Episodes

Anna Cummins

She was an Olympic silver and gold medalist at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics and a three-time world rowing champion. She had won four NCAA national titles while rowing at the University of Washington and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame as well as the National Rowing Hall of Fame.  The highlight of her career came at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where she was the only American woman to race in two events. In one of those, she and her teammates won gold, which was USA’s first in that discipline since 1984 and the first time ever with a race distance of two thousand meters.

Notable guest quotes:

“They decided that our family needed something more, and at that point in time started bringing us to church regularly on Sundays.”

“He said, ‘Here’s the deal. The new priority in our life goes God first, then family, then school, and then sports’.”

“We all need God so deeply.  And it’s the only thing that’s going to fill so many holes in our life.”

“God is so perfect.  Like, we have no business, like, He’s so good, He’s so perfect.”

“When I knew that, ‘Okay, you need Jesus to be in a right relationship with God,’ like, I love it, I want it, that’s what I want.  I want that.”

“So, once I rowed at UW, I’m in the Christian house, and wanting to keep my faith — because I am a follower of Jesus at that point — and so I found a small athletes’ group on campus called Athletes In Action… It’s a non-denominational Christian group… and that was a really neat way to stay strong in my faith.”

“I had my Bible and I had my praise and worship music and so when I was around Athens and Beijing (at the Olympics), I would have my kind of my rule-of-life kind of thing, of, you wake up and you do your devotional and you read these scriptures and you pray on these.”

“In May 2021 after 14 years of attending a Catholic Mass at some wonderful churches, honestly, all over the U.S., God brought me into His home… the Catholic Church is home and that’s where I fell in love all the way deeply with the Mass and what God does in the sacrifice of the Mass and how beautiful it is that He comes to be with us.”

“When I was a baby Christian and athlete, I liked anything in scripture that talks about winning stuff or running… but of course as we grow in faith, then God can speak to us in different ways through things.”

(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)

Joe Vaszily

He has been an NCAA women’s basketball referee since 2004 and has been officiating since working intramural games in 1994 at the University of Scranton. Along the way he has officiated in a number of conferences and in 2018 worked his first national championship. He has also been a part of eight consecutive Final Fours. As a student-athlete he played basketball, and then in his 20s he ran three marathons.

Notable guest quotes:

“(I) went to Catholic grade school and Catholic high school.  We lived about a mile from the church… and really the church was where we spent a lot of our time.”

“I had two jobs once I was old enough to work.  One was, I was the evening receptionist in our parish rectory.”

“Over the course of the last 25 years or so the Jesuits have had a profound impact on me.”

“Staten Island has a huge CYO — Catholic Youth Organization — program, and, really, some guys from Blessed Sacrament who had been officials — who probably refereed me when I was playing — they knew that I was officiating intramurals and they just said to me, ‘You need to start doing CYO’.”

“I look back on it now and the Lord blessed me with two great careers.”

“Truly the Lord blessed me with the grace, as I look back on my careers, to be able to officiate and work a full-time job for as long as I did and the amount of games that I did.  It was God’s grace that carried me through.”

“We should never think less of ourselves because the Lord loves us and He knows that we’re sinful by our nature from the very beginning of time but yet the Lord still loves us and He’s always chasing after us.”

“We have opportunities to minister in our vocation; that’s in officiating and that’s in sales, whatever it is… And when you think of it that way, you start to think that, ‘It’s not just about me.  It’s about who I’m serving’.”

“I make sure that I’m reading and reflecting on God’s Word every day.”

“When I begin the day with a prayer of gratitude, my heart is set in the right place.”

Bruce Scifres

The executive director of CYO for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis where he oversees 24 thousand youth and seven thousand adult volunteers. He spent 27 years as the head football coach of the ten-time state champion Royals at Roncalli High School, a co-ed Catholic high school in Indianapolis. He led the program to seven Indiana football state championships and was named Coach of the Year twelve times. He has been inducted into three Halls of Fame and in 2017 was the recipient of the prestigious National Football Foundation “Distinguished American Award.”  After a successful football career at Butler University, he attended training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Notable guest quotes:

“My parents were very good about instilling solid faith formation and foundation in our life.”

“I did have a relationship with God (in college) and I think it goes back to family upbringing and, yes, God was always very much part of my life.”

“I found myself… really just, there was a void.  There was something missing in my life, something missing in my heart that took me a while to put my finger on it.  But, yeah, there was a void after I left Roncalli High School, yes.”

