Episodes

Mario Andretti

He is a racing icon, considered by many to be the greatest race car driver in the history of the sport. He had an illustrious career that saw him win in every discipline he entered – midgets, sprint cars, dirt track cars, stock cars, IndyCars, Formula One, Formula 5000 and sports cars. He won the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500 and ultimately the Formula One World Championship, an unprecedented trifecta in that no other race car driver has ever won all three titles. He took the checkered flag 111 times during a career that stretched five decades and across six continents. The Associated Press named him Driver of the Century.

Notable guest quotes:

“We were, as a family, a product of World War II.  Where I was born… Our region was occupied by hardline communism… We were refugees in our own country for seven-and-a-half years.”

“This is when you put yourself in the faith of God too, because the future is very cloudy at best. Again, your heart goes out to these people, honestly (in the Ukraine).”

“We had a priest in our family until we left Italy and, to me, I loved that man more than I loved anyone in my life.”

“My dream began of becoming a race (car) driver when I was still in the refugee camp, like, the impossible dream, it’s something we never gave up on.”

“I put myself in the hands of God in so many ways… I always had a prayer just before every single race.”

“Every single race I was always thinking, I used to put myself in the hands of my uncle priest.  I’d say, ‘He’ll take care of me.’  And that gave me the courage, that gave me peace and tranquility in what I was doing, which was all-important.  You have to have a serene mind when you’re doing something that requires so much focus… and I had that because of my faith.”

“…today.  I have a two-seater car, I have a passenger behind me, and I feel very confident of my own ability that we’re safe, but at the same time, it’s a mechanical thing that we’re relying on.  There could be something mechanical happening that could hurt us, but I feel that we’re protected in the way that I put myself in the faith of God and that’s what has kept me going.  That’s what keeps me going today.”

“I had a situation in 2003 at Indianapolis, which could’ve been the end of it all.  I had a big flip at over 200 miles an hour and should not have survived that.  I did.  And that was by the grace of God, for sure.”

“I’ve been spared in so many situations and I don’t take it for granted.  I know how blessed I’ve been, and I always say this, I count my blessings every day because of that.”

Related link:

Mario’s official website

Dan O’Leary

He was a tight end and long snapper who was drafted by the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and went on to play for them, the New York Giants, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had played his college football at Notre Dame, where he was captain in his senior year, when the Fighting Irish played in the BCS Fiesta Bowl Game. After college he played in the Hula Bowl, all of which followed a high school football career that saw him play on three state championship teams, two of which were national championships. As a senior he was rated the #1 tight end in the country.

Notable guest quotes:

“My mom, she took me to Mass every single day at an early age.  I think it was, this was every day pretty much before preschool and kindergarten.  That’s kind of where my faith and spirituality began.”

“When I look back and think about where God’s played a major role in my life, it happened at an early age… I remember, specifically, Confirmation… that was pretty powerful for me at the time… From that point on you’re in this conversation with our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Saint Ignatius (high school) did an unbelievable job of talking about what is God calling you to be and being a man for others.”

“I began to start setting like, just different scriptures and making that the theme of each year.”

“My theme for this year is GREAT, ya’ know, be great.  And the acronym, G stands for God – and this is all in the importance of what’s important to me in life, priorities – but it would be God, relationships – with my family and with my friends, E is for exercise, A is for abundant life… and then the T is for thankfulness.”

“(The Catholic aspect of Notre Dame) was big… For me it was an easy decision.  I’ve always loved Notre Dame.  My parents, my family have always loved Notre Dame.  Ya’ know, the campus itself is just, it’s so serene, it’s so peaceful, the grotto, the lakes there, the basilica, it made sense for me.  I’m Irish Catholic.”

“If I look back in that time, it could’ve been very, very easy for me to quit but I had to rely on my faith that I knew this was going to get better.”

“I just kinda felt like, ya’ know, Our Father, ‘Thy Will be done,’ God’s Will – whatever it is, if it is to play football, it’s gonna happen.  If it’s not, then it’s time to switch gears.  So, I was just okay with whatever happened.”

(upon getting drafted into the NFL) “There was definitely a feeling of thankfulness and there were prayers that were said right after that.  That was obviously His Will for me.”

