Shannon Riebow, Hannah Hensley, Megan Vulgamott, and Kelsey Gronhovd teach, coach, and lead the FCA huddle at White Bear Lake High School. Their student-athletes relish the opportunity to experience these role models in multiple settings. “It’s a different kind of relationship than just a student-teacher relationship, it goes to a deeper level.” Huddle coaches become people that students can go to if they need anything, and they look out for their students outside of school. Maggie, a junior, remembers, “Ms. Hensley was the first person to reach out to me when I was out of school after losing my dad and she was intentional in checking in on me.”
The Influence of Huddle Coaches
Renee Hinchcliffe • May 18, 2023
Across Minnesota, hundreds of students, athletes, teachers, coaches, and volunteers attend a Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle on their college, high school, or middle school campus. While these huddles – which include a mix of Bible study, prayer, personal testimonies, games, activities, and outreach events – are primarily led by students, adult huddle coaches play a vital role. Huddle coaches pour into students and encourage them in their walk with Jesus, setting an example of leadership and leaving a lasting impact.
FCA huddle coaches have a platform that allows them to model what it looks like to incorporate faith into every area of their life, including on their sports team, in the classroom, with coworkers, and with families. About Ms. Hensley, Maggie says, “You just look at her and she looks like love. She just loves her students.” And Lily adds, “Mrs. Riebow is such a caring person, which has challenged me to be more intentional and personal with caring for people.” Altogether, Alexina notices how much they radiate God’s love, saying “I want to be more like them.”
White Bear Lake High School is unique in that it is split into two campuses – freshmen and sophomores go to school on the north campus while juniors and seniors are at the south campus. These four coaches lead the huddle for underclassmen at the north campus, but there is currently no FCA huddle coach for south campus. Because of this, the older students must assume full responsibility for the leadership of the huddle, putting into practice the structure and strategies they observed and learned from their time attending FCA as underclassmen. For example, these students noticed how the four coaches above did a great job of making sure that everyone’s voice was heard, so as student leaders they are intentional in giving everyone in their group time and space to share. These upperclassmen desire for others to see God through them in the same way that they saw God through Coach Riebow, Coach Hensley, Coach Vulgamott, and Coach Gronhovd.
Thank you, huddle coaches, for giving your time to pour into and encourage students. You are leaders worth imitating.
“Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 11:1 (CSB)
Connect with us:
Subscribe to Blog:
