Even in the sprawling park, the SAINTS weren’t hard to locate. We didn’t have much trouble spotting a hundred kids in yellow t-shirts.
As we pulled beside the picnic shelter, a big guy with a broad grin walked toward us with a half dozen munchkins in tow. He stopped to remind them about being safe around traffic, then approached and extended his hand. “Hi. I’m Coach Rick. We’re excited to have you with us.”
Coach Rick is Rick Andreassen, founder of Christian Homeschool Athletic Association of Florida. CHAA provides a professional physical education program to home school families in communities across south and central Florida.
Rick began his career as a youth pastor in a large church. Unlike many young pastors for whom youth ministry is a first step to other positions, Rick knew his calling was clearly working with kids. It looked like he might settle in to life as a successful youth pastor at a thriving church.
But Rick also had a dream.
A dream is a God-inspired desire to use your unique gifts and passions to serve others and change the world.
Rick knew he had a gift for working with and guiding young people into a deeper relationship with Jesus. He also knew he loved sports and physical activity. He believed sports offered a unique avenue to teach fair play, good sportsmanship, teamwork, goal setting, Godly character, and Christian values.
He also saw a need, an opportunity to serve the growing number of home school families who lacked an organized physical education curriculum.
Rick felt God calling. So he took a big risk and left his secure staff ministry position to follow his dream and begin his own ministry.
You know it hasn’t been smooth or easy. Writing and getting curriculum approved, hiring and training staff, securing financing, getting clients on board—that couldn’t have been a quick, simple process. But on the morning we met he said, “Welcome to another tough day at the office!”
I looked around at kids of all sizes and shapes in yellow t-shirts running, playing, learning how to compete and enjoy physical activity. Every shirt proclaimed “Jesus is Lord.”
We were honored to speak to two groups of Coach Rick’s kids during our Florida tour. RICH’S RIDE is about people, and we’re blessed to meet some incredible folks along our route.
Coach Rick is changing the world, one kid, one lesson, one sweaty yellow t-shirt at a time.
That’s a pretty cool legacy.
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