Personal Story

Why I Care About Developing Leaders

Throughout my life I have been surrounded by coaches, mentors, and leaders who invested deeply in people.

Some of the most important lessons I learned did not come from wins or losses on the field. They came from watching how strong leaders cared about the people around them and intentionally developed others.

Coaches who took the time to teach character, accountability, discipline, and responsibility left a lasting impression on me. They understood that the true impact of coaching extended far beyond the scoreboard.

Those experiences shaped my passion for leadership development.

A Turning Point in My Own Journey

Although I believed I was following the Lord as a young man, there was a time when football had become my “god.”

I received a full-ride football scholarship to Montana State University, and like many young athletes, my identity and focus were centered around the game.

During my freshman season, I had to undergo surgery. Sitting in a hospital bed during that time became a defining moment in my life.

For the first time, I slowed down enough to truly listen and ask God what He wanted for my life.

I sensed two things very clearly:

First, that He needed to be my God—not football.
Second, that I was being called into ministry.

In order to realign my life, I made the difficult decision to step away from football for a time so I could get grounded in my faith and identity.

A New Direction

That season led me to Bethel University, where I pursued a degree in Biblical and Theological Studies while continuing to play football.

I explored traditional ministry roles, including serving as a youth pastor and working in urban ministry. Those experiences were valuable, but I continued to feel that God was leading me in a different direction.

He had given me a passion for faith, for people, and for athletics—and it became clear that those were not meant to be separate.

They were meant to be combined.

Where It Came Together

That realization led me to start Cross Training Ministries, a non-profit training facility focused on developing high school athletes.

We trained athletes physically for their sports, but just as importantly, we mentored them and taught them about Christ.

It became a place where:

  • discipline was developed

  • relationships were built

  • leadership was taught

  • and faith was integrated into everyday life

Looking back, that season was a critical part of my journey.

It became a training ground for what I now see as the ministry of coaching.

Coaching as a Calling

From there, God opened the door for me to step into collegiate athletics, beginning at the University of Nebraska.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to coach athletes, mentor young coaches, lead leadership groups, teach graduate students, and help build cultures within teams and organizations.

In each of those environments the goal has remained the same:

Helping people grow into the kind of leaders who positively influence others.

Leadership Beyond Performance

I have always believed that leadership is about more than performance.

It is about developing strong people who can lead well in every area of life.

That includes leadership:

  • in the home

  • in the workplace

  • in communities

  • in relationships

My passion today is helping men and leaders grow with intentionality, passion, and purpose—the kind that only comes from a deeply rooted relationship with Jesus Christ.

So they can build:

  • strong families

  • strong teams

  • strong cultures

Because when leaders grow, everyone around them benefits.

Closing Thought

Leadership is not just a role.
It is a calling to develop people and point them toward something greater.