Building Brotherhood and Faith: The St. Olaf Football Coaches Huddle

In 2024, FCA began walking alongside the St. Olaf College Football coaching staff in Northfield, Minnesota. The connection started through relationship - one coach at St. Olaf knew another coach that FCA Southeast MN Area Director, Jimmy Westland, had been discipling at Winona State. That simple introduction opened the door to something much bigger: a weekly gathering of coaches seeking to grow as Christ-centered leaders on their teams and in their lives.

A Huddle That Goes Beyond the Field

Every Wednesday morning, the St. Olaf Football Coaches Huddle meets virtually. On paper, it’s a small group - usually six or seven coaches (insert 6-7 meme here!). But in practice, it’s a powerful community of men committed to following Christ together. Jimmy leads the group in prayer and a Bible study, and each week they dig into Scripture and apply it to life, leadership, and coaching.

Jimmy recalls a special visit to campus: “I spent a day at spring practice. We met as coaches, ate lunch together in the cafeteria, and then went to practice. It was a great opportunity to be shoulder-to-shoulder with them, to see their world firsthand.”

Over the past year, the group has experienced life’s highs and lows together - from celebrating the birth of new babies to walking through grief after losing loved ones. Through it all, faith and fellowship have deepened. “We’ve built friendships through this huddle,” Jimmy said. “I look forward to meeting every week.”

Why Coaches Matter

Billy Graham once said, “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in a lifetime.”That truth is at the heart of FCA’s ministry to coaches. Coaches hold a uniquely influential role - they shape the culture of their teams, mentor student-athletes, and model what character and perseverance look like under pressure.

When a coach is centered on Christ, the ripple effects are profound. Teams notice. Players notice. Even fans and families notice. Ministry to the coach becomes ministry through the coach.

Walking With Coaches, Not Just Toward Them

FCA staff like Jimmy are called to come alongside coaches - to disciple, listen, and care for them as whole people. Coaches spend so much of their time investing in others that they often carry the weight of their players’ struggles, successes, and spiritual needs. They need spaces where they can be poured into, too.

That’s where FCA steps in. Our staff understand the coach’s world. We sit in their offices, pray over their practices, and walk with them through real life. Our role is to serve and support the coach just as Christ serves the Church - faithfully, humbly, and relationally.

Get Involved

Whether you’re a head coach, assistant coach, volunteer, or simply someone with a heart for sports ministry, there are many ways to get involved in FCA’s ministry to coaches:

• Join or start a Coaches Huddle - in person or online.
• Attend an FCA Coaches Time Out retreat to rest, recharge, and connect with other Christ-centered coaches.
• Engage in 1-on-1 discipleship with a local FCA staff member.

If you’d like to take a next step in your faith journey as a coach, click the button below to fill out a brief form sharing your interests in getting involved!