30 Years and Counting - Waseca Sports Camp

Shelley Pearson • May 25, 2021

30.

30 years of incredible fun.

30 years of sharing the Gospel with young people.

30 years of leadership development for high school students.

30 years of faithful servants whose only desires are to bring glory to God and see young people grow in relationship with Jesus Christ.

2021 marks the 31st year of the Waseca Junior Sports Camp. John Conway was a youth pastor in Waseca when FCA staff member Randy Jensen suggested holding a summer sports camp for kids in grades 4-8 (since then third grade has been added). Though the idea was unheard of at the time, Conway took the idea and ran with it. Today, 31 years later, Conway, who is now a 14-year FCA staff member, continues to run with this camp, and God has reached the hearts of many through this annual camp!

Since 1991, 4,400 youth have attended the camp, one thousand have indicated first-time decisions, and twelve hundred more have recommitted their lives to Christ. Hundreds of high school students have been given valuable leadership opportunities, and the community has become a great supporter of this local sports camp.

But Conway will be the first to say that it has always been God at work in the hearts and lives of young people in Waseca, and it is God who has raised up countless volunteers over the years with the same heart to see young people reached with the Gospel of Christ. This sentiment is shared by camp directors John and Lori Hanson and Barry and Stacey Dufault. Stacey said, “It’s minor what we do – it’s all God. The camp is totally His. It’s always been a joy to serve."

26 Years of Directing Camp

John Hanson grew up in Waseca and knew John Conway in high school, but he wasn’t a Christian then. In fact, Hanson says, “The first time John and I crossed paths again was years later when I had met Christ in college and gone to Indiana to work at an FCA camp. John was there too. He hadn’t heard I had come to Christ.” Soon after, Hanson moved back to Waseca to teach high school social studies and serve as the huddle coach for the FCA huddle.

He started helping with the junior sports camp because of Conway’s vision and the fact he had been saved through FCA. Hanson said, “I had experience as a camp huddle leader while I was in college and knew the impact it had on me and my life. And Lori was part of an active huddle in Iowa. We didn’t have to be orientated to what FCA was all about. It was about using that same model in Waseca as a day camp for younger kids. All of it is grounded in getting kids in the Kingdom.”

Hanson and Conway balanced each other well over the twenty-six years they worked together. As the FCA huddle leader and a teacher in the district, Hanson had access to high school huddle leaders and coaches as well as connections for using district facilities. Hanson’s wife, Lori, played a tremendous supporting role throughout their time as co-directors. In fact, their oldest daughter was at the first sports camp as a toddler and went all the way through as a camper and then huddle leader.

Passing the Baton

Barry Dufault also grew up in Waseca. Conway was even his basketball coach in seventh grade. Barry was often involved in FCA events over the years, but it wasn’t until his own kids started going to camp that he began volunteering. “Watching how our kids looked up to those high school kids when they shared their testimony, we could see the impact it was having on our kids’ lives,” said Barry. Then when their oldest daughter joined the high school huddle and became a huddle leader at camp, they took on more responsibilities. It was a natural progression for the Dufaults to take over co-directing the camp when Hanson was ready to move on.

They continue serving because they see the impact every year. Stacey said, “There are so many great things to say about camp. The enthusiasm and excitement that the kids have - they can’t wait to come. They bring their cousins, and some come from other states. The speakers, the opportunity for kids to hear the Gospel and a simple message . . . It’s a lot of work, but the reward is great. It brings joy. It’s a blessing to be a part of it. It’s cool to see what God continues to do.”

A Ministry to More than Younger Kids

It isn’t only the high school huddle leaders who are impacted by this camp. Hanson said, “It’s so cool because you have the 3rd-8th graders, but then it’s a ministry also to 9-12th graders. We knew there was an element of that ministry to the campers that ministered to the high school kids. As I look back and think of some of these high school kids who would share their testimony at junior clinic, they would share that they came to Christ when they were campers, just like the kids sitting there.”

Stacey said, “I love hearing the students get up and share their faith stories. Just seeing them do that - they’re in front of their peers, and they’re in front of these younger kids. It’s really touching to see them do that.” It could scare high school huddle leaders away, but it doesn’t. Stacey also said, “As soon as the huddle leaders can sign up, they do. We’ve never had an issue getting huddle leaders to sign up. They remember what it was like to be a camper.”

Thanks Be to God

Conway, John and Lori, and Barry and Stacey give all the glory to God. They were willing to serve, but they all point to God as the One who has drawn hearts to Himself. He is the One who worked out all the details. They are so grateful for what God has done in the lives of thousands of young people over the years, and they are thankful for the number of people who have stepped up to help since the camp’s inception. Fifteen to twenty adult volunteers and fifty high school staff sacrifice their time every summer because they believe in what God is doing through this sports camp. Hanson said, “There were so many confirmations from the Lord saying it was the right thing. There were so many people that did so much behind the scenes. And never underestimate this army of prayer warriors who would pray before and during the camp.”

God is raising up a new generation of Christ-followers through this annual sports camp. Prayerfully, this tradition will hit 31 years of reaching young people with the hope of Christ this summer. Pray for this year’s camp (August 3-5) and the expected 175 campers, as well as the campers who will attend one of a dozen locals sports camps in Minnesota this summer.