Episodes

Gerry Cooney

He was a pro heavyweight boxer from 1977 to 1990, following an amateur career in which he posted an amazing won-lost record of 55-3. As a pro, he was 28-3, with 24 of those victories coming by knockout. He rose to a number one ranking by the WBC and in Madison Square Garden in 1981 defeated former world heavyweight champion Ken Norton by a knockout just 54 seconds into the first round.  According to the legendary George Foreman, he was one of the three hardest punchers Foreman had faced in his career, which is proven by him being ranked on “The Ring’s” list of “100 Greatest Punchers of All Time.” Unfortunately, there was a curveball thrown into all this, though, as evidenced by the book he co-authored, which is talked about here.  He founded F.I.S.T. — the Fighters’ Initiative for Support and Training, an organization which helps retired boxers find jobs.  He is an inductee of multiple Halls of Fame and has a show on SiriusXM Radio.

Notable guest quotes:

“I find in myself, if I listen to what God tells me I go down the right path, but so often we choose to do it our way, and we pay for it.”

“I grew up in a large Irish Catholic family… I was confirmed and all that.  I went to Mass every Sunday.”

“Some people are gifted to be in the priesthood.  Some people are lawyers.  Some people are great at whatever they do.  For me, at an early age, boxing was simple… and so it was a gift that was given to me by God, I believe.”

“I learned that in life, that God loves me, God wants me to have everything, God wants me to be peace and love and have a great family and a great life, but I have to do the work.”

“Thankfully, I always had God in my life, and I always believed in God.”

“I never forgot about God because God is my God… I believe in the Bible.  I read the Bible all the time.  I have good friends that read the Bible with me, and I go to Mass three or four days a week and I ask for help all the time and I try to be helpful all the time.”

“We have to stay connected to God and we have to love God’s Word and we have to listen.  We have to pray and meditate.  Those are the gifts that we have.  And when I do that and I quiet down and I pay attention, I know which way to go.”

“We gotta pass that love around and we gotta help people to feel safe and at peace.”

“I’m livin’ the dream, and that dream has been given to me from God, the Almighty.”

Related link:

Book: “Gentleman Gerry: A Contender in the Ring, a Champion in Recovery”

(This episode contains a prayer by Gregg Easterbrook from the NFL.com and ESPN.com column “Monday Morning Quarterback,” as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Amy Seago

She is in her 19th season at the helm of the track and field and cross-country programs at the College of Charleston, up in South Carolina.  During her time there, athletes have captured 22 conference titles and have earned nine NCAA regional appearances.  Prior to her current employer she served as the head women’s cross-country coach and assistant men’s and women’s track and field coach at Washington & Lee for two years.  She began her career as a graduate assistant at Pittsburg State in Kansas. In her days as a student-athlete she was a track and field All-American at Allegheny College and served two years as a team captain.  She was honored in 2004 as a member of the NCAC All-Decade team for both cross country and track and field and was subsequently elected to the Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame.

Notable guest quotes:

“My mom actually raised us Catholic.  My dad is a Christian, but not Catholic, so a lot of the going to CCD class and Mass every week was on her.  And I appreciate the faith basis that she gave me because it has made a tremendous difference in my life.”

“Most recently, when I went to visit my parents, I did go to the Mother Angelica Museum.  And previous to that a couple years, I had went to the house where Rhoda Wise grew up.”

“I went to a wonderful church, Little Flower parish… and from there I definitely have grown my appreciation for St. Thérèse and just, actually St. Thérèse has made a large impact in my life in just some of my just asking for her intercession.”

“My faith has always been important to me… in college… I would do my best to always make it to Mass.”

“When I went to grad school… I helped to teach CCD classes at the local Catholic church there.”

“I try to treat everybody as individuals in the beautiful people that they are in God’s image and likeness.  And so, when the opportunity comes up where I’m able to share my faith, I love to be able to do that.”

“I knew that this (student-athlete) was pretty nervous about her event, and I said, ‘Ya’ know, just trust that God has this and your story, you don’t have to take all control of this’.”

“I feel like this year for me has been transformational just in me having the courage to share more.”

“Sports are a metaphor for life, but, how much greater when you can connect it to Christ.”

“Listening to the Holy Spirit, he’s not going to lead you in the wrong direction.”

“I’m a member of this great Catholic moms group.  And what a beautiful, beautiful group… they send messages just for prayers for one another.  And to see the impact that prayer has!”

Related link:

Amy’s bio on CofC website

(This episode contains a prayer from the National Catholic Coaches Association‘s “The Leadership Papers,” although originally credited in there to The Coach’s Bible.)

Javier Aguirre

He is co-organizer of Copa Católica, a soccer tournament for parishes that launched eight years ago and has seen more than 35 teams and over 500 participants.  As a result of his involvement with that initiative he has organized and participated in other sports events, including as a referee.  This year he started as a trainer for the under-15 team in his town in the Netherlands and he is also organizing amateur world cups. He and his co-organizer of Copa Católica have roots in participating in multiple instances of the worldwide encounter with the Pope known as World Youth Day.

