In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with David Farmer, a longtime leader with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), for a powerful conversation about faith, sports, leadership, and identity.
David shares the origin story of FCA and how athletes and coaches have used their platform to live out their faith with courage and purpose. The conversation explores the pressure placed on young athletes, the search for identity beyond performance, and how coaches, parents, and mentors can shape the next generation through character, humility, and love.
Together, they discuss the challenges facing youth sports today, the importance of spiritual formation alongside athletic development, and how faith-centered leadership can transform not just athletes—but families, schools, and communities.
Takeaways
Athletes are more than their performance; identity matters.
Sports provide a powerful platform for faith, leadership, and influence.
Coaches play a critical role in shaping character, not just skills.
Young athletes are searching for purpose beyond winning.
Faith can bring healing to broken systems in youth sports.
Intergenerational mentorship creates lasting impact.
Leadership means learning how to win—and lose—well.
Parents and coaches influence culture more than they realize.
Service, prayer, and generosity are essential to lasting change.
When faith and sports align, transformation follows.
Chapters
00:13 Welcome & Introduction to David Farmer and FCA
02:28 The Origin Story of Fellowship of Christian Athletes
05:23 Athletes, Influence, and Using the Platform for Faith
08:58 Finding Identity Beyond Performance and Winning
12:43 The Pressure Facing Young Athletes Today
16:18 Coaches as Leaders, Mentors, and Culture Shapers
19:53 Faith in Public Schools: Challenges and Courage
24:08 The MVP Model: Giving, Volunteering, and Prayer
27:58 Stories of Transformation Through FCA
32:33 Parents, Coaches, and the Youth Sports Crisis
36:53 Leadership, Humility, and Learning to Lose Well
41:28 Intergenerational Impact and Passing the Baton
45:23 Faith, Purpose, and the Future of Sports Culture
49:43 Final Reflections and How to Get Involved
Connect with Fellowship of Christian Athletes
https://www.fcacolorado.org/
About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zeringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy—especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge.
At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can’t afford to lose it.