BROOKINGS – A record turnout of nearly 400 people attended the annual FCA Breakfast of Champions on Aug. 15 at Club 71 in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium at South Dakota State University.
In addition to community members, the dining area was filled with athletes from the SDSU football and soccer teams as well as athletes from teams at Sioux Valley, Elkton, Deubrook and the Brookings competitive cheer and dance team.
Keynote speaker Randy Gravitt, a nationally recognized author and lecturer from Atlanta, addressed five key points of leadership.
In addition, Jackrabbit student-athletes Christian Rozeboom, Deyon Campbell, Rylie Cascio Jensen, Ryan Earith and Cade Johnson shared how their faith influenced their performances as Division I athletes.
There also was a panel question-and-answer with Brookings County Youth Mentoring Program mentors Myah Selland and Lance Eide, both SDSU student-athletes, and program board members Mary Jo Minor, Dave Hopewell and Isaiah Crevier.
Following the breakfast, the Brookings Area FCA office partnered with the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce for a four-hour, integrity-based leadership workshop that also was conducted by Gravitt.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes engages coaches and athletes to grow in their faith and sport in addition to reaching out into the broader community. This fall, area FCA representative TJ Carlson notes the organization will be hosting a monthly community forum with the first session noon Friday, Sept. 27, at Brookings Innovation Center. New SDSU men’s basketball coach Eric Henderson will speak on culture.
On Oct. 25, former SDSU swimmer Alex (Hoffman) Bisson will speak on communication.
The one-hour forums are will have a free-will donation lunch provided.
For more information, go to JackrabbitFCA.org or contact Carlson at 651-3592 or tcarlson@fca.org.