“There was a lot of fellowship before and after football games, and once a week just fellowship meetings that we would go to.”

“God didn’t create any one of us to be average.  My belief is God created every one of us to be exceptional in our own way.”

“It’s one thing to go to Mass… but I think it’s another thing to be in a real conversation with your creator, sitting down with Jesus and talking with Him.”

(This episode contains a prayer originally from catholic.org, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Dr. Mark Webber

He is a world champion power lifter. Since 2018 he has broken nine state records in dead lift and bench press, along the way taking first place at the World Championships last year for the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters for 220-pound 50–54-year-olds. In college he had been a middle linebacker on the football team at the University of San Diego, a Catholic college where he also ran track for them, setting the school shot put and discus records. For approximately 25 years now he has been running a chiropractic sports clinic in the Pacific northwest where for years he has served numerous sports teams and events in roles such as medical director, team doctor, head drug tester, and team chiropractor.

Notable guest quotes:

“I was raised Catholic, but my dad… went into the monastery. He was a Trappist Monk… He felt called to go into that life and he was there for three years.”

“I visited a Trappist monastery many times and it was an amazing place.  I even considered going into it at one point, but I did feel more called to be married.”

“Then I said, ‘So God, do you really exist?  Do you really exist, God?  If you really exist, please show me a sign.  Show me a sign.’  And so, then I just felt this peace come over me.”

“I remember after kicking field goals one day saying, ‘Well, if I really believe in God and I believe everything that is around it, shouldn’t I want to go to Mass?  Shouldn’t I want to go to church?  Shouldn’t I be taking advantage of going to church?’  And at that point it became clear that yeah, I should be taking advantage of this.  So, I started going to Mass every morning.”

“I was also the founding member of the University of San Diego Knights of Columbus.  So, we started the Knights of Columbus on campus, and I became a third degree, and I was the first warden they had.”

“I stopped competing because… priorities change when you get married and have kids.”

“My dad had a third stroke, and he went into the hospital the day I found out my sister had cancer.”

“I said, ‘God, please help me to handle this.  Please help me to embrace it.  Give me grace.  I know they say You don’t give us more than we can handle.’  And, at the time, once I said that and I accepted it, it became much more bearable for me.”

“I thought of Jesus on the cross and I’m thinking, ‘Well, I don’t have nails through my hands and nails through my feet.  This is a lot easier than what He had to do.’  And I found there’s a certain peace when I gave it up to God, my suffering up to God.”

“When I do my dead lifts, the movement of a dead lift from the ground up, I think of Jesus on the cross, walking, when He’s carrying His cross and when He falls, and He has to stand up with the cross.  And I visualize myself doing the same movement with the dead lift like I’m picking up my cross.”

“We do a Bible study.  It’s about two to three hours on Thursday nights… Once a month we also go down and we feed the homeless in Seattle.  We cook up a meal, we put it all together, and then we serve.  So, it’s giving back.”

Related link:

Mark’s bio on his chiropractic sports clinic website

[This episode contains a prayer from the Play Like A Champion Today Coaches Manual (University of Notre Dame), as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport]

John Chick

He played two years for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and also spent time in the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts organizations. In addition, he played many years in the Canadian Football League and was a two-time Grey Cup champion as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who won the league title game in both 2007 and 2013. In 2009 he earned the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award and in 2013 he led the league in sacks.  He would also play in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Edmonton Eskimos. As a student-athlete he had played college football at Utah State.  Nowadays he is all about helping men become on fire, fit, and free.

Notable guest quotes:

“We were at church every Sunday and I grew up (with) many powerful experiences in the faith… We were serving soup kitchens every month.”

“Fortunately, I just had good doctors, great people (who’d) come and visit, and just was raised in a home that I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”

“I went to school at Utah State University and… what I found out is, I knew my faith, I had this conviction, but I wasn’t great at apologetics.”

“There was only a Newman Center (at Utah State)… that, at max, could hold three hundred people, and that’s where I was every Sunday.  And I found early on that I wanted to know how to defend my faith.”

