Preparing for an interview can be a daunting task, and without guidance, it can be impossible to feel fully prepared. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Noah is joined by two University of Minnesota athletic department staff members, Jennifer Callinan, and Emily Reinert. Jennifer is presently the Director of Career Services and Relations. Emily formerly was the Director of Student-Athlete Development and presently works as an Associate Director with the College of Liberal Arts. They both provide their professional advice as to how young professionals can best prepare for a job interview. 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 follow 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!

My “Lose Yourself” story: Rapper, hip hop artist, and songwriter Eminem will soon take the stage during the Super Bowl 56 halftime show in Los Angeles on February 13th. I have not remained current on any of Eminem’s music over the last decade, but I will always remember one of his hit singles from my childhood. The song, Lose Yourself, is in many ways an anecdote to Eminem’s own journey from growing up in a trailer park in Detroit, Michigan, to becoming a hip hop superstar. Here’s a snippet of the lyrics: Look If you had One shot Or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted In one moment Would you capture it Or just let it slip? You better lose yourself in the music, the moment You own it, you better never let it go You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow This opportunity comes once in a lifetime I’m the furthest thing from being a “rapper”, but for some reason, those lyrics have always grabbed me. The idea of being able to completely “lose yourself”. Being able to become part of something larger than your current reality. For the artist of this song, it was losing himself and his rough upbringing in stardom as a global performer. As I reflect back on high school, I remember striving ever so hard to “lose myself” in basketball. There was no one who wanted to become a better basketball player than me. I was willing to work harder and longer than anyone else so that I would be known as a great basketball player. When given the opportunity to select a custom engraving for my first ever iPod, I chose the words “Work harder damn’t!!” to serve as a constant reminder to never allow anyone to outwork me. Unfortunately, genetics never quite allowed for that dream to pan out. But then less than a year into college I found myself dreaming about “losing myself” in my pursuit of working in the sports industry. I will never forget an evening I had back home with my dad watching an episode of “Big Ten Basketball: The Journey”. It provided a behind-the-scenes look into the life of the Minnesota Gophers Men’s Basketball program. I had already decided I was transferring to the University of Minnesota that next fall. I told my dad how incredible it would be if I could become a student manager for Gophers Basketball, or maybe even Football if I got really lucky. It was halfway through my freshman year, and I was desperately desiring a reason to be done with the partying and drinking that was consuming several nights of my week. I thought IF I could just “lose myself” in being part of a Division 1 college athletics program, then surely I would have enough reason to quit this life that I knew was wrong. If this happened, I would finally have an excuse to say no when friends asked me to drink because I was certain that my schedule would be too busy to allow for such foolishness. I was also certain that the opportunities that this would open for my career in the sports industry would fill me with such joy and peace that I would no longer have the constant urge to self-medicate my depression and anxiety with alcohol. This opportunity to “lose myself” would surely change everything for me… Fast forward to my first semester at the University of Minnesota that next Fall. I didn’t end up getting hired on with Gophers Men’s Basketball but ended up landing a student manager position with the Gophers Football program the very last week of Fall camp. It was just in time for the first game of the season. I grew up a huge Gophers Football fan, and I was now aspiring for a career in the sports industry. This was an absolute dream come true. I was working with the coaches and athletes I watched on TV only the year prior. And wow did this job have perks! Free tickets for my family to go to every game, more Nike gear than I could ever wear, use of the team training facilities, unlimited energy drinks and Coca-Cola products, and of course, I was now on the sidelines, a part of the action every Saturday. Growing up in a town with a population of 53 people, I never dreamed that one day I may be a part of all of it. I had never seen anything like the police escort that our team busses would receive to or from our chartered flights. At the end of the season, we were able to spend an entire week at a resort wherever our Bowl Game was. It happened to be in Arizona both of my years with Gophers Football, so a getaway from MN in December was no small perk. We even started out my first season with one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history with a record of 7-1. And did I mention I got paid? On top of all of this, I genuinely enjoyed my boss and everyone I was working with. Many of them became my best friends over the next few years. In a nutshell, that job ended up being even better than I could have dreamed. Surely “losing myself” in this opportunity would finally help me find