Coaches Highlight: John Berardicurti

My journey with FCA began when I started attending the FCA overnight camps.  I was amazed at God’s influence on athletes and coaches. The FCA leaders at the camps demonstrated, and allowed me to see for myself, the impact coaches can have on athletes through their prayers and actions. Later, I attended FCA group discussions, about the FCA Coaching Pyramid, and realized that caring and loving our athletes was the way to show them how to use the tools in the toolboxes God had provided for them. 

During my fifty-five years of coaching, the biggest struggle I have had in integrating my faith into coaching is myself.  I need to have the courage to share the thoughts and feelings that God has given me with the players and coaches at the appropriate time. 

Presently, I am an assistant soccer coach for my grandson’s FCA U14 Fury travel team, the Nazareth College men’s team and the Rochester Lancers pro indoor team. On each of these teams I have witnessed God, on His time schedule, impact players and coaches.  I coach now to use the game to teach life lessons and why we should be grateful to God for our skills and abilities. I want my players to understand that building relationships as Jesus did, by caring and loving their teammates and coaches, is what will bring them everlasting joy and happiness. I hope my legacy as a coach is, “He cared and loved us!”

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