Notable guest quotes:

“I was born and raised in Spain, in Madrid, in a Catholic family… I think that most Spanish people are still Catholic, even if not all of them attend Mass daily.”

“When I was young it was mainly Catholic schools.  I was attending a Catholic school.”

“I think it’s very common for Spanish people to go to Catholic school and then be involved with Catholic community until they do their Confirmation sacrament, when they decide to be part of the church after their godfather and godmother had decided in your baptism.”

“It was in World Youth Day in 2011 when I discovered the church as it is, as universal and as that beautiful church that Christ left us.”

“Everything is, if I (look) back now, I think it was really an explosion of faith and happiness.”

“I think this is like in the story you have in the Bible with the girl that goes to pick up water.  I think I was thirsty for God.  I had really the need (for) God.”

“I was even praying the rosary every day.  Some weeks I also attended the Daily Mass.  I was joining a group of young Catholics.”

“We were inspired by the Clericus Cup.  It is a soccer tournament that is played in the Vatican between people that are studying to be priests, from different countries.”

“I was at least meeting some people and priests during the weekends, and also making pilgrimages – I had two, I think, in the space of one year – which helped me to stay committed.”

“I think… Ireland was a great discovery for me in terms of prayer.  So, I joined a meditation group after, I think, two or three months after arriving in Ireland.  And I think this was what I was really missing.”

“For me I think that the periods that I had more prayer in my life, it’s not that I didn’t have difficulties, but I had the strength to fight or to address the difficulties… I really had the hope.”

Related link:

Copa Católica website

Sister Jean Schmidt

She is a nun with the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), having been received into the order in 1938 and taking her final vows in 1945. She went on to teach at St. Charles Elementary School in North Hollywood, California, where she started a sports program, coaching women’s basketball, softball, volleyball, track, ping-pong, and yo-yo. In 1994 she took on a role with the Loyola University Chicago men’s and women’s basketball teams and since 1996 has been the team chaplain for the men’s basketball team. In January 2017 she was inducted into the Ramblers’ Athletics Hall of Fame.  On August 21st of this year, she celebrated her 103rd birthday.

Notable guest quotes:

“I’ve been a Sister for over 80 years.”

“God has been very good to me, and so I owe Him a lot.”

“She used to tell us all the time that we weren’t too young to be thinking about what God wanted us to do.”

“Every day I used to pray to God and say, ‘God, please, tell me what You would like me to do, but say that you want me to be a BVM Sister’.”

“We didn’t forget to pray, because, we prayed before every game… That’s what we do before every game we play.”

“We pray to God, ask Him for help in winning the game… We pray and then I bless their hands before they go out to the court for the last warmup.”

“I pray with the fans.  The fans’ prayer is different… My prayer welcomes the team that’s visiting us… I ask that nobody gets injured, and of course, we pray for the referees that they can see okay and call the plays with equity.  And at the end I always say, ‘Please God, help at the end at the final buzzer that Loyola has the big W on the scoreboard’.”

“I think sports and faith, and sports and human development all go together.”

“Those of us who are Catholics and Christians, we’re all for a little competition too.  We’re competing against the devil to go to heaven.  So, that’s pretty tough competition.”

“I believe in prayer no matter what we want to do.  Prayer is always necessary.”

“God is a God of surprises.  And He surprises us lots of times.  And we have to keep believing in Him, and, knowing that whatever happens to us is going to be good for us.”

“When I wake up, first of all, in the morning, I say, ‘Thank you, God, for bringing me to this day.  And help me to do all for Your honor and glory’.”

Patrick Pulis

He was a longtime soccer player as a student-athlete, ranging from club teams to high school to rec leagues while attending college.  As an adult he coached soccer as well.  As he was discerning the priesthood, he became interested in running, eventually training to run a half-marathon.  He wrote a book called, “Touched By A Flame: A True Story of One Man’s Journey in the World of God,” which includes his experience running and training.  He also mentions another book during this interview, and he has a side business inspired by his interest in the saints.

Notable guest quotes:

“My parents were actually born in Slovakia and Czech Republic, so I also grew up with that culture around me, speaking that language as well.  And we grew up as Catholics.”

“Actually, my faith life really grew tremendously during my college years.  I, for the first time, started attending Mass daily… and a lot of times go to Adoration, a lot of times it would be – a few times a week – I would go for holy hour.  And I was also involved with FOCUS… and I was leading a Bible study at that time.”

“During college I met a group, the Sodalitium, which is a society of apostolic lay men and women that, it’s kind of a new order in the church, and their charisms were really working with the poor and doing apostolic work, which is evangelizing and working on bringing people to the faith.”

“I really felt the calling to go down to Peru and join them.  I did a vigil, an all-night vigil, where I really discerned and prayed, and I felt as if God lifted a lot of weight upon me.”

“I started opening myself up to what God’s Will and His plan is.”

“We as humans are physical human beings but we’re also spiritual, and so that physical and spiritual is very important to form both areas of your life.”

“Anyone who gives their life to God – you don’t have to be a priest or religious – but, they are under a focus for the devil to attack.”

