| Faith and sweat: sports chaplaincy |
 |
 |
| Monday, 11 August 2008 01:19 |
|
Meera Atkinson
We envy the privileged spectators witnessing the world’s best athletes in action up close and personal. And somewhere in the back of our minds we are aware of the teams of support people — coaches, managers, sponsors, family, who help them go for gold. But there is one among them who works unheralded and unseen: the sports chaplain. Unpack the issues...Nett Knox, a long time member of Pittwater Uniting Church, has been a sports chaplain for 11 years. She describes a sports chaplain as somebody who is there simply to support the athlete as a person regardless of how they perform, one of the very few people an athlete will come across who has no vested interest in outcome. “I attend athlete’s meets and sporting games,” she says. “If something is happening in their lives or they’ve just been accepted onto the Olympic team I send letters or cards. If they’ve been injured I pray for them. I coach a women’s soccer team as part of my ministry.” So is sports chaplaincy a bit like being a religious counsellor or coach? “You could call it that. I’m personally uncomfortable with the word religious. There’s definitely a spiritual element to it.” Nett has her own sporting background in addition to theological training. The Sydney Olympics were looming at the time Nett graduated with a Bachelor of Theology and a Diploma of Ministry. She approached officials about chaplaincy and was offered a position. “It’s a very high pressure atmosphere, an emotional atmosphere. They experience all the normal emotions all of us would feel: loneliness, isolation, away from their family and support base. There are always things that go wrong: they can be injured and can’t compete to the best of their ability or can’t compete at all. That can be devastating. Their life is their sport and without their sport a lot of them feel like their life is gone.” It’s surprising to learn that Australian chaplains tend not only to Australian or Christian athletes but any athlete from any team around the world who requests the support of a chaplain. Even more surprising is the fact that none of the chaplains are paid, not even for the cost of their airfare and out of pocket expenses. So why do it? “For a lot of [athletes] this is their world, sport is their God so when that’s taken away they’re left with a huge void. The joy is in having the privilege of praying with athletes… and their willingness to have somebody pray with them and for them and therefore open their lives and hearts up to God.” The image of a big burly fullback on his knees is not one that readily comes to mind but Grant Stewart, sports chaplain to NRL Rugby League team, Melbourne Storm, sees the vulnerable side of footballers. He says sports chaplaincy has been practiced in Australia for over 20 years and is a growing concern. “Most of the major codes and most of the teams in those codes have got sports chaplains. It’s not very well known, partly because it’s a behind the scenes kind of role and partly because it’s most of the time a voluntary association.” Footballers regularly appear in the press after nights out drinking and brawling. “With crisis intervention I tend to be one of the people involved,” he says. “Often it’s to do with other stuff that’s happening in their lives and it’s a symptom rather than a cause. I’m seen as part of the welfare department. There’s been an acknowledgement that attitudes towards women and behaviour outside the club have been issues for a long time. It has to do with helping the guys to see that there’s more to life than footy. That’s part of my role — a holistic understanding of what life is about and the spiritual dimension of life.” Anyone wishing to support the work of sports chaplains can make donations through Sports Chaplaincy Australia. Unpack the issues...
Set as favorite
Bookmark
Email This
Trackback(0)
Comments (0)
 Write comment
|
Beijing is now upon us and history is in the making. There were sneak previews of the opening ceremony and our eyes are fixed on Australia’s elite athletes.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/Hide comment form
