FSI Team of Collaborators

Collaboration is one of our core values at the Faith & Sports Institute.

The FSI Team of Collaborators, listed below, is one expression of that value. This group provides a snapshot of Christian scholars, leaders, and practitioners who have supported or influenced our work in important ways and who share our desire to promote the "thoughtful integration of faith and sports through theological education, compelling research, and formative practices."

Of course, the people below are not an exhaustive list of everyone we work with. Far from it. We collaborate with a variety of people, groups, and organizations, and are always looking to explore new partnerships. If that's you, please connect with us!

However, we do believe that FSI's Team of Collaborators can serve as a helpful resource not only for our staff team, but also for anyone interested in thoughtful Christian engagement with the culture of sports.

Mike Austin

Current role or position: Professor of Philosophy, Eastern Kentucky University
Passion/interest/area of study: Cultivating Christian virtue in sports
Contact: linktr.ee/michaelwaustin
FSI Resources: (1) “How Athletes Can Cultivate the Virtue of Faith” blog post; (2) “Doing The Right Thing is Never the Wrong Thing” blog post

Jessika Caldwell

Current role or position: Head Girls Basketball Coach and Chaplains Coordinator at Valor Christian High School
Passion/interest/area of study: Helping student athletes dive deeper into the understanding of faith and sport, particularly the idea of "glory." What does it look like, sound like, feel like and how do we as athletes and coaches know when we are "giving God the glory."
Contact: Website: govalor.com/about/directory/jessika-caldwell; Team twitter: @govalorgbball
FSI Resources: (1) “Coaching Someone Else’s Game Plan” blog post; (2) Interviewed/quoted in “For God So Loved the World, That He Played,” CT Creative Studio; (3) Interviewed/featured in “Stories from the Faith & Sports Institute,” The Cord

Simone Charley

Current role or position: Professional soccer player
Passion/interest/area of study: Intersection of race and sports, gender and sports, religion and sports, mental health
Contact: Instagram/Twitter: @simonecharley
FSI Resources: (1) ARC Talks (Athletics, Race, Christianity) conversation

Brandon Crooms

Current role or position: Visiting Assistant Professor of Sports Management at Trinity University
Passion/interest/area of study: Youth Development, Identity Development, Intersection of Race, Christianity, and Sports
Contact: Website: www.brandoncrooms.com; Twitter: @B_Crooms; IG: @BrandonCroomsOfficial.
FSI Resources: (1) “Ball Is Still Live!” blog post

Drew Dabbs

Current role or position: Pastor, First Baptist Church of Hamilton, Texas
Passion/interest/area of study: Youth sports (ages 4-14, pre-varsity, not school sponsored); Helping Christian parents learn to think Christianly about youth sports; Helping church leaders address the topic of youth sports in a pastoral, constructive way
Contact: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ddabbs1980

Ben Dudley

Current role or position: VP, West Territory for Positive Coaching Alliance ; Chaplain, Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer with Soccer Chaplains United
Passion/interest/area of study: Access to sport for marginalized communities, how sport can be used for character education when done right. I LOVE coaching my kids!!!
Contact: Website: positivecoach.org; soccerchaplainsunited.org; Twitter: @oldudley
FSI Resources: “Who Among You Is The G.O.A.T.?” blog post

Robert Ellis

Current role or position: Senior Research Fellow, Regent's Park College, University of Oxford
Passion/interest/area of study: Currently working on pneumatology and sport, violence and/in sport, sports fandom from theological / religious angles
Contact: Website: www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert-Ellis-6/
FSI Resources: “Loving Sport Well” blog post; “Sport and the Unquiet Heart of Hope” blog post

Brad Kenney

Current role or position: Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United; Lead Volunteer Chaplain, Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Passion/interest/area of study: Chaplaincy/Sports Chaplaincy; Theological praxis of ministry as it relates to soccer chaplaincy.
Contact: Website: soccerchaplainsunited.org; IG: revbkunited; Twitter: @RevKenney

Angela Gorrell

Current role or position: Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Baylor’s Truett Seminary
Passion/interest/area of study: Speaking, writing, and teaching courses about spirituality, joy, meaning, Christian education and formation, the future of ministry, and the interconnected nature of mental and spiritual health.
Contact: Website: www.angelagorrell.com; Twitter and Instagram: @angelagorrell
FSI Resources: “Creating Spaces that Invite Joy,” blog post

Josh Lindblom

Current role or position: Professional Baseball Player; Director of Formation and Board of Directors Member at Christian Halls International
Passion/interest/area of study: Character and Virtue Formation
Contact: Twitter: @JoshLindblom52; Instagram: @jlboomer25

Roger Lipe

Current role or position: Character Coach Director, Nations of Coaches;
Passion/interest/area of study: Sports Chaplaincy
Contact: Website: www.nationsofcoaches.com; Twitter: @SalukiChaplain

John Maurer

Current role or position: Baylor University Director of Sports Ministry, Associate Chaplain for Athletics.
Passion/interest/area of study: Evangelism, discipleship/spiritual formation, intersection of sport, race & faith.
Contact: Website: baylorbears.com/sports/2020/7/1/baylor-sports-ministry.aspx
FSI Resources: (1) ARC Talks (Athletics, Race, Christianity) conversation

Monique Marsh-Bell

Current role or position: Associate Athletic Director for Mental Health Services with Baylor Athletics
Passion/interest/area of study: Mental health, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, social justice in sports
Contact: @DrMoniqueIrene
FSI Resources: (1) Faith & Sports Forum on Mental Health

Deverin Muff

Current role or position: Assistant Professor in Sports Management at Kentucky State University
Passion/interest/area of study: The intersection of faith, sports, race, and society
Contact: Twitter/Instagram: @Deverin_Muff; LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/deverinmuff

Aviry Reich

Current role or position: Owner, Counselor/Consultant at Limitless Living Counseling & Consulting, PLLC.
Passion/interest/area of study: Integrating mental health into sports culture; Improving athletes' help-seeking behaviors
Contact: Website: https://couragetocrossroad.com/; Twitter: @AviryReich
FSI Resources: (1) “Self-Care for Athletes” blog post; (2) Faith & Sports Forum on Mental Health and Athlete Wellness; (3) Interviewed/quoted in “Can the Love of the Game Include the Health of the Mind?” CT Creative Studio

Tracy Trothen

Current role or position: Professor of Ethics, School of Rehabilitation Therapy and School of Religion, Queen's University, Ontario
Passion/interest/area of study: Sport enhancement ethics and spirituality, virtue ethics and sport
Contact: Website: www.queensu.ca/religion/people/faculty/tracy-j-trothen

Keith Wahl

Current role or position: Assistant Athletic Director/Head Baseball & Softball Coach at Valor Christian High School
Passion/interest/area of study: Faith and sport integration, bringing the Gospel into our games.
Contact: Website: valoreagles.com/sports/baseball; www.iamwellcoached.com/; Twitter: @coachwahl22
FSI Resources: (1) “Losing a Season” blog post; (2) “Is There a Spot for Me?” blog post

Kevin Washington

Current role or position: Director of Player Development/Chaplain, University of Texas Football
Passion/interest/area of study: Leadership, Counseling, Mental Training from a Biblical Perspective.
Contact: IG/Twitter: @kevwash630
FSI Resources: (1) “Fighting Off Identity Foreclosure” blog post