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Fellowship of Christian Athletes Camp blends sports, pop culture and the Bible
“A Day In The Life” is a summer sports series that runs regularly in the Times-Democrat and Weekend. Each installment details the happenings at a local venue or event, or the pursuits of a person or organization.The following is a look at a typical day of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Power Camp held at Liberty High School from June 23-27.
1:30 p.m.
Listening to Melvin Adams, it seems like the Lord has deep pockets.
Adams is circulating the Liberty High gym, cracking jokes with anyone who will listen and addressing each person he approaches by name.
“Alright, Alicia Keys…”
“Okay, Cameron Diaz…”
“Hey, it’s T-Pain…”
This week-long Fellowship of Christian Athletes Power Camp sounds like a star-studded event.
It only sounds that way, though. Adams’ Alicia Keys is a nine-year-old girl with braided, black hair. The blond next to her is Cameron Diaz. T-Pain is the guy with dreadlocks. The three camp coaches walking together are “the white Destiny’s Child." Elsewhere there’s Jessica Simpson, Angelina Jolie, Chris Brown, John Legend and Napoleon Dynamite.
These are all just pop-culture nicknames, a part of Melvin’s shtick. He's really the feature celebrity at the camp: a former Harlem Globetrotter who has appeared in a handful of commercials (Reebok), T.V. shows (“Arli$$”) and movies (“Dreams in the Attic”).
Adams is a guest speaker and his funny bone seems to make up most of his 5-foot-8 frame — “5-8 with high heels on,” he says.
The pseudonyms he doles out get plenty of giggles, as do one-liners that roll off his tongue as effortlessly as a basketball off his fingertips.
“The comedy is what really opens up their hearts,” Adams says. “All of it is to reach kids.”
There are 66 children age eight to 12 signed up for this second FCA camp at Liberty. It’s run by 2002 Liberty graduate and basketball star Randi Jones, Prince William FCA’s area representative.
When not distracted by Adams, the campers are practicing the sport of their choice from 1-2:30 p.m., either basketball or cheerleading in the gym or soccer or football outside on Kip Hall Field
2:30 p.m.
Former Liberty athlete Ryan Washington stands amid sitting campers and gives a testimonial before the basketball group breaks into smaller “huddle” groups for twice-daily devotional time consisting of a lesson, Bible verses and discussion questions to answer in a yellow journal.
"When I was growing up, I had a heart murmur and wasn't supposed to be able to play sports, but through the grace of God I was able to,” says Washington, a 2004 LHS graduate. “And I ended up getting a full scholarship to play softball in college. So God is definitely No. 1 in my life. He's had a big impact over me.”
A three-time district Player of the Year and region Player of the Year on Liberty’s softball team, Washington went on to be a two-time Division I All-Independent Player of the Year at Longwood University.
Washington is one of 15 high school or middle school athletes serving as huddle leaders, or counselors, at this FCA camp.
“These kids look up to them…and they see it's not just about sports,” Randi Jones says. “They have a relationship with the Lord, and they recognize there's something more important.”
Like Washington, Jones was a very successful athlete, leaving as Liberty girls basketball’s all-time leading scorer and earning All-American honorable mention honors at Marymount University in Arlington.
“I've had a great sports career, but those things don't last,” Jones said. “FCA, it’s about combining Christ and sports…being able to use our gifts and abilities to give glory to God and impact other people.”
3:55 p.m.
Melvin Adams introduces himself to the group of campers gathered in front of him.
“I know some of you are surprised to hear there’s a professional basketball player here because a lot of you looked at me like I’m the black Mini Me.”
He calls for some volunteers and asks them to duplicate some moves he’s perfected over the years as a Harlem Globetrotter, a professional player in the CBA and overseas and a two-time all-American at San Jose Christian College.
Adams moves the ball around his back and bounces it off his knee and rolls it up one arm and down the other and so on and so on. The kids imitate him to the best of their ability.
Finally, he spins the ball on his index finger for a few seconds and asks eight-year-old Sara Casto to try it. She’s not confident. She can’t.
But Adams recites the Bible verse Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Jesus Christ,” he says, and then spins the ball on his own finger. Then Adams slowly moves the ball from his finger to Casto's finger, where it spins for a moment.
"Suddenly I could do it,” Casto says later.
That demonstration leads Adams to his story of overcoming the challenges of living in a Houston ghetto — “I was so poor if you robbed me you’d be practicing" — to eventually signing a contract as a pro. Yet the best moment of his life was:
“Nineteen years ago I asked Jesus into my life, and it changed my life forever,” he says.
No longer a Globetrotter, Adams trots around the country to speak to youths.
"Just to impact the community and help kids dream dreams and make the right choices and stay focused on the goals that they have in life,” Adams said. “God had changed my life, and I just wanted to let people know that God had a purpose for their life and a plan...”
See the Wednesday print edition of the Fauquier Times-Democrat for the complete story.
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