Night of Champions 2011 Report

WOW! Night of Champions 2011 was an amazing night of fun, food, and worship! Over 1,000 students from all over Orange County joined together to honor and give glory to Jesus!

Held at the amazing Mariners Church facilities, the students were treated to free In-N-Out burger, 2 live DJ's, professional break-dancers. Also available to the students to use was a volleyball court, 2 basketball courts, ping pong, and video games!

Once program started inside everyone went nuts! The band was rocking, a beat boxer was doing his thing, and the comedy group O' Manna was hilarious. We were treated to 3 testimonies from a professional boxer, Jody Foster a former professional surfer, and USC QB Matt Barkley. The students were then treated to a moving message about God's love for us by FCA Director of Ministries Barry Martinez! He then gave everyone the opportunity to accept the Lord or rededicate their lives, which over 150 students did! Praise God, for He is good!

The night ended with all of the nominees for the FCA Character & Influence Award coming on stage to be recognized as great leaders on there campuses. The finalists for the award were then brought forward and Clark Cashion from Corona Del Mar High School was the 2011 winner. Congrats to Clark and all the other students who were recognized for the impact they are making on their campuses.

The night was a huge success and would not have been possible with out all the support and help of our wonderful volunteers and parents! Thank You!

FCA Impact Play - A Lesson from Big Ben

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”
-Romans 8:38-39

Congratulations to Packers fans! You all certainly have reason to celebrate this morning after the great victory in last night’s Super Bowl. Wear the cheeseheads all day and enjoy the moment!

As I watched the post-game coverage on SportsCenter this morning, I saw tons of highlights from the winning team, but there was one thing in the bottom ticker that caught my attention. It was a comment from Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger who said, “I feel like I let the city of Pittsburgh down and the fans and my coaches and my teammates, and it’s not a good feeling.”

Man, I feel for Big Ben. That has to be a tough spot. But, honestly, I can’t think of an athlete or coach who hasn’t experienced this feeling.

Losing is part of sports, and we all go through it at some point or another. There are days when we don’t play well and we feel responsible for our team coming up short. And the same thing happens in life, too. We all make mistakes and the consequences of our actions affect others. When this happens, the burden we feel can seem absolutely oppressive.

When this feeling threatens to take us down a path of sorrow, guilt or dejection, we need to immediately turn to Christ. Yes, our actions may have had consequences, but they don’t have to ruin our lives. In fact, if we turn to the Lord in these moments and invite Him into the restoration process, we can actually experience great spiritual growth and healing.

By turning to Christ in our shortcomings, we find something we won’t get from the world: unconditional love. Even if everyone blames us for a negative outcome—and we agree with them—Christ loves us just the same as if we’d won the game or played perfectly, and He’s waiting to teach us more about this love by reaching us in our pain.

Today, whether you’re feeling like Ben Roethlisberger or like Aaron Rogers (the game’s MVP), know that, in God’s eyes—the ones that see you through the cross of Jesus Christ—you’re loved, valued, forgiven and victorious. Turn your pain and guilt over to Him and let Him remind you of His great love and faithfulness, regardless of the score.

Sowers FCA

About 30 students showed up to hang out, enjoy some pizza, have fun and listen to our speaker. We played a fun modified version of team tag and then had 5 students volunteer to take part in blindfolded musical chairs. The students all had a blast and then we were all blessed to have Edison FCA President Carlie Boyer come share her testimony with the students! She did a great job and really connected with the junior highers! Thank you to Barbara Osterkamp who is such a great support to the sowers huddle and to Edison High School Leaders; Carlie, Alexandra, Ashley, and Samantha who came to play with the students!

Edison FCA

About 200 students packed into Room 317 for Edison FCA on Thursday! After munching on some pizza, 5 students volunteered for what they though was a normal game of musical chairs, it had a twist though, they had to do it blindfolded. It was a hilarious version of the game that had the whole room laughing. After the game Pastor David Nehrig from Seaside church shared with the group about the power of one person who stands firm for God and the following that can create! HS student Scot Orel shared how he has seen that happen in his own life. Thanks to those two for sharing their hearts with us. A big thanks to all the parents and volunteers who showed up to serve and support the students.

Mission Viejo FCA

Wednesday was another great day for Mission FCA. About 175 students were blessed to have free del Taco, play an awesome game and got to hear a message from Mission Hills Youth Pastor Danny Bower. Danny shared about passion and how our relationship with Christ needs to be filled with passion. God's passion for us is so overwhelming and Danny truly related that to the kids. Thanks to all the parent volunteers and for Danny and Sean Aday (Grace Community Church) for coming and spending time with the students!

