Sometimes the Small Things are the Big Things

Doug found Mr. Kaat and asked him to speak to a group of guys from his high school about faith in Jesus. This professional pitcher, who could have easily dismissed this teenager, amazingly agreed. Twenty-five guys showed up, sat cross-legged on Doug’s basement floor, and listened to one of their idols share about Christ. It was the beginning of the FCA huddle at Richfield High School, the first huddle in Minnesota.

Doug Kingsriter attended the U of M and went on to play for the Vikings, which was an impressive accomplishment. He made a name for himself in football and in life, but more importantly, he did something seemingly insignificant by inviting a speaker to talk with a group of guys who multiplied themselves in the lives of others. Not only would Doug and some of the others travel around the state to share about Jesus and FCA, they impacted the lives of hundreds of students at Richfield High School who went on to impact countless others.

The next year, under the leadership of Steve Mulvain, the group brought in Paul Anderson, the world’s strongest man, to do an outreach assembly at the high school. They also started doing car washes and garage sales and had grown to about 50 members. 

It was during that year that Dale was tapped as a future leader for the huddle. That summer, Dale, Steve, and five other leaders loaded a Greyhound bus bound for Estes Park, Colorado, and the annual FCA camp. There, these future leaders learned valuable skills both for leading their huddle back home and for their future careers.

During Dale’s senior year, he realized the impact he could have on young people as a teacher and coach and grew in confidence in sharing his faith with others. The large outreach event that year was a chalk artist Bill Leach who shared the gospel through his chalk drawing. It brought in a crowd of 800 people from the community who all heard the Gospel. Dale also shared in front of that crowd. Later that year, huddle members brought a group of underprivileged kids out for a meal to a local restaurant and to a basketball game. 

Prepared for Leadership

All these things – the large and small events, FCA camp in Colorado, and the many leadership opportunities he was given through FCA - shaped Dale just a bit more for a life of coaching and teaching. 

One student took a risk to invite a famous baseball player to speak to a group of guys at his home, and a huddle was born.

FCA grew from 25 listening to Jim Kaat in Doug Kingsriter’s basement to 40 to 50 to 60 in three years. Each huddle member was affected in some way. Some came to a knowledge of a saving faith and made a commitment to follow Jesus. Others went on to multiply their faith in others. 

Still others heard God’s call to serve Him and others through their career choices. Dale was one of those. He said, “I came to the realization that I really wanted to help kids succeed,” and “FCA was a big part of who I became as far as a coach. I was one of those kids who didn’t have much athletic talent, but I was able to funnel that into coaching and helping kids grow and become positive people.” 

50 Years Later 

Dale has done exactly that over the last 50 years. Today, he is an adjunct professor helping train teachers for Minnesota State University, former middle school communications teacher, coach, and principal. He has helped organize the Learning Through Baseball education program for the Minnesota Twins, and gives tours of Target Field. He has also consulted for the Loons and Vikings.

Even though Dale has not been very involved with FCA since high school, when he saw an FCA group signed up for a tour of Target field, he immediately signed on to be the tour guide for this young group of baseball players. He knew what the group stood for, and he wanted to share his experience with them. God used FCA in Dale’s life to give him a heart for serving young people through a life of teaching and coaching. Dale grew a heart to speak truth and life into the students he taught and athletes he coached. 

The Seemingly Insignificant

Had Doug Kingsriter not invited Jim Kaat to speak to that group of guys, someone else might have. Or maybe no one would have. Maybe there wouldn’t have been a huddle at Richfield. Maybe Dale would never have realized that he was called to teach and coach. Maybe the kids he has helped over his career wouldn’t have received the same encouragement they received from Dale. It’s unlikely Doug was thinking of the high school baseball players Dale would one day coach when he marched into Met Stadium and courageously asked to speak with Jim Kaat. But God knew. God saw them and the countless others Dale and others would reach in their lifetimes. 

We never know the impact that one small step of obedience will have on the life of someone else – someone we may never meet. 

We are thankful for how God uses the ministry of FCA to draw coaches and athletes to Himself.

We are thankful that God prompts hearts to be courageous.

We are thankful for people like Doug, Steve, Jim Kaat, and Dale who respond to God’s call on their lives.