Gretna East offers many extracurricular activities, however, GEHS has been missing one activity with a long history at Gretna High. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, commonly known as FCA, is a group of students, athletes and administrators that meet on Sunday nights to connect through faith and athletics, and is now getting a chapter at the school. Their first meeting is today at 7:30 p.m.

FCA aims to impact the world of sports through Christian faith, but all students are welcome to join. The organization was founded on the principles of character development, leadership, and the importance of faith in competition. It encourages individuals to live out their faith on and off the field, creating a community that shares similar values. A typical meeting involves a guest speaker, a social activity, or a combination of the two.

“I think FCA is an opportunity for a community to be built,” Activities Director Ryan Garder said. “It’s a chance for some of our young men and women to have mentors in their life, and they can recognize that their coaches are not just coaches of football or volleyball, but also life.”

Baseball player development coach Collier Buttgen will be the primary leader of the FCA program at Gretna East with Head Football Coach Justin Haberman also contributing to the group. 

“We want FCA to be whatever students need,” Buttgen said. “This may mean bringing in more adult leaders to act as mentors or lifting current students into leadership roles”. 

The new chapter at Gretna East aims to take such a role by providing a functional learning space for everybody to connect through faith and humanity. This initiative has generated enthusiasm among students who are eager to participate.

“I am most excited to grow with my friends and teammates in our faith,” junior Kate Rhoades said. “Along with meeting together and learning each and every week, I am also excited to get closer with my teammates in areas of our lives other than the sport.”

Serving as a model for the GEHS chapter, Gretna High’s FCA program has not only fostered a community among students but has also contributed to their personal and athletic growth. Jackson Hinze, an FCA director at Gretna High, has witnessed firsthand the positive impact the program has had on students. 

“FCA has served as a place where all students have a place to go and experience fellowship with one another,” Hinze said. “I have seen students experience the love of Jesus in a way that has changed their heart, mind and actions.”

By cultivating an environment similar to GHS’s where students can grow spiritually and personally, FCA seeks to enrich the lives of participants and build lasting relationships.

“FCA will create a safe space for students to belong and be in a community,” Buttgen said.