Episodes

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

Pat Macken

He is a Canadian tennis professional who has been in the industry for 43 years. He served as Director of Tennis at the prestigious Arbutus Club in Vancouver for 34 of those years. He has a Tennis Canada Coach 3 and Club Pro 2 certification and has trained all levels of players from red ball through provincial teams. As a competitor he has won nine National Senior titles and with his brother Tony was part of the top open doubles team in British Columbia for ten years. He has been selected to represent Canada and B.C. in numerous events. He also writes a column on sports and faith for The B.C. Catholic, which is the Archdiocesan newspaper in his area.

Notable guest quotes:

“I’ve been a cradle Catholic.  We attended Catholic schools most of our lives… and I enjoyed my experiences at the schools… grade one through grade twelve I was in Catholic schools.”

“(My dad) and my mum, there was, they wouldn’t have accepted us acting badly on the court at all.”

“I always found it as exciting to win a sportsmanship award as even winning the tournament.”

“For me there’s five pillars of coaching.  There’s the technical, the tactical, the physical, the mental, and then there’s the character development, and often coaches overlook that aspect.”

“We have to do our best to try to send a message within our sport that helps create behavior in young people that will help society.”

“We have to be respecting our opponents… we have to be working together to grow the game and to help each other become better people.”

“I coach a high school team, it’s my old high school, actually, Vancouver College, which is a Catholic elementary and high school.”

“As I knelt down in front of them, the Holy Spirit just hit me and said, ‘Just ask them to say the Hail Mary with you’.”

“I’d always make a point of praying before we would start the overall, the matches.”

“I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the rosary… I try to say it throughout the day, even during when I’m coaching and doing other activities, I try to say it all the time.”

Related link:

Pat’s official 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.)

Vic Ferrari

He ran cross country track as a student-athlete, has coached flag football, and – now residing in Florida – continues to play competitive co-ed softball. He is a retired New York City Police Department detective who has written six books over the last six years, the latest of which just came out in the latter part of June and is titled, “Confessions of a Catholic High School Graduate.” He also tells a fun story here about playing wiffleball in front of an eventual A-list celebrity.

Notable guest quotes:

“I had Catholicism on both sides of the family.  My mother was Italian, and my dad was Irish.”

“I went to public school for my first eight years and my last year my dad said, ‘Next year you’re going to Catholic high school’.”

“It was a privilege to go to Catholic high school.  Back then, the Bronx, specifically in my neighborhood, was Catholic.”

“Looking back (Catholic high school) was probably four of the best years of my life.”

“I was a big New York Yankee fan and I used to idolize the Yankees.  And my father, he worked seven days a week, my father didn’t have time for sports, actually.  And he would say, ‘I know you love these guys, but they’re not going to do anything for you… They’re not going to put a roof over your house.  They’re not going to come to see you when you’re sick.  They’re not your family… They’re entertainment and never lose sight of that’.”

“My four years of Catholic high school… I went from being this punk kid to, it definitely put me on the right path of discipline and faith.”

“It was kind of a wakeup call to explore your faith.”

“There was a LOT of Catholic members of the New York City Police Department… It’s challenging, I mean, you try to forgive… you try to help people when you can.”

Related link:

Vic’s author page on Amazon (showing all six books)

(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.)

Jordan Langdon

She is a parent coach, motivational speaker, podcaster, and licensed counselor with Families of Character, which equips parents to lead their children with confidence and courage. As a student-athlete she played both basketball and volleyball, plus talks here about having even been on the men’s golf team, in addition to having ran track too. She also holds the all-important roles of being a wife and a mother (with children that play sports) and has thoughts about her experience at the gym and, “belonging to a team at home,” as she has discussed on *her* podcast and as is talked about during this episode.

Notable guest quotes:

“Cradle Catholic, grew up just two blocks from the Catholic church.”

“My kids are in Catholic school now, or, were in Catholic school, and I homeschool them now.”

“My parents were very faithful about bringing us to Mass every weekend.  We never missed.  And we did go to religious education on Wednesday evenings.”

“We spent a lot of time at our parish, cleaning up the grounds and serving Mass … so, just being a very active part of our parish.”

“Making sure that we’re integrating what we’re learning in Mass… and living in a way that is Christ-like and virtuous.”

“Our basketball coach would say, ‘Ya’ know, there are a lot of kids your age that would love to be out here playing sports and because of a disability they’re unable to.  So, I want you to play for that person, put somebody in your mind and sacrifice.  Do your best because someone else would love to be in your position and is unable to.’  That’s been with me over the years and it’s something that I call to mind everyday when I’m at the gym myself doing a workout.”

“There’s so many parallels between a sports team and a family team.  In fact, I always say that our family is the most important team we will ever be a part of.”

“Our family has done over 150 team huddles… We do that every Sunday at our house… The team huddle has been, I would probably say, the number one most transformative thing in my marriage and family life.”

“We live across the street from the church, so we love to ride our bikes over and go to Adoration and say Hi to Jesus… and just be an integral part of our Catholic community.”

Related link:

Families of Character

(This episode contains a prayer attributed to a blog published by the National Catholic Register, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Matt Hoven

He is a professor and Kule Chair at St. Joseph’s College, a Catholic college at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Canada. Three months ago marked the release of a book he co-authored, called, “On the Eighth Day: A Catholic Theology of Sport,” and three years ago he was the lead editor of a book titled, “Sport and Christianity: Practices for the Twenty-First Century.” He even has another book that he is working on, which is talked about in this interview. As part of his higher education, he studied at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.  As a student-athlete he played high school basketball and in his adult years has done some coaching and has played recreational sports.

Notable guest quotes:

“We grew up next to the local Catholic church… it was a small little mission church and we cut the lawn and had the priests over for a drink after confessions and the whole bit.  So, my life as a kid, active in schools and whatnot, but also the church played a prominent role in it.  And sport, of course, was important too.”

“Like anything in this life, we need moderation and balance, and for my family it was always making sure we’re at Mass on Sunday and participating in other things in life that sport never took over.”

“If sport isn’t managed correctly… it can become idolatry where we lose our balance.”

“Each one of us have to ask questions about, ‘What are my priorities in life?  What are my foundational values?  And how do I live accordingly?’  And for people of faith, it’s important to make sure that worship and time in prayer, that that takes a priority over other things.”

“Obviously, if you’re daughter’s the captain of her flag football team and is an incredible athlete, it’s hard not to be proud of that… But when it comes to the sacraments it’s about being dedicated.  It’s about realizing what’s most important in life and having that balance.”

“The human spirit longs for something more.  It longs for order.  It longs for something beyond just the surface of our daily lives.”

“There’s a lot of good work amongst Catholic philosophers and thinkers about what play means.”

“Freedom, connectedness, and transcendence… start to tell us about the power of play and an element of human experience that we really need to pay close attention to.”

“Fundamentally, play is tied to worship, it’s tied to prayer.”

“Popes dating back to, like, Leo XIII, around 1900, have given speeches about sport.”

“Father David Bauer… was a really good hockey player growing up in the 1940s.  He played at the highest level as a teenager and won a national championship, but then he became a priest.”

Related links:

Matt’s website

Matt’s book