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“We believe sport is one of the most powerful cultural influencers that exists. And we believe that Jesus has the power to change the world. And so we envision a world changed by Jesus through sport.”
Steve Klassen is Regional Director of Athletes in Action (AIA) Manitoba Camps, which he explains is first and foremost a ministry made up of people who love sports, have found a passion in sports, and love Jesus.
“We work with kids through sports, teaching them how to play basketball or volleyball or soccer or just learn to love sports in general, and simultaneously learn about Jesus and the gift that He gives us.”
Presently, Klassen is most excited about a new junior volleyball club that Athletes in Action has just announced.
“It seems there is a real gap for younger kids to be able to learn how to play volleyball. So we’re hosting a junior volleyball club this spring at Calvin Christian Elementary.”
The club runs twice a week until June 19, for boys and girls in Grades 4 to 6, and there is an additional girls-only club for Grades 7 and 8.
All summer long, AIA will be running more than 20 basketball, volleyball, soccer, and multi-sport camps in communities across Manitoba.
“We have a real heart to serve, so we're bringing our programming into your community and not expecting you to drive an hour to come and find us. We have basketball happening in Morris and Niverville, junior and senior volleyball in Steinbach, and all four options in Winkler and Morden.
This year, Klassen says they’re focusing on the word ‘teammate.’
“In sport, it's pretty easy to figure out what that means, but in life and in community, it means something quite different,” he explains. “We can have teammates at school, or our siblings at home. And Jesus set the gold standard for what it means to be a good teammate. So we’re asking kids, what does that look like? The love Jesus showed, the grace He demonstrated. How can we exemplify those things on the court or in our homes? Can we show love to someone who’s hard to love? What does it mean to forgive someone when maybe they haven't said that they're sorry? Is there a place for grace in that conversation? And most importantly, what does it mean to be on Jesus’ team?”
Klassen’s passion for the work that Athletes in Action does was clear when he shared this story from a recent Winnipeg basketball camp, when one of the head coaches asked him to stop by and help rein in a group of “spirited” boys.
“When I look at that day and what small group time looked like and what sharing time looked like – because that's really the most gospel-centric part of our day – it was pretty clear there was no reference point from which they could understand what we were talking about. We had to back it up a little bit, and throughout the course of the week, I got that same call every day: ‘I need you here.’ So I went.”
“At the end of that week – on Thursday, our gospel sharing day – it’s all about the story of grace we've been given, and it's this incredible story of someone taking the punishment for the thing that we deserve. And, we ran this conditioning drill. The whole point is that by the end, they’re so tired they’ll sit and listen. But that day, there was one kid who just couldn't do it. He was exhausted. After cycle after cycle of watching him struggle, our head coach said, ‘If you do this thing three times perfectly, I'll let you be done. Or you can jog 15 laps around the gym.’
“He was so relieved, so here he goes. He's gonna run his 15 laps. And he got about halfway around the gym when another boy said, 'Steve, could I take his place and run his laps?' I was taken aback. I stopped everything and shouted, ‘I'm going to teach you a word today – grace – and this is what it looks like. This young man has volunteered to offer grace to a teammate who desperately needs it.’
“And he ran hard. He gave us 15 for-real laps. It was staggering. And when we moved into gospel sharing time, it was so cool to parallel that story with God's story, and to say this is what it looks like on a world scale. This is what it looks like historically from the Giver of Life. And the questions that came out of small group time after were… I mean, I couldn't believe this was the same group of kids.
“The questions they asked showed they were seriously moved, and it was pretty cool to see some kids give their lives to Jesus that week. I'll never forget that moment. It was one of the most powerful things I have witnessed from children.”
Parents interested in signing their children up for a summer camp can visit athletesinaction.com and select “Camps and Clubs,” then choose Manitoba. Or call Steve directly at 204-474-1718.
“I am just so grateful,” Klassen says. “For the love and support of this community, and for the opportunity to help kids encounter Jesus through sport.”