From the Touchline

I had the privilege of spending part of last week in Nashville. The primary purpose of the trip was to do some training and coaching with our chaplain candidate who will serve Nashville SC this upcoming year. We’re not quite ready to announce who the chaplain is, but we will within the next few weeks as we complete the process.

I pose pre-game for a photo in wet Nashville with Assistant Coach David Proctor. David and I met in Colorado when he worked for the Rapids Developmental Academy.

With Nashville SC Head Coach, Gary Smith, being someone that I have worked with in the past (Colorado Rapids 2009-2011), there has been tremendous opportunity to assist in finding and developing the chaplaincy role for this new, exciting addition to U.S. Soccer. Nashville was recently awarded a Major League Soccer expansion franchise. As the team competes in the United Soccer League (Division II) for the next year or two, the club will face a lot of transition and work to make the jump to MLS.

Part of the time spent this week was spent being introduced to staff and players at a weekly training session. I shared about the support role of the chaplain and introduced the chaplain candidate. We utilized the first game for a bit of a walk though. The chaplain plays an active role during the week and during game days to support so many different facets of the organization — from players and staff, to management and ownership and their families.

It was also great to see some former players and staff who have made their way back to play with Coach Smith. Keep up with us as we look to make some more official announcements regarding the Nashville SC placement in the next few weeks.

Nashville SC Moments after Kickoff

Rev Brad Kenney, Volunteer Chaplain of the Colorado Rapids and Director of Soccer Chaplains United, shares about the purpose and intent behind the podcast, From the Touchline. 

Inquiries and feedback can be sent to [email protected].

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney and occasional guests touching on various issues around faith, family, and football.

Check out the Soccer Chaplains United App and go to the Media section. Under podcasts you will see a new podcast for 2/7/2018 entitled “From the Touchline – An Introduction”

If you don’t have the app yet, you can download the Soccer Chaplains United App from the Google and App Store. Search “SoccChaplain” and look for our logo!

There are times when a chaplain may not be able to be present to pray for a person — whether an athlete is about to go through surgery, about to board a plane, after just getting some bad news, or even winning the big game.

These prayers are written and recorded with the football (soccer) athlete, coach/manager, staff member, and family member in mind. They are prayed in the spirit of reminding you that God is with you and He sees and knows the things that you are going through or about to embark upon — whether anyone else sees or knows about them.

There are times, places, and teams where a chaplain isn’t able to be present. There are places in the world where one is far from home and far from the support and foundations of one’s faith. There are moments when someone who is a part of the beautiful game feels alone and afraid. These prayers are for you.

In football, it can be a tremendous challenge to break into the starting eleven. A footballer works to ascend the ladder — from academy and youth club to the reserve squad to the first team. And then, there comes that moment, the manger looks down the bench. What happens though, when the game suddenly changes and you are sent back to the bench? What happens if the manager always seems to look past you? What if the manager doesn’t believe in you? You are not his “player.” You are not her “player.”

This prayer reflects the cry of the athlete who finds themselves as seemingly a recurring substitute — not called on, not given a chance. It is a prayer based on the words of David in Psalm 4. The psalm begins as a prayer but ends up being a statement of confidence — this can be part of the substitute’s aim and mentality. It is about having confidence and faith in God as the Good Manager.

A concussion can spell the end — for a footballer’s game, season, or career. Concussions aren’t just a concern for athletes in American Football, but soccer as well. It can be a shaking time for an athlete because there may not be a clear pathway forward, a lot is at stake.

This is a simple prayer from an athlete who has experienced a concussion or concussion symptoms. There may be questions about playing again or even being normal  — this is a prayer asking for restoration from God.

Some injuries in football (soccer) require surgery. It may be that someone’s season is over or that someone’s career is over. It can be that someone is facing surgery for the first time or for, yet, another time. No matter the situation and circumstance, surgery is difficult for those in football and there is often much at stake — one’s contract, one’s livelihood, or something else.

This prayer is for the one who is about to undergo surgery. It is a prayer for peace for the one facing surgery and asking for the skill of the surgeon and those caregivers to be applied, and where there are human limits, asking God to do a miracle to heal and make someone new.

In many places around the world, if a football club or team is relegated to a lower division, it can be devastating on many levels — for a community, for those that work in the team’s front offices, and it can be disheartening for the fans, athletes, manger, and others. On the outside looking in, it may not seem that big of a deal, but it can have tremendous impact into the daily lives of people and on local economies.

This prayer is really a praise, based on Psalm 126. It is a praise offered as a fan of a team reflects on and acknowledges God’s help for the club being able to “escape” relegation or gain promotion to a higher division of soccer. Many times we desire to see the things that we care about and invest in succeed and do well — and God does care about the things we care about. This is balances with the simple truth, that much is up to God and His will, (and we may not always understand it or agree), but we can praise him to see worthwhile things we invest in do well and if you are a person of faith who works in a football club, all the more as a validation of your vocation and the context of your God-given work.

Perhaps you are about to get on a bus or a plane for the next match or to join a new team. Maybe you have a fear of flying, or you cannot rest on the long bus ride, or maybe there is a spiritual or emotional uncertainty as you leave. You leave behind familiarity, family, or something else for a new place, a new challenge — you may feel that you are ready, you may feel that you are not — and the travel to get there is a big barrier for you.

This prayer is designed to bring peace and comfort to the traveller — no matter how long the journey, no matter what lies ahead or behind.

Goals and goal setting is important in sports — for an individual and for a team. Sometimes certain goals are in conflict between an individual athlete and between the team. Sometimes a team or club might take steps to mitigate an individual’s goals to avoid a payout. Sometimes an individual athlete might selfishly put their own interests in front of what might be best for the team in a particular moment or in a particular match.

This prayer is for the one who is setting personal goals — but not just for football (soccer) but for life and for faith. It is a prayer that seeks to place a right priority on goals and goal setting.

Algunas lesiones en el futbol requieren de cirugía. Puede ser que la temporada de alguien se termino o que la carrera de alguien se terminó. Puede ser que alguien está enfrentando cirugía por primera vez, o tal vez, otra vez. No importa cuál sea la situación o circunstancia, la cirugía es difícil para quienes esta en el futbol y siempre hay mucho que perder – el contrato, salario, o algo más.

Esta oración es para alguien que tiene que pasar por cirugía. Es una oración por paz para el que enfrenta cirugía y pide por la habilidad del cirujano y de los enfermeros/as que ayudaran y por las limitaciones humanas, pidiéndole a Dios que haga un milagro para sanar y hacer que la persona quede como nueva.