In an industry that is becoming increasingly secular, it has become more challenging to build a Christ-centered culture within the sport industry workplace. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, the University of Northwestern St. Paul's Athletic Director, Dr. Matt Hill, shares how he has strived to develop a Christ-centered culture within his athletic department. A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

Matthew 1:1-6: 1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham : 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. 4 Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). In the book of Matthew, the story of the birth of Jesus begins with a record of His genealogy. If you are like me, it can be easy to bypass this part of the Christmas story. In fact, whenever I see a genealogy listed in the bible, it can be easy for me to speed right through it. But I want you to notice something about this genealogy today. Let’s look at verse 6 and ask a question. Why would Matthew mention Bathsheba, and why would he mention that she was the widow of Uriah? Why not just list Solomon and move on to the next name on the list? To answer, let’s do a quick little summary of the events surrounding Solomon’s birth. While David was king of Israel and while he was at home in his palace, he happened to catch a glimpse of Bathsheba (who was not his wife). He was moved with lust and, because he was king, sent for her and slept with her. Later, David found out that she had become pregnant and that her husband Uriah is off fighting the Philistines as a member of King David’s army. In an effort to cover up what David has done, he sent for Uriah and encouraged him to go home and be with his wife so that, hopefully, he would sleep with her and everyone would think the baby was his. But Uriah was so devoted to king David that he refused to go home while the rest of the army was off fighting the battle. So David decided to put out a hit on Uriah. He told his army commander to put Uriah at the front of the battle lines and had him killed. Later, God sent the prophet Nathan to David to let him know just what a terrible thing he has done. David realized the error of his ways, was truly broken-hearted and asked God for forgiveness. God is so merciful that he forgave David but as a punishment for his sin, the baby born to him died. However, the Lord is not done with David and Bathsheba; he comforted them by allowing Bathsheba to give birth to another son, Solomon, whom the Lord loved. Now, David had plenty of wives and other children. So why would God choose Solomon, son of Bathsheba, to be the one who was the ancestor to Jesus Christ? And what does this have to do with us this Christmas? This Christmas, God wants to show us that He is not just the God of perfect people or people who have never done anything wrong. He is the God of the broken, the shameful, the sinner. Solomon, son of Bathsheba and part of this terrible scandal would be an ancestor of Jesus. So, this Christmas, don’t believe the lie that anything you have done keeps you from the love of God. There is no sin so great that God cannot forgive, for those who are truly repentant. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18). This Christmas, let’s thank God for His mercy and love. And let’s go tell people of the hope they can have in Jesus and in the grace of God. Looking for a community of Christ-centered and like-minded people within the college & professional sport industry? Look no further than Uncommon Sports Group. Apply to join here, or contact a staff member!

It's the Christmas season and as Christians, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Messiah that the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied about. But, how can we be sure that Jesus is the promised Messiah that Moses and the prophets predicted would come? In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Noah talks through different types of Old Testament prophecy and how Jesus is the fulfillment of those prophecies throughout the Scriptures. A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”). - Matthew 1:23 Immanuel - God with us. The infinite, all-powerful God who spoke this world into existence is with us. With you and with me. This reality is, in many ways, completely unfathomable. But it becomes incredibly real when I stop to reflect upon the historical fact and reality that 2,000+ years ago, Jesus, Son of God, literally entered into humanity and walked among His creation here on earth. While Jesus is no longer physically here with us on earth, He tells us that we have an even more excellent gift in His Spirit that indwells all who believe in Him as their Savior. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. - John 16:7 But even with the presence of God’s spirit with us, Christmas can be a challenging time of year. It can be a time of both sadness and excitement. It is certainly a joyful time for many, but the unending challenges and trials of life do not take a break simply because it’s Christmas. John Piper highlights the juxtaposition of these two realities by reminding Christians that while we get to celebrate the reality of Jesus coming to earth and now indwelling us, we still await His final coming once and for all. He explains, “When Emmanuel arrives — when the Dayspring rises — we learn that redemption has only begun. To be sure, it is a magnificent only. The final blood is shed. The debt is paid. Forgiveness is purchased. God’s wrath is removed. Adoption is secured. The down payment is in the bank. The first fruits of harvest are in the barn. The future is sure. The joy is great. But the end is not yet. Death still snatches away. Disease still makes us miserable. Calamity still strikes. Satan still prowls. Flesh still wars against the Spirit. Sin still indwells. And we still “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). We still “wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7). We still wait for final deliverance “from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). We still “wait for the hope of righteousness” (Galatians 5:5). The longing continues.” As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas season, we get to rejoice in what He has already accomplished for us while also hoping and looking forward to what He has promised to complete. The Gospel of Matthew opens by referring to God as Immanuel, which means “God with us”’, and then reaffirms this in the very last verse “I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). The trials of this earthly life may certainly continue amidst this Christmas season, but let us rejoice in the reality of His presence with us as we await His final coming.

