The South Lake County Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted their first annual FCA High School Girl’s Flag Football Pre-Season Jamboree this past week at East Ridge High School.

The participating FCA Jamboree teams were from East Ridge, Pinecrest Lakes Preparatory Academy, Hope Preparatory Academy, Cypress Creek, Leesburg, and Orangewood. While not there, the South Lake and Minneola High School teams will be in all the league games. One hundred and nineteen athletes participated from the six schools, with 15 to 25 players per team. Football Jamboree was a time for each team’s coaches to practice their players with real plays and referee calls while scrimmaging with opponents for the first time. With parents, families and fans watching and cheering, four South Lake school teams competed simultaneously against each other with two different fields, without keeping track of scores. This coming week, each team will start competing with their regular home and away games. The full schedule is available at: https://www.maxpreps.com/.

Before starting to play and compete, the students heard motivating words as they participated in prayers led by Kahlil Tucker, Tim Hancock, Zach Hancock and Amanda Palomares to help support them with messages of integrity, serving, teamwork and excellence, as well as how to achieve their own personal and team excellence while supporting their FCA Core Values.

Metro Area Director Kahlil Tucker known as “Coach Tuck,” organized this inaugural Jamboree and this new girls league. He is a former athlete and FCA member who uses athletics as a platform to share the gospel while supporting student-athletes spiritually and relationally. Coach Tuck, is Director for Lake & Sumter Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has a deep passion for FCA. His own faith was significantly influenced by his involvement with the organization, and that experience now drives his ministry leadership and commitment to helping others connect with Christ. “Strategy is how we do it,” Coach Tuck says. “The E3 discipleship strategy engages coaches and athletes with the Good News, equips them with God’s Word and empowers them to live out the Great Commission as disciple-makers, generation after generation.” Tuck adds, “This is a wonderful opportunity to get students started on the right foot, while learning and playing flag football. Plus, we get to share our inspirational messages. We lead each school’s coaches and athletes into positive new relationships with each other as well as with Jesus Christ and His church.”

Inspired Ministry: This FCA athletic program strives to help their participating students to become better individuals. FCA is an inspired community that works to see the world transformed in a very positive manner through shared Christianity by their coaches, athletes, and families. They work to consistently engage, equip, and empower everyone to achieve success through their ministry. FCA helps students realize their purpose for doing what they do. They work to help support the students’ levels of handling stress and how to deal with their personal issues, while also supporting parents and families. The FCA Coaches spend much needed time at the each of the South Lake schools while coaching, teaching, and instructing student athletes.

FCA Teamwork: The South Lake County area FCA staff is led by Area Director Tim Hancock, Kahlil ‘Tuck’ Tucker as Metro Area Director and Administrative Assistant Mary Berens. They have created their own South Lake FCA Dream Team with numerous community leaders, active board members, staff, generous financial partners, donors, and sponsors. FCA of South Lake is always looking for new coaches, students, leaders, corporate sponsors, and donations to help make an impact in the lives of students and athletes.

For More Information, contact South Lake County of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at 407-310-3146, Email: THancock@FCA.org  or MBerens@FCA.organd visit: www.SouthLakeCountyFCA.org. Send mail to: PO Box 120272 in Clermont, FL 34712. Like and follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/southlakecountyfca/

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The South Lake County Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted their annual South Lake County Vision Awards dinner party in The Wesley Center at Living Hope Church of Clermont. The 2025 FCA Vision Dinner gave our community the opportunity to see and hear the impact of FCA ministry programs here in South Lake County. With a fun tailgate party theme, everyone came wearing their favorite sports gear and FCA shirts.

FCA Vision Night:  Everyone was invited to this fundraiser showcasing the ministry and mission of Fellowship of Christian athletes here in South Lake County with great fellowship and food. The leaders and speakers shared stories and videos from coaches, athletes, staff, and community leaders to highlight their mission to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. They shared the 4 C’s of FCA Ministry which include Campus, Camps, Coaches & Community.

Sharing Praise & Glory: With shared comments and prayers, Area Director Tim Hancock, Dr. Jeff Duke, Kahlil Tucker, and Amanda Palomares led their inspirational program presentation designed to celebrate local athletic youth through a commitment to integrity, community service, teamwork, and excellence. The speakers, student panelists and coaches shared their own personal success stories. Details from their 4 Cs of Campus, Camps, Coaches and Community programs through the testimonials were presented. While sharing truly heartfelt messages, Dr. Duke noted that “We all need time for renewal and reflection as well as a time to share!” He noted that 99% of their ministry team are active volunteers.

Tim Hancock shared, “Our FCA Vision Night is a great fundraiser event to showcase the ministry from the victory stories about what the Lord is doing in and through our local athletes and coaches, while talking about our 4 Cs as Campus, Camps, Coaches and Community.” … He added, “There are three Ps in which you can help with the FCA needs here in South Lake County area. Pray for FCA to continue to be used to make a spiritual difference in our community by the means through our youth. Participate. Become a volunteer by using the God given talents and gifts along with your time to serve in ministry. Partner by becoming a financial partner and teammate with FCA to raise up staff with resources to pour into our youth.”

