Bright and early at 7:30 in the morning, dozens of South Lakes students meet in room 400 to start their Thursdays off with food, fun, and fellowship. Upon entering the meeting room for the South Lakes Fellowship of Christian Athletes club (FCA), students are greeted with fresh Dunkin’ donuts and smiling faces from their peers, seated in a welcoming circle of chairs lining the room.
The only organization at South Lakes that serves as an outlet for Christian students, FCA works to guide students to grow in their faith and feel supported through life situations and hardships by providing biblical insight.
The trio of huddle leaders, composed of seniors Catalina Simon, Martin Tai, and Meya Nystrom Kotraba, along with FCA staff members John Holland and Jesse Flaherty, lead the group in games and Bible study, which often involve lessons that tie into common experiences that teens face.
Sophomores Savannah Blair and Chloe Whyte, both regular attendees since freshman year, expressed how the club helped them connect with other like-minded students and feel more comfortable with their faith.
“I used to think that talking about my faith was inappropriate, but [at FCA] I feel more comfortable because I know other people I can talk to that are also Christian”, Whyte said.
Senior huddle leader Catalina Simon recognized that FCA is the only outlet for Christians at our school, and she explained how her goal as a leader is to make the club a safe space that Christians at South Lakes feel comfortable in their faith.
“I want to help people connect their faith in the Lord. Maybe there’s someone coming into FCA who isn’t a believer or is struggling; I want to create a space that is open for them and is accessible. I want to have a connection so that they have an opportunity to hear the word and feel inspired to come to the Lord,” she said.
A central part of FCA that takes up a bulk of the meetings is the lessons provided by the Huddle Leaders, as they work together to share the gospel and touch the hearts of attendees.
Blair shared how her favorite part of FCA is how she can relate to the topics that the leaders discuss in their lessons.
“I like how the topics are very relatable, and I like hearing the different testimonies from the leaders because it makes me feel like I’m not alone”, she said.
Sophomore George Zarechnak expressed how one of the testimonies that FCA staff member and sponsor John Holland shared was especially impactful for him.
“[John] was sharing how he felt as if he didn’t turn to God [at a certain point in his life], then it would be too late. We also discussed the unforgivable sin, which is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and I loved talking about how there’s always a chance for redemption for pretty much everyone, and hearing that from someone’s perspective was impactful,” he said.
Senior huddle leader Martin Tai explained how the FCA team decides which lessons or whose testimonies to share.
“As a group, we get together every week to discuss [the topic]. [Normally], it’s usually about what’s on our hearts, like what we’ve been struggling with recently, what we’ve recently overcome, or what we’ve read in our devotionals that we do together. It’s really what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do,” he said.
Sophomore Luella Adam expressed how she found FCA to be a different and unique outlet for her faith because of the relatable topics that the leaders share and the discussions that take place amongst club members following lessons.
“It’s very relatable because I know that a lot of the people are in a similar situation that I am, like how we go to the same school and have some of the same classes, and it’s nice to listen and talk to people that are going through some of the same struggles and experiences that I am,” she said.
Senior huddle leader Meya Nystrom Kotraba expressed words of encouragement for everyone to feel welcome to come.
“It’s so worth it. People don’t want to come because it’s early, but we have donuts and you’ll always meet nice people from all over the school who you might not normally see or interact with. If you want to learn more about the Bible in a more understandable and casual way, it’s a great way to do that as well,” she said.
