The Gospel In The Game Sports Podcast

Pressure reveals purpose, and coaching reveals character. We sit down with Shane Sowden, men’s basketball coach at Briercrest College in Saskatchewan, to talk about what happens when winning is on the line and your values get tested. Do you keep showing up, keep treating players the same, and keep doing the right thing, or do you start bending the rules to chase results? Shane doesn’t dodge the ha...

Life can change on a single roster decision, a single injury, or a single moment when someone labels you as “not enough.” That’s why our conversation with former pro football player and coach Khalil Carter hits so hard: he’s lived the undrafted grind, he’s been cut, he’s battled pride, and he’s still choosing purpose over bitterness. We get into the football details you rarely hear explained well,...

A goalie can do almost everything right and still wear the one mistake that ends up on highlights. That’s why we wanted to sit down with Dylan Ferguson, a professional hockey goaltender who’s lived the full range: soft goals you can’t believe went in, pressure that hits like a wave, and career turns that happen so fast you barely have time to breathe. Our conversation starts light, then quickly ge...

A windmill pitch from 43 feet changes everything and Kierston Deal explains why, in a way that makes college softball impossible to dismiss. We sit down with the University of Oklahoma Sooners pitcher to break down the real differences between softball and baseball: a compressed field, seven innings, faster plays at every base, and hitters forced to decide almost instantly. If you’ve ever wondered...

One freak moment in a roping arena changed everything for Mark Johnson: a shattered pelvis, months of weakness, and then the gut-punch discovery that surgery had damaged his vocal cords. For a lifelong broadcaster and play-by-play voice, that is not just an injury, it is an identity crisis. Mark walks us through the fear of losing the very tool he has depended on, and the deeper question underneat...

One bad 40-yard dash. One letter read out loud in class. One decision to cut distractions and get serious. Kez McCorvey’s path to a Florida State scholarship and pro football is the kind of story that sounds like a highlight reel, but what hit us hardest is what happens when the game stops loving you back. We walk through Kez’s childhood in small-town Mississippi, the mentors who stepped in when h...

Hockey can be an amazing teacher, but it can also take over your calendar, your sleep, your Sundays, and your patience. We sit down with Ed Joseph to get brutally honest about what happens when you’re a dad raising multiple athletes and you’re trying to keep faith, family, and character at the centre instead of letting sport become the boss. Ed shares his journey from growing up as a person of col...

Mental toughness gets sold like a slogan: push harder, dig deeper, don’t quit. That sounds inspiring until you’re exhausted, disconnected, and running on six hours of sleep. We sit down with Brad Cooper, an Ironman triathlete, physical therapist, and mental toughness researcher, to talk about why the “grind” version of toughness breaks down and what actually builds durable strength for sport and r...

What if speed is only half the story and the real engine is conviction? We sit down with Calgary Colts running back Zion Dogbe Brown to explore how faith, family, and relentless preparation turn raw talent into purposeful impact. From growing up in a home with ten siblings and a single mother to leading on the field with a calm, explosive style, Zion shows how character is built in community and p...

Pressure can polish or crush, and Gary Steffes has felt both. We sit down with the former pro hockey forward to trace a journey from stat-chasing and panic on the ice to a grounded identity that fuels calm, courage, and consistent performance. Gary opens up about the moment his confidence cracked, the sports-psych “band-aids” that helped but didn’t heal, and the encounter with Jesus that rewired w...

What happens when your greatest fear becomes the catalyst for your life's purpose? For Jerry Schemmel, Colorado Rockies play-by-play broadcaster, surviving a catastrophic plane crash in 1989 wasn't just a traumatic experience—it became the defining moment that led him to faith and transformed his approach to broadcasting. With raw honesty, Jerry shares how the crash that claimed many liv...

What happens when an Olympic athlete approaches their sport not just as a career, but as a calling? Melissa Lotholz, two-time Olympic bobsledder, takes us behind the scenes of her remarkable journey from farm kid to international competitor while revealing how faith provides the foundation for both her athletic excellence and personal resilience. Melissa dismantles the common assumption that high-...

