If all goes as expected, it figures to be one of those events that everyone wonders why someone didn’t do this before. One reason is that Ben Johnson wasn’t here before.
Johnson, the Waco-based director for the Heart of Texas chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, took the blueprint from a similar all-star football game in Abilene and is applying it to his region, a 12-county swath of Central Texas. The inaugural game is June 13 at Baylor’s Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.
After taking over the post less than two years ago, Johnson was looking for a way to re-invigorate FCA’s ministry and impact on an area with dozens of high schools, middle schools and colleges. What better way to do that than to organize a football game that brings together friends and friendly rivals from all classifications?
“Our hope and desire for the game is that all 85 schools have a player or cheerleader there to represent them,” said Johnson, who spent more than eight years as the FCA director in Austin before arriving in Waco. “For our first one we have 65. That’s pretty good.”
Johnson, with the help of southern region representative Seth Chambliss and others, got the ball rolling last summer with the selection of the coaching staff. The Blue Team will be headed by Waco’s Johnny Tusa, whose staff includes Salado’s Jeff Cheatham and Killeen’s Sam Jones. China Spring’s Mark Bell leads the Red Team and Troy’s Grady Rowe is on his staff.
Twenty-seven players from the Telegram coverage area - including three from Temple and two from Belton - are peppered throughout both rosters. The division of teams didn’t match fairly geographically, so the Class 5A and 4A schools were split apart while keeping the players from smaller schools grouped on teams from the same district. Players were nominated by coaches from the area and picked by the Victory Bowl coaching staffs.
Both teams will be divided into two groups, with both alternating quarters to allow for equal playing time as best as possible.
Calling it an all-star game is a bit of a misnomer. It’s not a preview of future college players as other like games tend to be. Only a handful of the participants - all seniors - will be signed to play at the collegiate level. Most of the major football stars from the area will not participate, usually mandated by the school offering them a scholarship.
“Most of the kids will have committed to someone,” Johnson said. “By then, the D-IIIs (NCAA Division III programs) and others will have gotten the rest of them.
“Some will still be holding out hope at a chance or another look. For others it’s just the icing on the cake for their high school career and maybe somebody will see them and give them a shot.”
Given that it is an FCA-driven ministry outreach event as well as a fundraiser, the natural question that follows is whether all the players have to be involved in FCA or even be professed Christians. The answer is, of course, no.
“On our forms we ask to list any FCA involvement, but it’s not a requirement,” Johnson said. “The game is open for anybody. The Gospel is for everybody.
“From a ministry perspective and a spiritual perspective we hope to make an impact,” he added. “Every team will have a chaplain.”
Thus far, the event has been met enthusiastically. Organizers received a standing ovation at last Sunday’s news conference announcing the team rosters. Johnson said there is nothing covert about the ministry aspect of the game. Players and coaches will be exposed to a biblical message in the week leading up to the game.
“We’re not going to force a kid to pray a prayer to be part of the game,” Johnson said. “We can make them go to chapel, but we’re not going to make them feel like they have to do anything they don’t want to do. And we wouldn’t want them to.”
The Abilene version of this game is in its 10th year, has a title sponsor and still is a point of excitement in that area. This region’s FCA representatives hope to at least match that in the future, while also infusing interest and participation in other FCA ministry events.
“I am hoping, now that the teams have been announced, that our area will become more involved and excited about this incredible opportunity for Central Texas,” said Chambliss, who oversees much of Bell County and bordering communities. “First and foremost, my desire is to see the Gospel proclaimed in all we do.
“The point of this event is to have another opportunity to share the Gospel message with those involved - players, coaches, volunteers, families, etc.”
While they’re at it, they are going to have fun.
Said Johnson: “When they leave the game we want them to leave with a smile on their face."
twaits@temple-telegram.com