“I can see in my story going back, every time I got knocked down it was, God blessed it more abundantly than you can imagine.”

“I called the Jaguars – who had asked me to sign with them the year before – and I ate some humble pie and said, ‘Hey, ya’ know what?  This isn’t what I thought (in Indianapolis). I’ll sign to your practice roster.  I believe I can come make your team.’  And it went back and forth, and they brought me down there.”

“My second year in Saskatchewan I had a season filled with injuries… And those down times were my best times of faith.”

“In 2008… that began a lifetime journey of getting to know Jesus in the scripture, getting to know the Word of God and really leaning on my faith.”

“Would I have had all of those accomplishments, achievements, all those things, without the cross… I don’t think so.”

“I always believed in mind, body, and spirit, that it’s all one.  We are not divided.  Jesus Christ is a hundred percent man, a hundred percent God.  We are created in His image and likeness.”

“All I knew, in my world, is the pursuit of greatness using my body to glorify God in my body.”

Related link:

John’s “Iron Will” website

(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)

Ed Valaitis

He is what you might call a late bloomer with an amazing story of being far more active in sports now than he was at traditional youth, student, and post graduate ages, due to his upbringing. An adventure traveler, present day he participates in running, biking, hiking, and skiing. His devotion to his Catholic faith can be seen in that two months ago he put out a book that is designed to help business owners determine both when to sell and how to sell their companies, YET, by sharing his *personal* story, he achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in the Catholic Self Help category. (NOTE: This episode contains sensitive and emotional subject matter.)

Notable guest quotes:

“We actually went to Catholic elementary school the first eight years.”

“When I was writing the book – I began 18 months ago – and I had been pushed by God.”

“At times I would say in my mind, I’d say, kinda, ‘Could ya’ keep it down, I’m trying to worship you here’.”

“As my faith grew stronger, when I got married… my wife and I agreed we were going to raise our kids in the Catholic faith… and we were going to go to Mass every week, we were going to live a stronger faith life.”

“My 40^th birthday I read the Bible cover to cover that year.”

“I knew God had forgiven me, but I still hadn’t forgiven myself completely.”

“My best thinking would happen during Mass and (I) came up with Cause For Courage, and the name came from the fact that if there’s any reason to have courage, it’s a child.”

“I have a deep love of nature, so, being outdoors and in the wilderness is certainly a high priority, and I think God’s presence is there and an opportunity to pray and meditate and enjoy His presence.”

“God’s gift to us certainly is Earth and the nature and the beauty of it all.  And, when I run or participate in other activities, I’ll often say a prayer and thank God for the ability to run.”

“It’s about living each day full out and serving God’s Will and helping us all get closer to Christ.”

Related links:

Ed’s book “Exit Like a Winner” on Amazon

CauseForCourage.com

Fr Craig Vasek

He is the Chaplain for athletics at the University of Mary, a Catholic institution in Bismarck, North Dakota, where he works full-time with 19 athletic teams and around 450 scholar-athletes.  Ordained as a priest in 2010 in Minnesota, he is a graduate of the Pontifical North American College in Vatican City. Raised around sports, he began to letter in ninth grade as a multi-sport athlete in football, basketball and track & field, including having been a two-way starter for his high school football team which advanced to a state championship, AND earning a trip to the state track & field championships his senior year.  He also hosts various radio shows and has even done a podcast of his own.

Notable guest quotes:

“This didn’t convert my life to the Lord at all, but it was like this sort of athletic redemption thing.”

“By the end of it I had opened my entire life before God through the priest.”

“The only thing that I knew at the end of that retreat and from that moment forward was that Jesus died for me, and He just saved my life and now I’m going to live for Him ‘cause I love Him.”

“Jesus just whispered right through me pretty, I mean, it was kind of a loud whisper, ‘This is what I want you to do’ as I’m looking at the priest.”

“To have a priest walking around in the athletic department, when I first arrived, it was kind of funny.  I mean, I almost felt awkward.  I’m usually fine walking around in clerics, but I almost started feeling awkward ‘cause, like, I’d come around a corner and there’d be students walking and they would immediately, like, clam up, these football players or whoever they were, they’d clam up… because they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, God just walked around the corner’.”