See you all at Night of Champions (feb. 11)

Marina FCA

Tuesday was a fun day over at Marina HS FCA. Pastor Eric Neslon from Calvary Chapel provided pizza for about 55 students that showed up to play a fun game and hear how much God cares about each one of us as individuals. We had an awesome day and we were very blessed to have Eric come share!

Sowers FCA

FCA at Sowers Middle School was awesome this week! About 45 students showed up after school to eat pizza, play a few really fun games and then I shared with them about the FCA Competitors Creed. The kids had a blast and competed boys vs. girls in a game of human clay! The girls won and got to eat there freshly baked cookies during the talk while the boys had to wait until after! It was a blast and I cant wait untill we meet again in 2 weeks!

Here are some pictures from the day...

EHS FCA - Jan. 20

The FCA huddle @ Edison went off again on Thursday! About 150 student came and got to enjoy pizza, home baked cookies, a fun game and got to listen to Carlie Boyer speak. After the game, FCA president, Carlie shared her testimony and how we as athletes have coaches who believe in us, but how cool it is that we have the ultimate coach in Jesus who always believes in us. She did an awesome Job! Thanks to all the parents who make these days possible and to the 5 youth pastors who showed up to love on the students! A special thanks goes out to CPC church who has been providing pizza for the huddle on a regular basis all year!

Here is the video Carlie used to demonstrate a coaches belief...

Leaders sharing about FCA Night of Champions

Huntington FCA

The HBHS Huddle on Wednesday was a good one! After welcoming in all the students, everyone played a fun game of telephone.Then freshman leaders Susannah and Theresa showed a funny video that tied in with there talk about the importance of readinga nd spending time in the living, breathing Word of God. They did an awesome job and a big shout out to the freshman stepping up and getting in front of their peers. We then finished the day with a round of pizza! Thanks to the paents who helped provide the pizza for the Huddle!

Mission Viejo FCA

FCA was awesome today at MVHS, we were blessed with tons of del taco, a fun game and a wonderful speaker. About 85 students showed up to hear Dave Allee, the owner and mastermind behind Almond Surfboards & Designs. He shared with the students about trusting Gods plan, even when it doesn't seem clear and the importance of having faith in Him. Thanks to Danny Bowers of Mission Hills Church and all the parents who came to support the huddle, couldn't do it without you!

I am Second® - Landry Jones

Check out this I am Second video of Oklahoma Sooners QB Landry Jones. Landry and his girlfriend OU basketbal star Whitney Hand were just featured in the FCA's magazine publication Sharing the Victory (STV). It is awesome to hear athletes on the biggest stage of amateur athletics giving the glory to Jesus!

click here to read the STV article 

Sowers Huddle

Sowers FCA started 2011 with the biggest huddle we have had thus far! About 35 students showed up to have some Junior High Fun FCA Style. We enjoyed pizza and cookies, then played about 4 different games and relays. I then shared with the students about God's Grace and how He has unconditional love for us! It was a fun afternoon, and Thank You to the EHS leaders that came to support the Huddle! What a huge influence they have when they come to spend time with the kids!

FCA & Sports Highlights of 2010

Edison FCA

EHS FCA kicked off the first huddle of 2011 today with a bang! About 200 students showed up to eat pizza, play 4 corners, and hear an awesome testimony from Fresno State Football's Team Chaplain Jamal Jones. Jamal encouraged the students to live a life with the desire to be obedient to our Creator. He shared about his childhood in the East-side of Oakland and how through God's Grace he was able to withstand all the temptation that surrounded him and not stray from his relationship with Jesus! He also encouraged the students to live a life of sexual purity,a nd the importance of God's plan for purity. Jamal then closed with a magnificent recital of FCA's Competitors Creed.


Thanks to all the volunteers and youth workers who came out to support Edison's Huddle! We couldn't do what we do with out you!

HBHS FCA

Today was the first huddle of 2011 for Huntington Beach HS and about 40 students showed up to listen to their peer Madison Hybl share from her heart. Madison did a great job sharing about the pressures of our society to try and be someone we are not and how God created us perfect and loves us the way we were created. To emphasize her point showed showed the music video to "By Your Side" a SONG BY Tenth Avenue North.Thanks to the parents you continue to support the Huddle the donations for pizza money and prayer!



Here are some pictures from the huddle...