If Kurt Warner, superbowl-winning, God-fearing former NFL quarterback went to Ames High, he’d be a member of FCA.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) has been brought back to life after a three year hiatus following the graduation of the 2011 senior class. This time, it’s here to stay.

“It has been so encouraging seeing the amount of underclassmen interested in FCA,” says senior Jennifer Berg, who leads the group and was instrumental in getting it back on its feet. “Ames could grow to have one of the more active FCAs around.”

FCA is an international non-profit organization started in 1954. Members believe that sports serve a bigger purpose than pure entertainment. “We are able to find a perspective for sports that is for a greater cause than just us; that we can use our sporting talents for a greater purpose and good, to celebrate our Faith,” says Mrs. Aileen Sullivan, one of the Ames High branch’s teacher sponsors.

To some, FCA may seem like a drag. However, the group’s meetings (aptly named “huddles) are times when students can unwind around their peers and discuss important matters in a relaxed setting that includes ridiculous games and more snacks than the group could ever hope to consume.

“FCA encourages students to get outside themselves and the pressures present in our culture, and to do so in a meaningful way that will benefit them now and especially in their future,” says Mrs. Dobernecker, who sponsors the group along with Mrs. Sullivan. The duo help to lead the bi-monthly huddles, which are based off of the materials that the FCA organization provides.

A common misconception is that FCA is exclusively for athletes. However, although lessons deal with moral and spiritual problems that arise in sports, anyone can join and still be able to benefit, especially since many of the problems that athletes face are not too far off from what everyone goes through on a daily basis. Both Jennifer and Mrs. Dobernecker echo the sentiment that FCA “would never turn anyone away.”

All involved foresee FCA sticking around for years to come. And I think that’s a great thing for both faith here at Ames High and athletics here at Ames High. I do not believe that it is purely coincidental that Ames High football’s first undefeated season in a decade came the same year as FCA’s return to the school. This stuff really works.

Check out the website and talk to people that you know are FCA members if you’re interested in getting involved.