More than 100 people were in attendance in Durant on Wednesday as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted a luncheon to encourage coaches as the new school year is about to get underway.
John Capps, Southeast Oklahoma FCA Field Representative, and Kaylie Baxter, the area Women’s Ministry Representaive, along with the local FCA board oversaw the activities of the day. The event highlighted by an address to the coaches from Kenny Mossman, the senior associate athletics director for external operations at the University of Oklahoma.
Mossman stressed to the coaches how important each of them is and how big a role they play in the lives of so many athletes and students each year.
Football coaches, basketball coaches, softball coaches and more from Durant and other surrounding schools came out to the Choctaw Nation RV Park for the event.
Oklahoma FCA State Director John O’Dell was also in attendance and he praised the work done to host the event.
“John’s a great FCA staff person,” O’Dell said. “We’ve had a great luncheon today with all the football coaches and we’re very thankful with John and Kaylie and, of course, Drew Beard (South Central FCA Rep). We’re blessed to have a great staff.”
O’Dell spoke about impact of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but specifically that it is the individuals locally who make the difference.
“The wonderful thing about the ministry of FCA is that we’ve been around for 62 years now. In fact, our 63rd year will begin this November.
“So we’ve had the opportunity to establish a strong foundation and sink our roots deep through the leadership and lives of coaches who impact so many schools.
“As a staff, all we get to do is work with the coaches and invest our lives in the coaches and encourage them each day because they’re the ones that have a powerful influence on the athletes and students that they coach and teach.”
O’Dell also pointed out that there are many activities for youth in which to get involved as the school year gets underway.
“I would do to encourage kids, coaches and parents is to go to our website, www.okfca.org, and it will tell you everything that we’ve got.
“We have gameday events at Southeastern University, at the University of Oklahoma, at Oklahoma State University. We have our statewide Fields of Faith event in the middle of October. Locations are easy to secure and find.
“So if I could just encourage people to go to our website for those dates, that will give them a good map of the areas in which we are involved.”