Peace is a word with many definitions. In our culture, it can be a ‘cool’ way to say goodbye. In other cultures, it can be a state of security within a given community. Peace is defined in the dictionary as a state of tranquility or quiet. The Bible, as we know, has a lot to say about peace. The word peace appears 329 times throughout the Bible. But why is peace such a significant part of God’s revelation of Himself? In this blog, we will explore the gift of peace that God has so graciously revealed to us through the Scriptures and, ultimately, His son Jesus Christ. Biblical Definition of Peace Peace has a variety of meanings within the Scriptures, but the most common usage and understanding of the word peace in Jesus’ day was the absence of war or chaos. When we think about peace in our culture, this can often be how the word is used, as well. We as humans desire peaceful living, void of conflict with our neighbors or surrounding nations. The Bible recognizes this human desire and often uses the word peace to describe situations that are void of conflict. We see in Romans 12:18 that Paul commands, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” It is obvious that Paul uses peace in this verse to command us to live without conflict with our neighbor. If we look at the Old Testament, we see similar usages of the word peace. Leviticus 26:6 says, “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land.” The word peace here in Hebrew is Shalom, which translates directly to peace. We see that God is giving peace by allowing the Israelites to be void of conflict with the beasts of the land and war with surrounding nations. In these two examples, we see evidence that peace is often used as a way to describe the absence of conflict. But how does the definition of peace in the Bible help us understand the peace that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, gives us? Our Conflict with God Peace is the absence of conflict, but why is Jesus often called the Prince of Peace? We know that Jesus is not a war hero, and we know that our world still is riddled with conflict. The people of Israel in Jesus’ day believed that the Messiah would be a political hero that would deliver Israel from the oppression of Rome. Certainly, that is not what Jesus came to do, as Rome would continue to oppress Israel after Jesus’ death and resurrection. So, what peace did Jesus bring? Isaiah 48:22 says, “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.” Who are the wicked? We read in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Every human being is born wicked, and therefore there is no peace for any of us. Because of our innate wickedness and sin, we are in constant conflict with God. There is no peace for the wicked and sinful because they are in conflict with their Creator. This is the central problem with humanity. We seek to find peace in every nook and cranny of this world, but we are never truly at peace because we lack peace with God. But the question still remains, what is Jesus’ role as the Prince of Peace? How does He fit into this narrative of humanity’s conflict with God? The Gift of Peace Conflict with God is not something that we as humans have the power to resolve. What can we do to change God’s mind about our sin? Jesus says in Matthew 5:20, “But I warn you- unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” In Jesus’ day, the people of Israel admired the righteousness of the Pharisees. The people tried to mimic such righteousness, believing that none could be better than the Pharisees. Jesus’ words set a standard that nobody could attain and therefore created a situation in which the people had to recognize that they could not be righteous by their own deeds and actions. Over 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah revealed the way in which God would bring us peace in our conflict with Him. Isaiah 53:4-5 says, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” This prophecy from Isaiah is about Jesus Christ, our Savior, who would fulfill this prophecy with his life, death, and resurrection. We see clearly in these verses why Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We have no power or ability to solve our conflict with God, but God Himself does. Jesus came into this world to be pierced and crushed, not for his iniquities, but for ours. Jesus was perfect, yet he was chastised to bring us peace. Put simply, Jesus paid the price for our sins, a price that we could never pay. Paul writes in Romans 5:1, “Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” For those who put their faith in Jesus and his substitutionary atonement on the cross, they are given peace and harmony with God. This is why Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He gives us peace with God. Despite our sin and wickedness, God showers us with his unmerited favor and offers us harmony with Him, and the forgiveness of our sins. During this holiday season, don’t miss the greatest gift anyone could ever receive: peace with the Creator of the Universe. Are you looking for a community of like-minded individuals in the college and pro sport industry? Become a part of our community of uncommon leaders in sports by applying here! Have questions about Uncommon Sports Group? Contact a staff member here!

