By Dr. Ferrell Miller
JC Breakfast Optimist Club
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club met at Jim Clark’s Chevrolet showroom on Wednesday, August 28 to hear a presentation by Ty Zimmerman, Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). FCA was established in 1954 by Don McClanen. The headquarters for FCA is now located in Kansas City, Missouri.
Ty has been in the position as Area Director for 6 years having graduated from Junction City High School (JCHS), Kansas State University, employment with USD 475 and coaching with his father, Randall Zimmerman, at JCHS. Ty works with people in the North Central Kansas counties of Brown, Clay, Cloud, Geary, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Nemaha, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Republic, Riley, Wabaunsee and Washington.
Mr. Zimmerman began by asking members who had played sports in school and “if they remembered a coach for the impact had on them? Billy Graham said that “One coach will impact more people in a year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.” In fact, Ty also said that he remembers the play called the “bomberooski”. Curtis Gray, who was Ty’s football coach at Junction City Middle School. Coach Gray used the play when Ty was the quarterback of the team. All the players would go down field at one time and Ty would then throw the ball to any teammate to catch it. Even with Ty’s extensive experience with numerous coaches in high school, college and having tried out for the New Orleans Saints, a National Football League team, he still remembers his middle school coach.
Ty went onto explain the vision of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes which is to “exist to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. Their methods are to Engage coaches and athletes with the Gospel; Equip them to know Jesus and Empower them to make Him known! Their mission is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.”
The strategies or environments in which the mission is to be accomplished is through camps, one on one discipleship and huddles. Camps are for third through eighth grade youth. High school and college leaders meet in the summer and fall with young people to share in growing their faith and teach discipleship. Huddles are held on middle school and high school campuses during the school year and are led by students in studies and personal growth through the message of Jesus Christ.
FCA is a 501c3 non-profit that relies on sponsorships and donations to do the work of the organization. For more information contact Ty Zimmerman at Fellowship of Christian Athletes at [email protected].