“There is a lot of spiritual warfare that goes on, especially when you dedicate so much time to prayer and to living a virtuous life.”

“I think some of the qualities that I learned from being in sports really matched up with the spiritual qualities that was able to help me fight this.  And Jesus talks about having a firm foundation, otherwise a storm will come, and it will topple your house over.”

“Although the devil was near and fighting, I think God was even nearer to my heart and He kept me going in places where I wouldn’t be able to do it myself.”

“When we direct that power, those passions, everything that we have, towards the good and towards the ultimate good, which is holiness and sainthood, that is when we are fully free.”

“We form our muscles, but in the spiritual world we are forming our virtues and our heart.”

Related links:

Patrick’s book, “Touched By A Flame: A True Story of One Man’s Journey in the World of God”

Patrick’s Saint Of The Month website (with his other book)

(This episode contains a prayer originally excerpted and adapted from Day By Day: The Notre Dame Prayerbook for Students by Thomas McNally, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Keara Mooberry

She has been a swimmer for probably more of her life than not, starting from a young age to club teams to high school to college and even participating today in US Masters Swimming.  Plus, she also coached high school swimming, AND she is going to be a judge at CYO swim meets.  Along the way, as a student-athlete, she also competed in cycling.  She has also come to see the connection between swimming and her faith, which she talks about here.  As a wife and a mother, she also has a side business that serves those same roles and is influenced by her Catholic faith.

Notable guest quotes:

“The faith life was always a part of our family.  So, I was born Catholic, baptized Catholic as a baby, and we were always part of our parish wherever we lived.”

“We went to Mass every Sunday, and we did CCD through the parish on the weekends, and that was the majority of where our faith formation happened, was, at the parish and CCD.”

“Nothing else was comforting to me at all and in that moment, I reached for my Bible.”

“Philippians chapter 4, verse 6… still that verse today… it’s my favorite.”

“I started to get involved with the Newman Center and surround myself with… students who were striving for holiness in their lives.”

“After my reversion, my heart all of a sudden was open to meeting him.  I had no idea he was going to be my husband; I was only 19.”

“I started to read more spiritual readings and research more about the faith and… I’ve been on the journey to just learn more.”

“I came out loving the church, in a way, because of the community we had there.”

“I see it as a gift; my athleticism is a gift, the body that can do the swimming as a gift, and the people He put in my life to help me along the way.”

“When I’m swimming, I feel just so thankful that He’s given me this gift and that I am able to glorify Him in a way with my swimming and trying to offer it back to Him.”

Related link:

Keara’s side business, Heart In Hand Mama

(This episode contains a prayer adapted from one by an unknown Confederate Soldier, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Brett Meister

He spent 23 years working for the Harlem Globetrotters, leading the team’s Communications Department. During that time, he arranged two visits to the Vatican and accompanied the Globetrotters players to meet Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. Previously he had served as VP of Communications for the Continental Basketball Association, working as the league’s main spokesperson and liaison to the NBA and USA Basketball. His international experience also included work on the US Olympic Committee press information team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and serving as assistant venue press manager for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. As a student-athlete he played football, baseball, and ran track & field in high school, still holding the school record for 400-meter hurdles and being inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2018. This past March he was named the Director of Communications for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. He is also a professional sports photographer and prior to his new role shot Georgia Tech football and men’s & women’s basketball.

Notable guest quotes:

“We grew up in a very Catholic household.  We all served Mass.  We were all lectors.  We lived very close to the Catholic church… we were about two blocks away.  So, very involved in the Catholic church, growing up.”

“The small Catholic college that I went to… just continued my faith journey through academics.”

“I never had a moment in my life where I strayed away from the church.  It was always part of going to Sunday Mass, following the sacraments, um, never had a moment where I strayed away.  It’s always been the center of my life.”

“It was everything off of the court; how the Globetrotters could impact lives, be a role model, be a symbol for hope or opportunity.  That, quite honestly, was what kept me going, is, their role as ambassadors of goodwill.”

“Part of my work with the Globetrotters, I worked with a couple of different charity initiatives.  One was called World Vision International.  They’re a Christian-based humanitarian group that helps underprivileged regions of the world.”

“We had an opportunity to meet (Pope John Paul II), took some pictures, spun the (basket)ball on his finger.”

“In 2015 we met Pope Francis at the Vatican… we met him, took pictures, spun the (basket)ball on his finger, shook his hand… and I’ll never forget Pope Francis, when I shook his hand and asked him to pray for me, and he says, ‘No, you pray for me’!”

“The Globetrotters… would play an annual tour of games… and they would go to U.S. military bases overseas… One of my favorite things about the military tour is we would eat with the troops in the mess halls and a couple of times I would actually end up sitting with the chaplain of the base and asking about the prayer life and pray with the chaplain before the meal.”

“Communications is communications.  Yes, I went from sports and entertainment to the Catholic church, but the Catholic church has been part of my life since a baby.  It was just learning the nuances and some of the vocabulary and the people.”

“I am a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus – been a member of the Knights for probably 37 years… I love what the Knights do, and I love the charity work they do.”

Related link:

Diocese of Phoenix announcement of Brett’s hiring in March