Returning to the USAO campus this spring trimester is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, or the FCA for short. FCA has been on the campus in the past, but has disappeared after its leaders have graduated from USAO.

FCA is exactly what its name says: it is a non-profit Christian organization designed for collegiate athletes to have a place for fellowship and community.

According to their website, the FCA got its start in 1954 right here in Oklahoma when Don McClanen, a basketball coach, began a group for sharing the Christian faith. The organization took off over the years, and it now has over 80,000 members in 114 countries.

The USAO Chapter will be led by Grant Murphey, senior business administration major and member of the men’s golf team.

“The FCA is a place where athletes can gather together and build relationships with each other and Christ,” Murphey said.

Murphey got the idea to bring back FCA to the campus after traveling to Oklahoma City University (OCU) and seeing the Chapter located there.

“My girlfriend goes to Oklahoma City University, and she’s on the leadership team there, and that got me thinking ‘hey, we need something like that at USAO,’” said Murphey. “I want to see how God moves there. If one person’s life can be changed by FCA, if one soul is impacted for all of eternity, then it will all be worth it.”

Murphey has hosted two meetings this spring, and throughout both meetings players from the golf, basketball, baseball, and softball programs have filled the seats. Murphey recently partnered with USAO’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), in order to reach more individuals.

“It’s nice that there’s actually something that will bring athletes together on a weekly basis,” said Caleb Smith, a senior golf player. “Being here for four years, there hasn’t been anything like this. Being able to interact, share stories, and share testimonies is refreshing. I’m proud of Grant putting this together.”

Addysyn Amsus, freshman communication major and member of the women’s golf team, likes the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than herself. Asmus said she thinks this is a good opportunity to help with something new, and she said she is excited to see how the Chapter will grow.

The FCA Chapter will meet at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays at the BCM building at the intersection of 19th Street and Alabama Ave, just behind Sparks Hall off campus. To stay up to date with the FCA’s agenda their Instagram is @usao_fca.

Paul Tointigh is a third-year Communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.