many ups and downs personally and as a group throughout the season. It's nice to have guys like that to feed off of.

I've been lucky to play for a long time in the league, and I understand that there are ups and downs. And for me, I try as much as I can to help my teammates out as well. Maybe not outwardly in front of everybody, but when I can, I pull a guy aside and try to help him through hard times. And I would hope other guys would do that for me, just as so many have already. It really means a lot when someone pulls you aside and lifts you up. I think, as a teammate, and as a Christian, that is the best thing that you can do.

"Some of the most physical, toughest guys that I've I ever played with are some of the strongest Christians I've known." — Matt Cullen

STV: As FCA establishes a hockey ministry, how would you introduce the sport to people who are unfamiliar with it?
MC: Hockey is different than any other game because you have to know how to skate before you can do anything, and skating is hard enough as a skill anyway. Getting into hockey can be a challenge for people who don't start when they are young. Most of us are from northern Minnesota, northern parts of the United States and Canada. It's freezing cold in the winters, and we have outdoor rinks to skate on.

But it's a great game to play, and it's a great game to watch, especially live. It's really fast-paced and physical. Those of us who play it just love it. And you'll find that some of the most passionate fans in the world follow hockey.

Photos courtesy of Gregg Forwerck/Carolina Hurricanes; Scott Williams.

Ministry Update: The Four C's

Jill Ewert — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:50:20 GMT

Rick Randazzo, national director of FCA Hockey, has been on staff with FCA for just over a year. Already, he's launched effective ministry to all four Cs of FCA's ministry: coaches, campus, camps and community.

Coaches:

FCA's ministry to hockey coaches officially took off after Randazzo and FCA President Les Steckel attended the natinoal coaches convention in Naples, FLA., this April. After Steckel challenged the coaches by sharing his testimony and reminding them that they coach for a higher purpose, Randazzo began reaching out to a group of college coaches who had expressed interest in staying connected. Now, a small group led by Randazzo meets weekly via teleconference to encourage and challenge each other in their faith.

"It provides an environment in which they can trust each other, bring up certain aspects about what is going on in their lives and talk bout how the Lord is working," Randazzo said. "It's been tremendous. We've done it for a couple of months now, and I've gotten some great feedback from the coaches."

Campus:

Regarding campus ministry, according to Randazzo, "God works in awesome ways."

This year, out of the blue, randazzo received a call from University of Denver senior captain Rhett Rakhshani, who wanted to know how FCA Hockey could help him start ministering to his teammates. Randazzo helped Rakhshani begin a weekly team Bible study and now helps him live out FCA's four core values-- integrity, serving, teamwork, and excellence-- on his team.

"The leadership that guys like Rhett show is just tremendous," Randazzo said, also citing that other colleges have followed Denver's example, most recently Holy Cross. "They are leading by example in terms of integrity and teamwork and showing them what it takes. And that's what we've tried to do through our initial studies: look at Jesus and the leader that He was and really transform these players. The initiative of guys like Rhett really transforms a team and brings them closer. I really expect Denver to have a tremendous season, because now they're not just playing to win; they're playing for something greater."

Camps:

As a whole FCA's ministry isn't largely connected to the sport of hockey, so, Randazzo has set out to establish a larger presence through offering free clinics across the country. Through these clinics, athletes are able to sharpen both their hockey skills and their faith in Christ.

"The crowd at that first clinic was about half Christian, and about half non-Christian, and we got some great feedback and some parents who really stepped up," Randazzo said. "One parent came out of that first clinic and then, the next month, he brought his other son to another one. Then they drove eight hours to our clinic in Buffalo (NY) and, over the summer, they drove eight hours down from Canada to attend our Hagerstown (Md.) camp, It is incredible to see how people are following us to attend these camps because we are offering not only good hockey training, but also good bilical training."

Community

Last year, Randazzo received a call from his former church in Buffalo, NY. They had established a group of 50 men in their church who were meeting every month to play hockey. As the spo nsor for the group, the church needed advice on how to transform the hockey games into ministry opportunities.

"I had always thought adult hockey was something that FCA Fockey could get into, but that it would take several years." Randazzo said. "But I was completely wrong about that. It has really been one of the keys for our growth.

Currently , Randazzo is still working with the group in Buffalo and has started a group in Raleigh, N.C., where he resides with his wife and four children. In addition, they are currently working with groups in Minnesota and Texas and are pursuing adult hockey ministries.