peace and joy. But it didn’t. I will never forget how hard it hit me, a week into that job when I realized I was “living my dream” on the outside, but I was still just as anxious and depressed as I was before. I quickly found myself immersed in the coping mechanisms that got me through my freshman year. Alcohol. Women. Partying. It didn’t matter that this job was actually better than I ever imagined it could be. By all of my own measures externally, I was at the top. Internally, I was more depressed and confused than ever, and even suicidal. I would go on to “lose myself” many more times: - NFL Training Camp Internship with the Arizona Cardinals - NFL Training Camp Internship with the then “San Diego” Chargers - Opportunity to work for Tubby Smith and Gophers Men’s Basketball my Senior year. - A position working for Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech Football Each of these opportunities greatly exceeded my expectations in terms of perks and the “status” that seemed to accompany them, but they did nothing but make me even more confused about why I was so miserable. At least when I was a freshman I had the “hope” that things were going to be better when _____ happened. It was by no means any sort of pinnacle of success but in terms of what I had previously dreamed, my life was exceeding expectations. My point in all of this is that I had finally found what I had always dreamed would satisfy. Maybe you can relate. Have you been certain that a promotion would change everything for your family. Or, that becoming a parent or spouse would finally give you the purpose you longed for. Maybe it was the promising new career pursuing something you felt passionate about. Regardless of the “dream”, can relate that when achieving a goal, it made it harder to remain hopeful that you would find the joy and peace you were desperately desiring? Consider these words from Tom Brady, who I think many would imagine having a life worth losing yourself in. Supermodel wife. Incredible wealth. He retired this past week with arguably the most impressive career of any athlete of all time. Back in 2005, he had these words to share on 60 minutes: BRADY: …there’s times where I’m not the person that I want to be. Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, “Hey man, this is what is.” I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think: God, it’s gotta be more than this. I mean this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be. I mean I’ve done it. I’m 27. And what else is there for me? Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes: What’s the answer? BRADY: I wish I knew. I wish I knew… Throughout all of my struggles, I was still going to church. I had grown up going to church every Sunday, and I made certain that I continued to do so when I went off on my own. It didn’t matter what I had done the night before or where I had passed out, I made sure that I was at church each Sunday. By God’s grace, nearly 10 years ago, I started to realize that every time I sought to “lose myself”, I was really searching for purpose. I longed to be part of something that would give my life meaning. Being a great athlete. Having a successful career in the sports industry. It wasn’t until I attained one of these items that I realized it failed to fill the hole I was experiencing in my heart. This revelation in my life helped me realize that as a created being, I do not determine my purpose. In fact, it is actually determined by my Creator (God). Isaiah 45:9 states "Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles? Jesus says in Luke 9:23-24 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Slowly, but surely I discovered that “to lose yourself” is actually exactly what Jesus invites us into. And it’s a beautiful thing! Jesus exemplified what it means to “lose yourself” by first laying down His own life. He invites us to do the same. We have the opportunity to go from living for something that is perishable and that has a 100% chance of coming to an end (death), or, living for something that is imperishable (eternity with God). We can certainly seek to “lose ourselves” in many things here on earth. Jesus makes it clear that all of these things will never truly satisfy us. In John 4:13-14 Jesus shares with the woman at the well that “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.” My life has certainly not become ‘perfect’ or ‘easy’ since I’ve decided to “lose myself” in following Jesus. I even have moments where I find myself straying from Jesus throughout the day. But, I couldn’t be more thankful that God continuously reminds me of His love for me, and has given me peace and a purpose that transcends this earthly life. If you’re interested in learning more about what it looks like to “Lose Yourself” in Jesus, I encourage you to prayerfully consider joining any of our upcoming USG Academy groups! If you'd like to talk about your "losing yourself" experiences, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you.

In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, campus and teaching pastor at Radiant Church in Southwest Michigan, Jon Zondervan, shares how Jesus radically changed his life and called him to be a pastor. Jon talks through his struggles growing up in a legalistic church, battling alcohol and drug use, understanding his identity in Christ, and more! Click the player at the top of this blog to listen now or listen to more episodes of the Uncommon Podcast on your preferred podcast listening platform. See you next week for another episode of the Uncommon Podcast!