Matt Cline's story begins with a single hit on the ice that changed everything. As a former Western Hockey League player with the Chilliwack Bruins, Cline suffered a career-ending concussion that left him with debilitating headaches for six years. But what initially seemed like the tragic end to athletic dreams became the catalyst for profound spiritual transformation and purpose. Through raw...

What happens when God redirects your NHL dreams? For Rob Globke, former NHL player turned hockey chaplain, surrendering his professional aspirations led to an unexpected journey of purpose and fulfillment. Growing up in Detroit as the oldest of five brothers, Globke's path seemed straightforward - excel at hockey and build a long NHL career. As a high second-round draft pick, everything point...

What does it mean to find your purpose right in your own backyard? For professional hockey player Claire Butorac, the answer lies in Minnesota's frozen rinks and the faith journey that guides her career both on and off the ice. Growing up in Minnesota's unique community-based hockey model gave Claire the rare opportunity to represent her hometown from youth leagues through high school gr...

What happens when your identity becomes completely wrapped up in what you do? Professional hockey player Aaron Luchuk takes us on a journey through the extreme highs and lows of elite sports, revealing profound wisdom about finding purpose beyond performance. Aaron shares the electrifying moment of scoring the game-winning goal in the Memorial Cup championship—a dream scenario for any hockey playe...

What does faith look like on the ice when you're battling injuries, homesickness, and the constant pressure to perform? Colin Doherty pulls back the curtain on the reality of being a young Christian athlete in today's competitive junior hockey world. As a player returning to the Grand Prairie Storm (breaking news revealed exclusively on our podcast!), Colin shares how his childhood in a...

For championship goaltender Lukas Renaud, the journey from rock bottom to hoisting the Centennial Cup with the Calgary Canucks reveals something far more profound than athletic achievement. Through cross-continent travels and career uncertainty, Lukas discovered that reconnecting with his faith transformed not just his performance between the pipes, but his entire approach to life. "Boys, we...

The moment that changes everything – Colin Cooper, Mount Royal University goalie coach, shares how a cancer diagnosis with a four-month-old daughter at home became the ultimate test of his lifelong faith. From his earliest days between the pipes, Colin faced constant skepticism about his 5'8" frame being "too small" for goaltending success. Each year brought new doubts from coa...

This thoughtful conversation about balancing faith, family, and professional athletics will leave you encouraged. As a former NLL player who participated in two expansion teams (Edmonton Rush and Panther City Lacrosse Club), Jordan brings unique perspective on navigating the demanding weekend schedule of professional lacrosse while maintaining spiritual disciplines. "When you play a Saturday...

What happens when a professional hockey player at the peak of his career walks away to prioritize faith, family and community? Dion Knelsen's journey from European hockey leagues to coaching in remote northern Alberta reveals powerful truths about purpose and priorities. Having played 12 years professionally across Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, Dion was actually playing some of his best hoc...

From the brink of quitting hockey forever to signing a professional contract, goaltender Alex Worthington's journey reveals the transformative power of finding identity beyond the crease. Growing up as a pastor's kid, Worthington experienced both the support and pressure that comes with balancing faith and high-performance athletics. When his hockey career hit rock bottom during his 17-y...

What happens when you shift your focus from athletic achievement to seeking God first? Former CFL player Rob Harrod discovered the answer midway through his college football career, and it changed everything. Rob takes us behind the scenes of professional football, sharing what it was like to have a locker next to legendary Gizmo Williams as a rookie and build relationships with fellow believers i...

What if the secret to overcoming fear isn't always positive thinking but thankfulness? When professional hockey player Talor Joseph found himself trapped in a cycle of fear despite visualization techniques and positive affirmations, he discovered an unexpected spiritual solution that transformed both his game and life. This fascinating conversation explores how thankfulness became Talor'...

What happens when a professional athlete surrenders control and learns to embrace God's unconventional path? Talor Joseph, championship-winning hockey goaltender, takes us behind the scenes of his remarkable spiritual and professional journey. Talor's story unfolds through a series of unexpected trades, demotions, and ultimately championship glory—a winding road that taught him profound...