Kelsey was a middle school student in Ogallala, Nebraska, when she was first introduced to her coach, Shane Fruit. As the head coach for Ogallala High School’s cross country and track teams, Coach Fruit has impacted thousands of students throughout his career. He encouraged Kelsey to join the track team and invited her to attend West Central Nebraska’s FCA Huddle. Throughout her middle and high school years, Kelsey participated in both track and FCA. She was a long-distance runner and found connection and community with the other athletes.

When Coach Fruit encouraged her to attend FCA Camp for distance runners, she said yes. At camp, a friend asked Kelsey a question she wasn’t expecting.

“Do you believe God is real?”

Kelsey had grown up attending church, but she had never before wrestled with this question. Did she believe God was real? With the help of her FCA Huddle leader, Kelsey searched for answers. Together, they prayed and looked at what the Scriptures said about Jesus. At the end of the conversation, Kelsey gained a greater understanding not only of who Jesus is, but the sacrifice He made for her. She believed that yes, God is real and loves her, and for the first time, Kelsey’s relationship with Jesus became personal. 

When she returned from camp, Kelsey continued to attend Huddle meetings. She grew in her faith and had conversations with Coach Fruit that were guided by the FCA video series, Doing Sports God’s Way.

Yet as time passed, Kelsey began to struggle and started to find her worth in her performance on the track. She turned to her running ability, rather than Christ, to find her identity. After suffering an injury that prevented her from competing, Kelsey wrestled with finding her value. Once again, God used Coach Fruit to remind Kelsey of God’s love for her.

Through their discussions, Kelsey’s mindset and heart began to shift. She once again found her purpose and identity in Christ alone. God used FCA to help Kelsey grow in her faith. After being baptized in 2017, Kelsey shared the positive impact Coach Fruit and FCA had on her life. Today, Coach Fruit continues to lead the Ogallala High School track team and actively volunteers with FCA to reach the lives of student-athletes both on and off the track.

Read more stories of FCA in Action and learn how to get involved in your local area’s Huddles.

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