Photo Courtesy of Covenant College Instagram
Cordaro Cummings is already a familiar figure on campus. He served as pitching coach for the baseball team in the spring, where I got to know him as Coach C. This year, Coach C manages compliance and home events, in his own words, “making sure the behind-the-scenes details are handled so our coaches and student-athletes can focus on competing well, building community, and representing Christ.” If you heard about Athletic Director John Hirte’s schedule last year, you know he is filling a much-needed position. Coach C works largely behind the scenes, but his calling is the mission of the college.
Coach C has devoted his life to using his role as a coach, administrator and mentor to spread the gospel. “I grew up facing a lot of challenges: poverty, bullying and even seasons of homelessness. But through those struggles, God used each trial to shape my perspective and my calling.” He has a powerful testimony which shows the hand of God in the middle of pain.
One of the ways he’s been able to do that is through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). “FCA is a ministry that uses the platform of sports to share the gospel and encourage coaches and athletes in their faith.” At its core, FCA is an opportunity for athletes to build Christian community.
One of the main reasons I came to Covenant was that the school is staunchly centered on Christ—that, and they had baseball. However, many Christian colleges run into the problem of having no on-campus Christian ministries. While Covenant works hard to foster Christian community internally, it’s hard for one institution to truly replace specialized campus ministries. There’s a gap between what the college can provide and what students, athletes in particular, need. FCA is one ministry that has made an art of forming environments for athletes to grow spiritually, challenging them to glorify God in everything and live out the faith.
Enter Cordaro Cummings. “Starting an FCA chapter on campus would involve creating a consistent space for student-athletes and coaches to gather for encouragement, prayer and discipleship. It could look like regular huddles where athletes share their faith journeys, guest speakers who connect biblical truth to athletics, and service opportunities that extend FCA’s mission into the local community.”
If you’re an athlete interested in FCA at Covenant, look for flyers posted around campus. Drop by Coach C’s office next time you’re at the gym. It’s honestly the coolest office on campus. Also check out his books on Amazon:
“Broken Roads to Redemption: A Journey of Heartache and Hope”
“Finding Jesus in the Pain of Goodbye”
Thumbnail photo courtesy of Covenant College Instagram.