By Joey McWilliams
DURANT – The Southeast Oklahoma area of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is getting set for its spring banquet.
The annual event will again take place in the Ballroom at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, this year on Tuesday, Mar. 13.
Area representative John Capps said the event is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year, but that it is more than just that.
“Our banquet is the highlight center of what happened in the past year, as far as all kinds of ministry – all the ministry we have going on,” Capps said.
“Dinner is usually served at 6:15 and the banquet itself will start at 7 and run for an hour or an hour and a half. It is a night that we highlight kids and coaches and just the ministry itself, so we’re excited.”
Among the honors presented during the evening are the Rising Star Award and the All-Star Award.
“We give our Rising Star award to the kids in the area that are junior high kids that are nominated by their huddle coach,” Capps said. “Those are the kids, seventh and eighth grade, that are an integral part of their huddle on campus, from maybe a leadership team or choose to be a little more involved than some of the other students.
“Our All-Star Award goes to our high school students that kind of do the same. They are students that are well-involved with the huddle and their huddle coach nominates them for the award and we get to highlight them and their effort and their huddle coaches comments and where they’re from and it’s a really neat night to see what’s going on and who’s doing it.”
Coaches and huddle coaches are recognized as well, and Capps talked about the importance of making a difference in the lives of youth and also adults.
“It’s in our vision statement to impact coaches and athletes and who they influence. There’s a lot of things going on in our coaches’ ministry from our luncheon, which is usually held in August, to Bible studies that are taking place to just relationships, and then honoring those coaches or a coach that night that steps up to be a huddle leader sponsor at their school and to honor their efforts and to highlight the school’s huddle.”
The southeast area entails a section of the state that goes as far west as Madill, then makes a line northeast through Tishomingo and up to Atoka. From there, the line goes east to the state line of Arkansas and includes everything south of that to the Red River.
“Our area has about 48 schools right now and we’re about 24-25 huddles within that area and growing,” Capps said. “We’re trying to get a huddle started or something of ministry going on in every school, with ministry on campus in every place.”
For more information about the banquet and FCA in the area, contact Capps at 580-564-5126 or email him at jcapps@fca.org.