“The world of athletics needs conversion because these are the people that, for better or for worse, are the ministers, are the pastors, of a generation of youth… We need a conversion so that, like, we can proclaim the gospel through sport rather than trying to convert people away from sport so that we can get the gospel to ‘em.”

“The purpose of sport is not to win.  The purpose of sport finds itself within the greater purpose of all human endeavors, which is that I become who God has created me to be so that I might inherit eternal life.”

“A lot of our mental health struggles, that I find, is that people don’t have any virtue, and that’s why they’re struggling.  And because they’re clamoring for their identity in their sport or they’re clamoring for their identity in their friends rather than in the Lord.”

“First Corinthians chapter nine in the heart of it, ‘Run so as to win, for a crown that is imperishable rather than one that is perishable.’  It’s magnificent work by Saint Paul, he who is in Greece, understanding the Olympics, understanding that Gentile way, and then leaning in with this kind of drawing together two principles: the one of the pursuit of eternity… and then also this objective that you run instead of win.”

Related link:

Fr. Vasek’s bio on U. of Mary website

Mike McQuaid

He has been involved in various sports-related capacities. Most recently is his foray into the sport of triathlon, which has seen him compete in over 20 long-course, Olympic, and Sprint triathlons, including reaching the podium six times in the past two seasons. On April 2nd he will compete in the Ironman Oceanside 70.3 in San Diego, and in preparation for that he will complete a training ride next week in which he will tackle the 10,068-foot, 35-mile climb to the summit of Maui’s Haleakala Volcano dubbed as the “World’s longest paved climb.” He had been an All-Pac 10 and national champion rower in his 20s. As a competitive sailor, he was a member of the winning crew at the 1998 Swiftsure International Yacht Race. Plus, he has held administrative roles in sports with the Seattle Goodwill Games, the Washington State Olympic Committee, the Seattle Sports Commission, USA Canoe/Kayak, and even US Lacrosse, among many others.

Notable guest quotes:

“In growing up, mom surrounded us with Catholic families, and we attended Mass… and throughout my early life, being Catholic was always a part of my identity.”

“As we were preparing for that game a local priest came in and we held hands and had a prayer, a blessing prior to the game.  And that was something that was very, very monumental for me, to understand and explore the power of faith and the power of God as you approach competition.”

“I was working on a program that helped athletes acclimatize prior to competition, it’s very common prior to games.  And I wanted to connect Philip Boit with Kenyans in the local community.  So, there’s a priest that I was very close to, Fr. Stephen Okumu, who was quite a successful soccer coach and athlete himself.”

“We see this in 1 Corinthians 9:24, which essentially says, ‘Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.’  And if we look a little deeper into that verse, we really understand that it’s at the heart of the Olympic creed and it’s more about effort and dedication and the journey, and the reward is beyond the hardware that you can put around your neck.”

“It’s very much about competing with integrity.  It’s not about winning at all costs or abandoning your values, and really, it’s about, yes, we will lose sometimes.  We’ll get beat sometimes, absolutely.  But by performing with honor, we can always be victorious in the eyes of God.  And I think about that before every competition.”

“I can recall just the comfort that praying quietly… It brought me a sense of understanding, a sense of absolute calm, a sense of reconciliation… and a connection with God and understand that God was indeed there.”

“Prayer has helped tremendously.  I know God loves me and I know God is guiding me.”

“Prayer and… patience is important to Catholics and anyone, that the signs are there, and the path of peace is there.  We just have to be patient and be willing to work through some of the challenges along the way.”

“I think that if it wasn’t for the Catholic Jack Kelly and his quiet demeanor and patience, that experience might not have played out that way.  And I think that’s a tremendous metaphor for life in a lot of ways, that if we have that kind of patience and if we have that kind of trust, we can have wonderful opportunities.  We see this in Proverbs 3, 5 and 6.”

“He implored on me, as a very last piece of advice he gave me, he says, ‘Trust in your training and have patience and trust in God’.”

Related link:

Mike’s bio from his company’s website

[This episode contains a prayer (poem) by Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, PA) Principal Ed Bernot, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport]