Lauren Sajewich
Episode 156
24 JAN 2022
She has been playing soccer professionally, including with last year’s Danish League Champions as well as with the Chicago Red Stars Reserves, who reached the 2019 national quarterfinals and the 2016 national semifinals after having been 2015 WPSL national champions. This all followed a collegiate career that saw her at Texas Christian University where she was a four-year starter, senior captain, two-time Team MVP, and her team reaching one Big 12 Championship Final.
Notable guest quotes:
“I did receive a scholarship to go play soccer at (Texas Christian University), which was great. And then the association with Christianity was definitely attractive to me… I liked that TCU had a small religious requirement as far as taking a religious class.”
“(Fellowship of Christian Athletes) was a huge part of my time at TCU… It was just great to be amongst a community of athletes and players who have played at a high level and are very competitive but also who know that sport doesn’t define their identity and that there’s something much bigger than sport and that’s a relationship with the Lord.”
“I think learning about God the Father more and His love compelled me to see (that) my dad may not be able to do these physical things or do what other dads can do, but he still loves me.”
“In 2019 at the Catholic Sports Camp, it was the first time that I experienced, really, the coming together of Catholic faith and soccer and it was real beautiful just being able to coach and play with the kids on the field and … in the morning we’d have Mass and then maybe Adoration or Confession throughout the day.”
“I love sports so much and I love soccer so much and I love my faith and I just see how God moves through sport, and soccer specifically.”
“It was a blossoming of my desire to seek more Catholic community.”
“I didn’t really get a taste of youth ministry growing up and I felt like it was something I kind of missed out on. So, being able to serve the high school students at St. Andrew’s was something that I was definitely interested in… I just felt totally blessed by the kids and by the other leaders.”
“It occurred to me when I went over (to Europe) that… it was going to be honestly even maybe even more important to continue growing and learning and being molded in the Catholic faith.”
“One of my big prayers going over to Denmark was, one, that there would be a Catholic church that was close, and then two, just to have a community outside of my team. And I think the Lord has been so gracious in providing that.”
“I’m pursuing a Master’s in Theology at the Augustine Institute… I’m hoping… to go on and teach at a Catholic high school or some Catholic school at some level.”