Mark Fairley has been a USG member since the summer of 2020. He has been is a great example of being a light for Christ in the sport industry! Mark Fairley - Liberty University, Graduate Assistant with the XC and Track & Field Teams In the world of sports, each coach, player and team is primarily defined by wins and losses. Today’s culture promotes a “win at all costs” mindset. Books, speakers, conferences and more discuss how to get to the top and get there fast. Elite athletes pursue championships, wins and contracts as their ultimate priority. Such goals consume their every thought and guide their every decision. The most prominent example of this pursuit appears to be in competitive cycling, especially evident in well-known rise and fall of Lance Armstrong. Doping in elite cyclists had been suspected for years despite widespread testing. Athletes had developed ways to circumvent the testing and still participate in performance enhancing methods that compromise standard morals and values. Lance Armstrong’s practices were uncovered and he fell from grace. In his “I Am Second” Video, Tony Dungy quoted Mark 8:36 which says, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” As Christ followers in the sports industry, we have a higher calling. Our calling is to make disciples. As a graduate assistant coach for cross-country, track and field at Liberty University, my goal is to make disciples. At the NCAA Division I level, where winning is everything and athletes will go to extreme measures to excel, there are a lot of opportunities to direct athletes to focus on eternal matters. Some coaches care primarily about the athlete’s performance to the exclusion of the person. At Liberty University, we are committed to pointing athletes to pursue a relationship with the Lord above all else as they train to be “Champions for Christ”. Focusing on Christ first in our athletic employment and endeavors will lead to unexpected blessings. It is difficult at the age of 25 to foresee God’s master plan for my life. Yet as I reflect on the past, I see evidence of his faithfulness in using me to share his love with others. God can take a simple act of kindness and turn it into something of eternal significance. Last year at Liberty a student named Josh expressed interest in trying out for the cross-country team. At the one-mile time trial, Josh’s performance was a disappointing 45 seconds short of the target to join the team. Sensing his discouragement, I offered to help him improve. We agreed to meet, and I shared some advice along with an individualized training schedule. This developed into weekly workouts during which I learned that Josh was a Buddhist. Other interested students began to join us until we had about 40 runners with all different ability levels. Out of this extension of help to Josh was born the officially approved Liberty Running Club! Because of the relationship that I had built with Josh, the Lord laid it on my heart to intentionally share the gospel. Following an hour conversation and many questions, Josh surrendered His life to the Lord and became a Christian. Truly this was an unexpected blessing confirming that God is in the business of doing so much more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Josh is now my brother in Christ, a co-worker with the Running Club and motivated to use whatever gifts and talents that God has given him to the best of his ability. Through this experience, I have realized that sports are abundantly more than just wins or losses. Sports are an avenue in which God can transform lives and hearts to be fully devoted to Him. As an aspiring coach, I will capture every opportunity to show athletes that there is much more to life than wins, championships and contracts. As Tony Dungy said, “You can glorify the Lord in every circumstance. How you respond to failure and how you respond to disappointments says a lot more than how you handle successes.” Each individual must determine their priorities and act accordingly. As believers of Jesus Christ, our number one priority is to glorify Him and tell others about the good news of salvation that God offers to all who would believe. Stay tuned as for an announcement with our Spring 2022 Reflection Scholarship prompt! Our team looks forward to hearing more encouraging and uplifting stories from this next round of our scholarship program.

Minneapolis, Minnesota February 1st, 2022—Uncommon Sports Group (USG) is excited to launch our spring USG Reflection Scholarship! USG and Helmet Tracker, have agreed to sponsor $20,000 in scholarship funding that is being made available to future leaders in the sports industry. These future leaders in the sports industry will watch a video and then reflect in an essay on the topic of “serving” that highlights former NFL Wide Receiver, Anquan Boldin. After a review by the USG Reflection Scholarship Committee that is made up of USG staff and several present leaders in the sports industry, the $20,000 in scholarship funding will be split up and awarded to 13 individuals. 10 Honorable Mentions will receive $1,000, 3rd Place will receive $2,000, 2nd Place will receive $3,000, and our 1st Place winner will receive $5,000! This funding may be used by award recipients in professional or spiritual development contexts. Uncommon Sports Group is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded by former athletics equipment manager, Drew Boe. USG collects and monetizes apparel donations to support the professional and spiritual development of sports industry professionals. The USG Reflection Scholarship is an amazing opportunity for USG to give back to its supporters as presently, USG is developing and investing-in 200+ leaders in the sports industry. Click Here for scholarship application information.