 Inspired Ministry: This program strives to help their participating students to become better individuals. FCA is an inspired community that works to see the world transformed in a very positive manner through shared Christianity by their coaches, athletes, and families. They work to consistently engage, equip, and empower everyone to achieve success through their ministry. FCA helps students realize their purpose for doing what they do. They work to help support the students’ levels of handling stress and how to deal with their personal issues, while also supporting parents and families. The FCA Coaches spend much needed time at the each of the South Lake schools while coaching, teaching, and instructing student athletes.

School Team Huddles & Special Events: Locally, FCA shares their ministry with almost 3000 athletes on more than 100 sports teams from 20 participating schools and 6 area churches. FCA was started nationally in 1954 and with worldwide growth, South Lake is part of an initiative that has now grown to successfully impact and service youth with powerful opportunities in 115 countries worldwide. Team huddles are held regularly year-round to encourage and challenge athletes, coaches, and campuses to live and compete using biblical principles through the platform of athletic competition. They offer a series of summer camp opportunities with positive athletic, spiritual and leadership training. Many teens call their camps, “A life changing experience!”

FCA Teamwork: The South Lake County area FCA staff is led by Area Director Tim Hancock, Kahlil ‘Tuck’ Tucker as Metro Area Director and Administrative Assistant Mary Berens. They have created their own South Lake FCA Dream Team with numerous community leaders, active board members, staff, generous financial partners, donors, and sponsors. FCA of South Lake is always looking for new coaches, students, leaders, corporate sponsors, and donations to help make an impact in the lives of students and athletes.

For More Information, contact South Lake County of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at 407-310-3146, Email: THancock@FCA.org  or MBerens@FCA.org and visit: www.SouthLakeCountyFCA.org. Send mail to: PO Box 120272 in Clermont, FL 34712. Like and follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/southlakecountyfca/

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The South Lake County Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted its first annual FCA 5K Race for Christmas at the Clermont Waterfront Park. South Lake County School students and the entire community were invited to participate. Over 75 people pre-registered and about 50 more registered on-site to help make it a big success.

Caleb Melendez was the very first runner to make it to the finish line in just 17 minutes and a few seconds. He is an accomplished track and cross-country runner from East Ridge High School.

Area FCA Director Tim Hancock noted, “We wanted to make this a community outreach program for our area schools and their sports teams with these students invited to participate for free for Orlando Health Awareness. We wanted to bring all of our local student-athletes together to build team unity away from their schools. Many young children, families, local dignitaries and others were invited to run the race with a small charitable registration fee donation.

South Lakes District 2 Commissioner Sean Parks and his family all raced, coming in as top finishers. Clermont Mayor Tim Murry and his wife Kassier raced as well as Head Coach Grant Mollett, of the East Ridge Cross County Girls’ team and Dale Papineau, the Head Coach of South Lake High School.

Participants were invited to walk, jog, sleigh ride or do whatever they wanted to complete the run through the beautiful Clermont Waterfront Park. Many came in ugly Christmas sweaters, Christmas lights and jingle bells. All runners received a beautiful race medal, a t-shirt and a swag bag full of gifts. There were plenty of extra free drinks, power bars and more with the New Waive Church Praise Band there for entertainment.

The team leaders, coaches and student-athletes of South Lake County of Fellowship of Christian Athletes have been very busy touching hearts and changing lives! For almost 70 years, the FCA has been supporting the challenges on the professional, college, high school, junior high and elementary school levels with advice, counsel, mentorships, teamwork and leadership.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit 501-C3 organization that has been awarded a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator. FCA is focused on helping to engage and inspire coaches and athletes through prayer and gospel.

They have created their own South Lake FCA Dream Team with community leaders, board members, financial partners, staff, donors and sponsors. The South Lake County area FCA staff is led by Tim Hancock as Area Director, Kahlil ‘Tuck’ Tucker as an Area Representative and Administrative Assistant Mary Berens. The 4-Cs of their ministry are: Coaches, Campus, Camps and Community. They are always looking for new coaches, students, leaders, corporate sponsors and donations to help make an impact in the lives of students and athletes.

They regularly reach out to work with 13 South Lake area schools and many area churches. Huddles are held regularly year-round to encourage and challenge athletes, coaches and campuses to live and compete using biblical principles through the platform of athletic competition. They offer a summer camp opportunity with comprehensive athletic, spiritual and leadership training. Nine local children were able to earn camp scholarships this past year. They have an annual Back to School Bash where gospel, food, music, and fellowship are shared. They hold an annual Better Man event featuring nationally known motivational speakers. Their See You at the Pole program encourages students to gather after school to pray for their fellow students and schools. Student-led Fields of Faith events are held on athletic fields each fall to pray, share testimony and challenge themselves with their peers and community.

FCA is an inspired community that works to see the world transformed in a very positive manner through shared Christianity by coaches and athletes. They work to engage, equip and empower everyone to achieve success through their ministry. FCA helps students to realize their purpose for doing what they do. The FCA staff knows that most student-athletes are often tired, stressed, and only interested in playing sports. They work to personally help support the students’ levels of handling stress and how to deal with anger and their personal issues, while also supporting parents and families. The FCA Coaches travel around and spend much-needed time at each of the South Lake schools while coaching, teaching and instructing student-athletes. This program strives to help their participating students to become better Individuals!

For More Information, contact South Lake County of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at 407-310-3146, Email THancock@FCA.org and visit: www.SouthLakeCountyFCA.org. Send mail to: PO Box 10272 in Clermont, FL 34711.

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