The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), for the third-consecutive year, saw a record-breaking year for its popular and life-changing camps program. In the United States and throughout the world, 780 FCA Camps hosted 113,470 coaches and athletes.

FCA Camps impacted and transformed lives through outstanding competition and spiritual growth. The 2017 camp theme “ONE” was based on Philippians 1:27: “... I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.” The main goal for “ONE” was to emphasize the importance of coaches and athletes moving, competing, and living together as a fortified and unified front.

This summer, 9,417 coaches and athletes made first-time commitments to Jesus Christ, and 10,997 recommitted their lives to God at FCA Camps in 45 states and 41 countries. More than 300 of the camps occurred internationally. The 2017 attendance was an increase of more than 7,200 over the previous year.

“We praise God for all He accomplished through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ 61st Camps season,” FCA President and CEO Shane Williamson said. “The life-changing impact on coaches and athletes has been the main focus of FCA Camps since 1956. We love hearing from those whose lives were changed through FCA Camps, and we are humbled and blessed when we witness God’s power to transform lives through the love of sports and the love of His Son.”

Competitors who wanted to reach their potential through comprehensive athletic, spiritual and leadership training attended a variety of camps, which include Sports Camps, Leadership Camps, Coaches Camps, Power Camps, Team Camps and Partnership Camps.

Women student-athletes during FCA's Camp in Flagstaff, Ariz.

For the immensely successful and popular Camps ministry, FCA takes the best attributes of both athletic- and spiritual-focused camp events and combines them into a unique experience unlike any other.

The camps were also designed to remove athletes and coaches from the usual routine of their sport, friends, co-workers and community and place them into an exciting, healthy and athletic environment allowing them to pursue their passion for sports and clearly see and hear Christ’s passion for them.

In the 2017 FCA Camps digital impact report, campers shared their first-person experiences at camp, which showcased the life-changing impact of bringing sports and faith together. Below are a few testimonies from the report:

• “God challenged my faith this weekend at Camp and I came back a stronger person. Thankful for this chance to grow in my faith.” – Bailey Oetting, an assistant coach at Arizona Christian University 

• “Grateful to be able to lead a group of young athletes in Christ this past weekend, and meet some amazing mentors” – Darnell Sayles, sprinter on Arizona’s track and field team

• “About 15 athletes embraced God's love and grace in Jesus Christ! Their lives will never be the same. Glory to God who is at work.” – Jorge Vallejo, FCA Atlanta area director

Those interested in more information on FCA Camps may visit fcacamps.org.

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