Every Wednesday at 10:35 a.m., over 300 students chat with their friends in the PAC. As the lights dim, the room becomes silent and everyone bows their head in prayer.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), a non-profit organization that combines faith and athletics to encourage athletes to grow their relationship with Jesus Christ, meets every Wednesday during advisory in the Legacy PAC.
“I think FCA is so incredibly important because it allows students from any background to have access to Christian values,” President Addisyn Kinnan, 12, said. “It is very important to have programs like FCA for students to support one another.”
Legacy’s chapter of FCA grew in the start of the year around 60 students attending weekly to nearly 300 students weekly. The change of meetings during advisory to allow everyone to attend contributes to this growth.
“[Moving to advisory] has ensured athletes aren’t missing practice due to FCA and allows both Ben Barber sessions to participate,” Kinnan said. “One of my favorite parts about Legacy’s FCA chapter is we have opened it to everyone, even if you are not an athlete.”
Holding FCA meetings during the week and in the middle of the day allows students to take a break from the busy school day and worship with other students.
“I encourage people to come to FCA because it is a supportive community where everyone can share experiences and encourage one another through Christ,” Kinnan said. “It is also very refreshing to meet mid-week with like-minded people in school to see that you aren’t alone.”
Sophomore Shayla Gonzalez, who joined FCA in 2021, enjoys meeting during advisory.
“It’s refreshing to do something that I love with all of my friends in the middle of our busy school day,” Gonzalez said. “I think FCA brings everyone together.”
Throughout her athletic career, Gonzalez looks to her faith for guidance and finds comfort in talking with other members of FCA.
“My faith is important to me because in hard times I’m able to rely on the Lord to lead me down the right path,” Gonzalez said. “It’s comforting that I always have a support system that I can rely on either in school or outside of school.”
Updates about meetings and other events are posted on the Legacy FCA Instagram and Remind 101.
“FCA aims to impact the world for Christ through the platform of sports by fostering spiritual, physical, and emotional development around athletes and coaches,” Kinnan said. “FCA provides a safe and comfortable place for anyone who wants to explore Christianity.”