“The four priorities I always set for our staff… Priority number one was faith formation, first and foremost… Priority number two, character development… Priority number three was we wanted them obviously to get a great education, a great Catholic school education… And then priority number four was to have fun with the kids and teach ’em how to play a game and help them become great athletes and great football players and hopefully to win games in the process.  And I grew to believe over the years that if the first three… were in place and the kids bought into that they were going to be good football players.”

“Without question our number one job as coaches at a Catholic school was to help the young men we served get to heaven.”

“I believe that the platform of athletics is so powerful in teaching life lessons to young people. It’s life changing, really.”

“One of my favorite sayings… is ‘A good coach will improve a player’s game.  A great coach will improve a player’s life’.”

“People talk about the unfair advantages that Catholic schools have… To me, that advantage is that sense of playing for a higher purpose beyond just themselves, playing to thank God for the countless gifts that we’ve been given.”

“My personal mission statement that I wrote was, ‘My mission is to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God so that I might make my parents, wife, children, and extended family proud.  I want to make it to heaven and ultimately bring as many people with me as I can along the way’.”

“I firmly believe that there’s two things we can do to improve our faith connection with God.  One is to pray everyday… the other is to connect with other people of faith.”

“Our oldest won was in second grade, and he and I received Communion at the same Mass for the first time for both of us, on the same Sunday, and it was powerful… And… still today, every time, every Sunday, that I receive Communion, it’s still powerful.”

Related links:

“Coaching for Christ” short film
Cincinnati Men’s Conference in April 2022

(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.)

Art Hill

He was an International Softball Federation-certified fastpitch umpire, working seven World Cup events and the World University Games. He continues to work Division I, II, and III college softball games, including having worked the NCAA Division III World Series. Additionally, he assigned and worked in the National Pro Fastpitch League for 12 years. He currently assigns softball for seven college conferences & Independent. He had even assigned umpires for the Rebel Spring Games, which is the longest-running spring collegiate program in the nation. He also played men’s fastpitch softball and coached summer softball teams.

Notable guest quotes:

“My mother was Lutheran.  My dad was Catholic, though… In the summers (mom) would send us to the summer Bible classes that were offered”

“I played… football, basketball, baseball… and sometimes I would have to run track… I got an Honorable Mention All-State playing football.  And I had, at that time, a gentleman who was on the Detroit Lions, I remember him handing me my award.”

“It was a rewarding experience, playing football.  It taught you perseverance and self-gratitude.”

“The Scout Master… was Catholic.  And every time we went on a weekday camping trip, or we took a three-month summer tour, every time we went to church, we always went to a Catholic church.  So that gave me an opportunity to see the other religion.”

“I went and found the chaplain and as we talked, I asked to be converted (to Catholicism) and I have and still am.”

“I thanked God that He saw fit at that time not to bring me home… As they say, everybody wants to go to heaven, but maybe not right now.”

“Obviously God has a plan for me, but I have no idea what it is, but He keeps taking care of me and I appreciate it.”

“It was a gesture that, it made your eyes swell.  It was so beautiful.  And it was unexpected.  I was blessed to be there to witness that.”

“We’re empty nesters — three boys and a girl… between all of them, they’ve blessed us with 13 grandchildren.  And I always tell people… my two oldest sons believe that biblical prophecy ‘go forth and multiply’.”

Related link:

(video) Home run/ESPN sportsmanship moment Art mentioned

Pat Fraher

He is in his 21st season as an NBA referee, having officiated more than 1,100 regular season and over 50 playoff games. He also worked the 2015 NBA All-Star Game in New York. Before joining the NBA, he officiated for seven years in the CBA, where he worked the Finals and All-Star Game. In addition, he spent four years in the WNBA. He also has two years of college officiating experience and ten years of experience as a high school official. Back in his days as a student-athlete in high school he played basketball, football, and golf.

Notable guest quotes:

“I was a cradle Catholic.  I went to Catholic grade school, K through 8… complete with the nuns.  My family had season tickets for church.  My grandma even got us the extra Holy Days of Obligation package.”

“I got hired (into the NBA) in 2001.  So, we have twenty (years) in and this is the 21st.  All glory to God.”

“There’s a saying that we all have a God-shaped hole in us and nothing will fill it except for Him and I believe that was His point to me.”

“I researched the ego and during my research I realized that the ego touches every part of our life, including our faith.”

“I would call this how I was kind of brought back to the fold, so to speak — Fr. Larry Richards and his book Be A Man.”

“When I talk to a referee I like to find out, what’s the most important thing in your life.  And a lot of times the answer is going to be family; which is a good answer, but, it’s not the right answer.  God should come before that.”

“You put God first, what does He want you to do with your family?  Take care of your family, love your family.  So, you don’t have to pick one or the other.  But priority makes all the difference because anything above Him is an idol.”