Christianity can have a reputation of being misogynistic, racist, and predominantly a white man's religion. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, author and founder of Embrace the Truth, a Christian apologetics ministry, Adbu Murray, discusses his latest book More Than A White Man's Religion, and debunks the common misunderstandings surrounding the teachings within the Bible that are often thought to promote misogyny, racism, and slavery. A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

The thanksgiving holiday is often accompanied by just that- thanksgiving! Certainly, it is a time set aside for football, family, and full stomachs, but there is a particular focus on gratitude for the things that we have. As followers of Jesus, saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), we have much to be thankful for. But what does the Bible say about being thankful? In this blog, we’ll be sharing twenty Scriptures that you should meditate on this thanksgiving as you praise God for all He is and all that He has done. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”- Psalm 100 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”- Colossians 4:2 “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise?”- Psalm 106:1-2 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.”- 1 Chronicles 16:34-36 “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.”- Psalm 69:30-31 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”- Psalm 28:7 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”- James 1:17 “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”- 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.”- Psalm 7:17 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”- Philippians 4:4-6 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,”- Psalm 50:14 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”- Colossians 2:6-7 “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”- 1 Chronicles 16:8 “But thanks be to God who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.”- 2 Corinthians 2:14 “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”- 1 Timothy 4:4-5 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.””- Hebrews 12:28-29 “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”- Psalm 107:8-9 “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”- Ephesians 5:4 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people-”- 1 Timothy 2:1 Share these Scriptures with your family and friends this holiday, and encourage them to give thanks to the Lord our God! If you are interested in getting involved with Uncommon Sports Group's community of future leaders of the sport industry, apply to join the network here! If you have questions for our staff, please fill out a contact form here!

Director of Media at Sports Spectrum, Jason Romano, knows a thing or two about the platform that exists within the sport industry. In his podcast, The Sports Spectrum Podcast, Jason has had faith-related conversations with Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Kansas State head men's basketball coach Jerome Tang, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and many more well-renowned names across the world of sports. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Jason discusses how his organization, Sports Spectrum, and the listeners can use the powerful platform of sports for gospel impact! A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

Faithful, daily reading of Scripture is a practice many Christians ascribe to or one they have at least been encouraged to implement into daily life. But the mere reading of Scripture only takes us so far as members of our faith community. What makes all the difference is intentional Scripture study, when we sink into God’s word, wrestle with our understanding, and ask God how we might allow it to affect our lives on a daily basis. So how do you begin studying Scripture intentionally? Following the steps below is a good place to start! How to study Scripture effectively… First, prepare your heart and mind for success: Like any other study session, it works best to be in a quiet space. Choose a topic relevant to where you’re at on your spiritual journey or a topic that interests you. Most Bibles have a glossary of topics (grace, forgiveness, repentance, etc). Speaking of a glossary…look up what you don’t understand! A study session is most effective when you make an effort to understand what, at face value, may cause confusion. Be persistent. Scripture study takes dedication and commitment, as what you read won’t always make sense the first time, nor will its application to your life. But there is always a plan and a deeper meaning to God’s word. Once you’ve prepared a successful space, you can follow the SOAP acronym for further guidance on studying Scripture. Start with Scripture Of course, right?! There are many different places and tools we can use to access God’s Word when studying Scripture, but none replace Scripture itself. It doesn’t matter if you start at the beginning of the Bible, with the Gospels, or an Old or New Testament book that has been recommended to you. Don’t get bogged down by where to start; instead, just jump in. The Holy Spirit will guide you through. As you read, make an effort to write out key verses that stand out to you. It's amazing how much more is comprehended when you personally write Scripture out. Practice Observation As you work through your Scripture study, pay attention to the different details in the writing: Who is the author? Who is the audience? Who are the main characters in the story? Is there repetition of words or phrases? Why was this written? Is there a cross reference somewhere else in the Bible? Is there anything that stands out to you? These observations can help connect you to the Scripture more thoroughly. When you engage in your Scripture study in this way, you invite God to speak to you through the fine print. It is in these very details that God might speak to you - making His words new to you each day. Consider the Application Your observations alone help you understand Scripture more thoroughly. But to allow your Scripture study to impact your life to the fullest, it’s important to take your observations and see how that Scripture can be applied to your personal life. Ask yourself: What is God saying to me today? What changes do I need to make? Is there an action that I need to take? Is there a command that I need to obey? Applying Scripture to your life is where the rubber meets the road. The whole point in studying Scripture, after all, is for God to impact your life and, in turn, others’ lives by making you a more faithful follower of His Word. Close in Prayer Scripture is God's Word that He shares with us, and He desires for us to communicate back to Him. After studying Scripture, spend some time in prayer. Praise God for who He is, and all you know Him to be through His word. Confess to God if there is something He revealed to you through your Scripture study. Thank God for His wisdom, His faithfulness, and – of course – His Word. Ask God to remain with you, to guide you, and to continue to reveal the truth of His Word to you as you let your Scripture study mold and shape your days and who you are as a person. Learning how to study Scripture is an ever-evolving process along your spiritual journey. But being intentional about how you dig into God’s word can help create good habits around the practice and success in God speaking to and working through you. Explore more spiritual development tips from Uncommon Sports Group.

This past October, Uncommon Sports Group had the opportunity to travel to Phoenix, Arizona, and enjoy an Impact Weekend with our largest group of Academy participants to date. This trip also marked my first opportunity to experience the full Impact Weekend experience first-hand, and what an experience it was! It can be overwhelming to see a large group of future leaders in the sport industry all gathered in one place, seeking to learn more about Jesus and how they can share the love of Jesus with those around them at the schools and organizations they are affiliated with. It gives such hope to know that there are those out there working in sports who are actively seeking to grow in their faith and pass on their faith to those around them. It made me think of how amazing it could be if we had a believer in every professional sports organization and every Division I College or University actively reaching out to the lost around them. What an impact it could make on the lives of so many! A great example of a believer actively living out and passing on their faith was Luke U., who works for the Phoenix Suns. Luke gave us a wonderful tour of the Phoenix Suns arena, The Footprint Center. The highlight of the tour was that Luke was joined by his co-worker, Kyle, whom Luke has encouraged and brought in to be a part of our current Academy team. Luke spoke about the importance of getting to know your co-workers, sharing who you are with them, and sharing God’s love with them. Luke spoke of the importance of taking opportunities to get to know them through conversation and simple acts like grabbing coffee with them or grabbing lunch together. What a tremendous example of a disciple in the sports industry, making more disciples in the sport industry. Praise the Lord! Our members also had the opportunity to tour the Arizona Diamondbacks facility, Chase Field, and hear from Amilyn P., their Vice President of Government Affairs. Amylin shared her testimony of dealing with adversity as a single mom after her husband's death in a car crash when she was just six months into her pregnancy. Now she is a proud mom of a 7-year-old boy working in the highest level of a baseball organization, living out her faith by overseeing the organization's charitable efforts in the community, and serving on the board of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Arizona. Grand Canyon University was another one of the stops for our members over the weekend. Tim Griffin and others from Grand Canyon shared about the importance of sharing the love of Jesus with those who are typically overlooked in the sports industry. He shared a wonderful testimony of reaching out to the support staff (tire suppliers) during his time in NASCAR and what an impact it had on their journey with Christ. The Phoenix Impact Weekend was truly an amazing time of fellowship and encouragement. It was overwhelming to see the impact the experience was having on the Academy participants moment by moment as we went through the weekend. Talk about sparking a flame for sharing the gospel! Those with connections in Phoenix were even inviting their friends to join us for dinner to hear more about the mission while we were still down there. Incredible! It is amazing to see what God is doing in the sport industry, and it was an incredible blessing to join in being a part of it! Join us for our next Academy team, kicking off this coming January! Apply or learn more here.

The celebration of USG's first-ever Football Student Manager Appreciation Week prompted me to spend some time reflecting on my own football student manager experience. There is, of course, no shortage of men and women whose careers in college or professional athletics were jump-started by their experience as a student manager. As a wide-eyed 19-year-old walking into the Equipment Room for the first time in August of 2008, I could have never imagined the life lessons, friendships, and experiences I would soon gain. Here are just five of the lessons I learned: 1. Do not take things personally. I quickly discovered no shortage of colorful language and intensity at my first few practices as a football manager. The entire practice was scripted down to the minute. Everyone was accountable for making the most of those precious minutes on the practice field. Inevitably, this would often result in a barrage of yelling if things were not going exactly as planned. Fortunately, my boss helped me understand that sometimes these coaches were yelling not because they were actually upset but because it was their personal method by which to increase the intensity of a specific drill or practice period. 2. It takes a village. Perhaps the most eye-opening thing that anyone first experiences when starting in college or professional athletics is the number of various departments and people it takes to run a program. Equipment, Video departments, Sports Medicine, Recruiting, Game Ops, Development, Facilities, and the list goes on and on. This is, of course, in addition to the thousands of alumni and former staff associated with a program. Let’s just say I never envied the ‘higher ups’ in charge of deciding who was allowed to travel on the charter, who received free tickets or bowl gifts, which coaches spouse would receive the best seats, etc. 3. No one is above the program. Building off the above lesson, alongside seeing highly ranked recruits be suspended or kicked off the team or the team succeed even with a star player injured, always helped provide reminders that despite what my mom may think of me, I am not that important, & I along with everyone else is replaceable. 4. A good work ethic will always be valued. I will never forget how nervous I was when I was first hired because I never had any similar experience and felt like I didn’t have much to offer. I had spent my summers working in corn fields growing up and working the concession stand at the local swimming pool. Sure I had played football, but I didn’t know the slightest thing about a Division I College Football operation. Thankfully I quickly realized that many of the things I was most frequently tasked with doing, such as setting up the practice field or laundry, only required a willingness to work hard. 5. Even the most incredible ‘dream come true’ will not satisfy. My student manager experience truly was a dream come true experience for me. The experience even exceeded my expectations in terms of the perks and relationships that developed. Yet I will never forget heading home across the Washington Ave pedestrian bridge one afternoon and realizing I was still empty inside. I wrote about this experience much more extensively in my February 2022 Journal. Still, God graciously allowed me to experience my ‘dream come true’ so that I could realize that even my greatest earthly dream falls short of life found walking in a relationship with Him. Honorable mentions: 6. Even rich and famous people love (& feel entitled to) free stuff from the EQ room. 7. 24/7 access to steam rooms and cold tubs and not having to work out with the general public are incredible perks. 8. If the athlete did in fact, turn it in on their loop, it would be on their loop.

USG is able to provide all of its Academy participants with a fully-funded Impact Weekend trip. These weekends are aimed at being an opportunity for the participants to put into action everything they have been learning throughout the USG Academy, as well as providing opportunities to grow both in Christ and professionally. This past weekend, USG was able to fund twenty-four Academy participants to travel to Phoenix, AZ, for an Impact Weekend experience. Marie Milanowski was one of the participants on the trip. Marie went through Team 32 of the USG Academy and is presently studying Data Science at the University of Minnesota with plans to work in the sport industry upon graduation. Below is Marie's testimony about her time in Phoenix! "This past weekend, I got the opportunity to go down to Phoenix, AZ, with Uncommon Sports Group for an Impact Weekend. I was given the opportunity to meet others that went through the USG Academy that have the same passions for working in the sports industry and using their lives to glorify the Lord. Although it was only a few days, the weekend was filled with tours, opportunities to grow professionally and spiritually, time to build community, and lots of fun. On Friday, we got to visit and tour Grand Canyon University and hear from staff members about their journey to working at GCU and their roles at the university and in the students’ lives. On Saturday, we got the opportunity to visit and tour both Chase Field and Footprint Center and meet professionals currently working for both the Diamondbacks and the Suns, including getting a tour from a USG member and someone currently going through the academy who both work for the Suns. It was so encouraging for me to see some of my peers so close in age to me getting jobs in the field that they want and how they’re continuing to grow and keep their faith in an industry that doesn’t particularly focus on the Lord. Getting the opportunity to create connections and visit these different sites around the greater Phoenix area was so beneficial and a great experience overall. Between visiting and touring other sites, we spent time growing in the Lord and our careers through bible study, worship, and Gallup CliftonStrengths training. I met so many amazing people this weekend and built friendships that I know will continue to grow far into the future. My time in Phoenix was fruitful in so many ways and an amazing reminder that I have a strong community backing me wherever I go. I am so excited to officially be a part of the USG community and to continue to grow in both my faith and my career with this amazing community." Uncommon Sports Group provides faith-based training and resources to future leaders of the sport industry. We believe you shouldn't have to compromise your values to be successful. If you want an experience like Ezrick's, apply to join our community of Christ-centered future leaders of the sport industry here. Do you have questions about our ministry? Contact a staff member here!