"For all the groups that I mentioned, we are using the FCA core value books to share the gospel through other athletes," Randazzo said. "It's great for them to read about guys like Albert Pujols and his faith and then to answer some questions and exhibit that in the hockey rink. I say that the time I spent with the guys in Buffalo is how I imagine playing hockey in heaven will be: no referees, rarely are there any penalties and there are a lot of nice goals."

Matt McArdle - November Athlete of the Month

FCA Hockey — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:49:13 GMT

Matt McArdle

Hometown:	Position:	Height:
Annapolis, MD	Defenseman	5'10''
Team:	Birthday:	Weight:
Shattuck St. Mary's	July 11, 1995	160 lbs

Chosen Attribute: Integrity

Why is this attribute important to you?

Integrity is very important to me. Integrity is following moral and ethical principles –moral character: honesty.” My family has a motto of how we choose what is the proper order of importance in our lives – we call this the McArdle code, which is: God, Family, Studies (have to’s), Sports, and play (want to’s). We get these rules from God’s ten commandments and Jesus’ commandment which is to love thy neighbor as I love thy self. Herb Brooks once said, “The legs feed the wolf.” Integrity feeds all other things – My integrity allows me to achieve great things like teamwork and excellence.

What is your favorite scripture verse?
My favorite scripture verse is Luke 12:48. All through the Bible, God and Jesus teaches us about talents. I really like and Believe: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom much is expected in return of me”. I am really grateful to God for giving me so much – I just believe that those that are blessed with great talent have an extra responsibility to put them to good use.

What else should we know about you?
I have a great work ethic. My work ethic will never be beaten by anyone. My Dad has a line that I believe in that states “My extra mile will never be crowded.” This translates into my willingness to work harder than anyone else in everything I do. I work hard to be the best in my studies, when I play hockey, at being a good friend, a great teammate, and being the best son that I can be to my parents. I have a special relationship with my parents, and look at my Dad as a teacher, a coach, and as my best friend. I have many interests outside of hockey, and have also competed at football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, karate, and basketball. I also enjoy attending church and regularly pass out communion with my dad. Sharing the Lord’s supper with others brings both myself, and the ones I share it with the Love that Jesus talks about in the New Testament.

For his love for his teammates, his family, and for others, FCA Hockey is proud to recognize Matt as the November Heart and Soul Athlete of the Month.

FCA Hockey teams with Omaha camp

Nick Dunn — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:06:10 GMT

Existing Omaha hockey camp gets assist from FCA and NHL players

It's usually best to work as a team, and at a recent hockey camp in Omaha, Neb., two groups of assertive camp organizers found that out firsthand.

NHL players Jeff Hoggan (third from left) and Dan Ellis (third from right) with, among others, FCA Hockey Director Rick Randazzo (second from left)

Four years ago Ross Scholz, an electrical engineer and youth hockey coach in the Omaha area, had a vision to bring hockey players to Christ through youth hockey camps. He teamed with local UNO (University of Nebraska at Omaha) Maverick players David Brisson and James Chalmers and coach Mike Kemp to brainstorm ideas on how to do this.

After some initial surveying to see the interest level, the group went ahead as planned and had the camp at the end of the summer at the Moylan IcePlex. They were expecting to have maybe 20 or 30 kids show up. Instead, 78 came, which was a huge encouragement and led them to have the same camp for two years after that. Surprisingly, though, attendance began to dwindle.

Fast forward to 2009, when FCA's Rick Randazzo contacted Scholz to see about the possibility of teaming up in Omaha. As the National Director of the newly formed FCA Hockey, Randazzo was in the midst of his first summer of FCA Hockey Camps, and he wanted an up-close look at one of the best-run camps in the country.

After having 36 kids come to the camp in 2008, with FCA on board, the attendance jumped back up to 65 this year. NHL players Dan Ellis (Nashville Predators), Jeff Hoggan (Phoenix Coyotes) and Jed Ortmeyer (San Jose Sharks) were there to give their testimonies.

"That was significant," Scholz said. "The kids definitely pay attention, and the players talked about how their spiritual journey is part of how they play and their success in hockey. It was very impacting to have them."

FCA handled the majority of the on-ice portions of the camp, Randazzo said, focusing on individual skills such as skating, shooting and passing. A former college hockey player and coach himself, Randazzo spearheaded the effort to instruct basic hockey techniques to the kids, who ranged in age from 4 to 17 and included both boys and girls.

Scholz's group helped handle the spiritual activities, which included guest speakers and chapel services with praise and worship music.

On-ice activities largely focused on skills like
skating, shooting and passing.