“After I… gave my life back to Christ… I wanted some divine revelation as to what was next… I woke up with the idea of REF, which is Referees Embracing Faith.”

“I received an email from a guy… and he was just starting his ministry, SOS, which is Sports Officials Surrendered.”

Related links:

Pat’s bio on NBA Referees Association website
Sports Officials Surrendered website

Chris Strykowski

The Director of Football Operations and Special Teams Coordinator for the ten-time state champion Royals at Roncalli High School, a co-ed Catholic high school in Indianapolis. He is in his 22nd year at the school and has had seven kickers go on to play collegiately at notable schools, and, players under his direction hold ten team records. Next month he will be presenting at a Football Coaches Clinic for the seventh time. As a student-athlete himself he had participated in numerous sports, including his college years when he competed at Ball State University in intramural sports.

Notable guest quotes:

“Throughout our grade school years, our high school years, for me personally that Catholic element was really, really important.”

“I really kind of took off as a coach, and, who I am today is really because of a gentleman by the name of Bruce Scifres… And ultimately his overarching goal for everything, the way he sees it is, we have a responsibility as Christians… that our job is to try and bring as many people to Jesus Christ as we possibly can.”

“We’ve been having a pregame Mass every single week, whether we are at home or on the road… Just finding ways to make sure that we get that in and make sure that that is a big part of what we do has become a big part of my job, part of what I believe is really, really important about what we do.”

“We also include a program we call Senior Scripture… We have a different senior each week will give sort of a reflection… We hook them up with some people in our theology department… to kind of help guide them.  But the idea is to find a scripture passage, kind of tie it into that week’s game, and try to draw parallels between what the Word of God is with what it is that we’re trying to do each week with these young men.”

“I have just some reminders of the things that I want to make sure that I pray for each time.  So, as I’m going out to the field.”

“I always pray for three specific things… I pray for wisdom… The second one is for courage… and, finally, for strength.”

“On the way back into the locker room… I’m thanking God for allowing those things to come through me.”

“At Roncalli… that discussion of Catholic faith, that discussion of our relationship with Jesus Christ, that role that He plays in our lives, it’s always been something that’s been kind of front and center.”

“At the end of each practice, we pray as a group.  At the end of each game, we pray as a group.  Before each game, we pray as a group.”

“I also serve the parish as a lector and a Eucharistic Minister.”

“We went to Italy and we went to different locations that would’ve been important to (Pope) John XXIII.”

Related link:

Bio on Chris from Roncalli football webpage

(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.)

Curt Tomasevicz

He competed for the U.S. National Bobsled Team from 2004 to 2014, qualifying for three Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014). On the four-man team, he earned two Olympic medals (gold in 2010 and silver in 2014) and nine World Championship medals. During his years as a student-athlete he played football for the University of Nebraska as both a running back and linebacker, earning Academic All-Conference honors along the way. Present day he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and this past May was appointed as Director of Sports Performance at USA Bobsled and Skeleton.

Notable guest quotes:

“I have one brother… and then my parents… pretty typical Catholic family… (I) was an altar boy for ten years and was participating in the Mass quite a bit that way.”

“I was understanding that God’s plan just didn’t include the NFL for me.”

“The Newman Center at the University of Nebraska… there’s a lot of activities and associations… I became an acolyte while attending those programs.”

“Through the football team… we always had Mass available to us before games.”

“My faith was a big part of my college life.”

“People hear that I spent ten years on the bobsled team.  So, I’ve started to use that platform a little bit to try to use it to spread a positive message about my faith.”

“When I started bobsledding, I kind of had a few things that I would do in the morning; read a short scripture, be prayerful … but it… really became part of my daily routine… after my first crash… I’m kind of proud of this, actually.  But, my first instinct was, when I felt my head hit the ice, there was a big impact, and immediately I started saying Hail Marys.”

“Every time I’d walk to the line, I’d pray about safety for myself and my team but also my competitors and everybody involved.  And that really became kind of my bobsled prayer routine, was to think about safety, think about all my competitors and athletes that are there more than just winning and losing.”

“I kept having these moments of ‘What should I do next?  Where do I go?  What should I do?  How do I have that same kind of fulfillment in my life?’  And that’s kind of when I talked to a priest… and he always told me whenever things are difficult… go back to God.”

“So many athletes, part of their story is overcoming some kind of injury or adversity that way.  And I was very blessed, and I always tell people that, in fact, I’ve never pulled a muscle.”

“I was offered an opportunity to attend this Christians Encounter Christ weekend… leaving there, I’ll tell anybody that ever asks, how rejuvenated and excited I was.”

Related link:

Curt’s bio from U. of Nebraska

(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)