"It really encompassed everything," Randazzo said. "We shared testimonies, we had a nutritionist come to advise the kids on what to eat and what exercises to do. It was a complete camp. The comments from the parents were all positive."

A few parents contacted Scholz a few days after the camp was over, and they all had similar stories. Their kids had come home with huge smiles and couldn't stop talking about what they'd learned at the camp.

"We heard that several times," Scholz said. "Probably even more interesting were people that really weren't even there for our camp, just people who were at the rink for a hockey tryout or figure skating, and they would come up to us and say, 'This is a phenomenal event you guys are having. I'm so impressed.'

"(FCA) was a great help. It was a huge success. We'd do it again in a minute."

The partnership forged between FCA and Scholz's original group is one that both parties hope will continue in the future. And it has Randazzo excited about what's ahead for FCA Hockey.

"We have so much momentum," he said. "That was the best-run camp I've ever been associated with. They did a fantastic job setting it up, and we learned many things that we'll use at our other camps and clinics."

Click here to follow FCA on Twitter!

Photos courtesy of Rick Randazzo, Ross Scholz.

FCA Hockey partnering with Adult Teams

Rick Randazzo — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:06:52 GMT

FCA Hockey will soon announce an Adult Hockey coordinator who will work with teams across the country. The goal is to bring Christ into the locker room and onto the ice during adult games. If you currently play for an adult team and you would like more information on what FCA Hockey can do for your team, send an email to rrandazzo@fca.org and we will get in touch with you soon.

My Story, By Dan Ellis

Dan Ellis — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:09:23 GMT

Growing up in Ontario, Canada, I didn't have much of a spiritual life. My parents got divorced when I was 11 years old, and, following the divorce, my dad started going to church a lot. He urged me toward Christianity, but I always had the perception of church that so many kids have now: that it was just boring. I didn't want to go sit there and waste my time, and I didn't even know what they were talking about, so I wasn't interested. At that age, I didn't want to do anything but have fun outside and play hockey.

Good thing, too. It was at that camp that I came to know Christ.

Many professional players who played in the minors, in Europe and even some guys from the NHL were at the camp, and I started to look to them as examples. I could see that they had something different inside. They were the first pro hockey players I'd ever hung out with, so for them to be hockey players with faith in Christ was special for me.

I returned home from the camp and slowly began to read bits of the Bible. I looked for verses that applied to my life and the things I was going through. Still, I didn't commit to fully following Christ at that point because I was still hanging out with the wrong crowd, doing drugs, drinking and partying.

The more that I learned about Christ, however, the more I started to make big changes in my life. I realized that there was something better out there: something to fill the hole in my life, something that would actually last. Later that year, I finally surrendered my entire life to Christ.

Since then, I have been living in the hope we have in Jesus. As I climbed the ranks to the NHL, I never wanted to be a guy who pushed the Bible on people. Instead, I tried to live out what I learned in the Word. If you live by example, you make different decisions, speak a different language, carry yourself differently, have a different hope and a different fulfillment in life. People notice that in me and begin to realize things are missing in their own lives. They start to ask me questions, and it is then that I share more about my faith.

Read the rest of the story from FCA's Sharing the Victory Magazine.

College Hockey's Cinderella Story

Ray Feldmann — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:17:41 GMT

Bemidji State goes from 1-6 to the Frozen Four

Chris McKelvie clearly remembers when he first had "that" feeling –– the sense there was something missing, that there had to be more to life than the life he was living.

Growing up in New Brighton, Minn., with his parents, Rick and Vicky, his older brother Ryan and his twin brother Zach, Chris regularly attended Catholic Mass and considered himself a Christian.

But deep down inside, he was yearning for something more.

"I was playing hockey, hanging out with my friends and teammates, and having a good time," said McKelvie, a junior at Bemidji State University (BSU) and a key member of the school's Division-I ice hockey team. "But I remember saying to myself 'Is this it? Is this all there is?'

Check Out the rest of this story at FCA.org

Buffalo Clinic

Ray Feldmann — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:12:25 GMT

On the heels of a successful clinic kick-off in Annapolis in February, FCA Hockey held its second clinic last month in Buffalo. Judging by the reactions from organizers as well as participants, the March 28 Buffalo clinic more than exceeded all expectations.

According to Rick Randazzo, new leader of the FCA Hockey ministry and a Buffalo native, 27 young men and women participated in the clinic, including four from the top prep schools in the area.

“We started the clinic with on-ice drills and skills assessment, then moved to a fellowship conversation off the ice, just as we’d done in Annapolis,” said Randazzo, former head coach of the U.S. Naval Academy’s hockey team. “We also had several parents join us for the discussion, which was great.”

Besides Randazzo, FCA Hockey volunteers Jeremy Simpkins, Andy Vicari, and Sophia Wang also led both the on-ice and off-ice sessions.

Check Out, the rest of the story at FCA.org.

Later that same evening, Randazzo, Simpkins, and Vicari spoke to approximately 40 adult hockey players at the Chapel at CrossPoint, a non-denominational Christian church in Getzville, New York, less than 20 miles northeast of Buffalo.

“That was a great atmosphere,” Randazzo said of the evening event. “The Chapel at CrossPoint is a beautiful facility and the ministry work they do there is amazing. We were honored to be able to speak there and share the Word about Jesus Christ to a great group of guys.”

The third in FCA Hockey’s series of clinics will be held later this month, on Saturday, April 18, at the Edge Ice Arenas in Bensenville, Illinois. The Edge Ice Arenas is the practice facility for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.

Heart of an Athlete: Zach McKelvie

Sharing the Victory — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:21:41 GMT

Chosen Attribute: Contentment

Dictionary definition: "The state of being satisfied; ease of mind."

My definition: "Taking everything that is given to you and making the best of it."

Who has encouraged me to be content: "My high school soccer coach, Rob Worsley. He put so much effort into coaching our team, and I could tell he cared about every player. I have seen him and his wife struggle, and I have seen them be happy with their lives. They never ask for more; they are always content. They take what is given to them and make the best of it. They have been examples and guiding forces for the way I live my life."

Favorite Scripture that deals with contentment: Philippians 4:13 – "I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Why I chose this passage: "I think a lot of people use this verse as a source of empowerment. I'm not saying that it isn't, but, to me, it is more of a verse that encourages you to take whatever Christ gives you and do your best with it.

"In the verses preceding 4:13, Paul writes about being content in every situation. That really hits home because so often I find myself wanting and praying for more. I find myself praying for everything to go smoothly and as planned. Philippians 4:13 helps me realize that Christ will be here no matter what, and as long as I put my faith and trust in Him, everything will fall into place. Maybe not immediately, but as long as I put all my effort and passion into it, Christ will get me through it."

"It is taking everything that is given to you and making the best of it."

How I stay content in life: "I go to a military academy, so there are some things at the school that have frustrated me and things that I don't want to do, but I realize that I still have to do it because it would be selfish not to. If you are asked to do something here, it is selfish if you don't do it to the best of your ability. Philippians 4:13 has helped me make the best of that and put passion into everything I do, even if I don't necessarily like it, because I know that more people will benefit from it if I do."

How I stay content in sports: "I used to pray to play great, make a big hit or get the game-winning goal, but Philippians 4:13 helped me change the way I think and pray. I try to just take what is given to me and give it all to the team and put it all on the ice every day.

"I could pray to score a big goal or to lead the team to victory, but I have to realize that it's not about that. It's about doing what you can to help the team, whatever that looks like. It is asking, 'Can I be content with the team still winning and me not being a factor in that win?'

Find the entire article at SharingTheVictory.com

FCA Hockey launches clinic series at U.S. Naval Academy

Ray Feldmann — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:57:21 GMT

It was unusually quiet inside the U.S. Naval Academy's McMullen Hockey Arena in Annapolis, Md., on the recent President's Day afternoon. But inside one of the cavernous building's meeting rooms, a group of high school athletes was hearing a very important message: the connection between playing hockey and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

FCA Hockey successfully kicked off the first in a series of three free clinics at McMullen Arena on Feb. 16. Future FCA Hockey clinics are scheduled for March 28 in Buffalo and April 18 in Bensenville, Ill.

Leading the first clinic in Annapolis was the new leader of the FCA Hockey ministry, Rick Randazzo, who earned more than 100 victories during eight seasons as head coach of the Naval Academy's hockey team between 1999 and 2007. He was joined at the clinic by fellow FCA Hockey volunteers Jeremy Simpkins, Andy Vicari, Todd Steinweg and Sophia Wang.

Current Navy head coach Mike Fox and assistant coach Brendan Curley also attended the clinic.

Click Here, to check out the rest of the story at fca.org.

FCA Drops the puck

Danny Burns — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:48:55 GMT

FCA recently announced that former Division One player and College Coach Rick Randazzo will be leading the charge into the sport of Ice Hockey. Rick has many ideas for the months and years to come and will be working with the regional and area representatives to spread FCA hockey across the country. Stay tuned for more information on FCA events in your area such as skills clinics, camps and All Star teams.