Why should you participate in the USG Academy? In today’s world, we are inundated with everything needed to improve your life, whether it be self-help books, podcasts, or Ted Talks. Wherever you look, you’ll find something. So what makes our USG Academy worth your time? What can you walk away with that you wouldn’t get anywhere else? Great question! Below are three reasons why you should prioritize joining one of our many USG Academy teams in 2022. 1. You will find desired harmony between a busy career in the sport industry and your personal life. The USG Academy emphasizes ways to prioritize your family, friends, church, and hobbies amidst a demanding job within the sport industry. Although you can’t really tell your boss no to your job responsibilities, you can implement small habits and routines into your everyday life that allow you to stay grounded in your identity in Christ, committed to your walk with the Lord, and focused on life goals that you’ve set. 2. You will find practical approaches to navigating the sport industry and advancing in your career. The USG Academy provides you with simple, yet effective, tips and tools to help you get your foot in the door and successfully navigate the sport industry. We break down the basics of networking, provide easy ways to connect with industry professionals and introduce you to opportunities available throughout the country. 3. You will find Christ-centered community that shares a passion for following Jesus combined with working in the sport industry. The USG Academy offers deep connections to other Christians in the college and professional sport industries, both through the eight-week training and beyond. Once you complete the Academy, you will gain access to our custom USG Connect app where you will be able to interact with hundreds of current and incoming sport professionals, while also participating in many of our spiritual and professional conferences, events, and mission trips throughout the year. If you'd like to know more about the USG Academy, please contact us. We'd be happy to answer your questions. If you feel that you're ready to join USG, apply now and we'll be in touch with you soon!

In our continuing Throwback Blog Series, we share the stories, testimonies, and experiences of members during our time as Managers on a Mission. Although we've rebranded to Uncommon Sports Group, the lessons the Lord has taught us and those that attended our events are still important and impactful. Read on to hear how the Lord worked in Tyler Goldberg's life during our July 2019 San Diego Trip: I came into the San Diego Summer Impact Experience lukewarm in my faith. I listened to worship music every day and was in church weekly, but I drove past the homeless person on the corner and never took time to listen to others’ stories that didn’t look, act, think, and believe like me. Well, beginning June 7, 2019, all of that changed. Our first couple days in Carlsbad, CA, were filled with tremendous professional and spiritual development sessions at the Daniel Summit. I learned so many valuable lessons from men and women of faith in the sport industry. Perhaps the biggest blessing I took away was how each leader was focused on making time for his or her family outside of the office, no matter the position. Even the President of the San Diego Padres takes games off to spend time with his wife and boys. How cool is that?! The next day, on Sunday, I believe, we evangelized on the beach in Oceanside. I had a couple of surreal encounters with spiritual warfare. The first encounter was with a man – we’ll call him Jason. Jason was homeless and originally from Colorado. He had saved up just enough money to take a tram to California. He was recovering from heroin addiction and trying to get back on his feet. You could tell he was searching for something . . . more. A few other teammates and I shared our faith with him. When we got to the main points about Jesus, his face and eyes would lock in on me, and he would get visibly angry. So angry that he got up and walked away while yelling. While this wasn’t the result I wanted, it was cool to see that Satan has to flee at the mention of the name Jesus Christ. I still pray for this man, that he would ultimately find the One who loves his soul the most. The second encounter was with a couple – we’ll call them Jim and Jan. Jim was struggling with alcohol addiction and couldn’t get clean. Jan was overwhelmed with life’s circumstances – battling cancer, six weeks pregnant, homeless, and addicted to methamphetamine. My heart was crushed to hear of what they were staring head-on. Fortunately, in the prior interaction with Jason, we had linked with a Christian ministry that does beach outreach, drug rehabilitation, and counseling. After conversing with the couple for several minutes, they agreed to walk with us to meet with the ministry “U-Turn4Christ.” After about ten minutes of getting information, Jim and Jan were booked into a rehab program as a couple and are now recovering from addiction. Please pray for these three individuals – for healing, salvation, and ultimate freedom. Monday was a professional development day in Los Angeles. We were more than blessed to sit in the offices of the L.A. Chargers, UCLA Women’s Basketball, L.A. Galaxy, and potentially the most prominent franchise in all of professional sports – the Los Angeles Lakers. While all the professional teams were very cordial with us and went above and beyond to serve us, UCLA Women’s Basketball won my attention for the day. Head coach Cori Close spoke to us for an hour and thirty minutes. I could not believe it, because she had about thirty seconds to get to a recruiting call with a big-time recruit after speaking to us. I felt unbelievably honored. On top of the sheer amount of time she gave us, she was FULL of the Holy Spirit. From the moment she opened her mouth, nothing but Jesus came from her. The way she runs her program, her attitude towards others, and how much her relationship with God sets the tone for her life were truly awe-inspiring. I have sat on a lot of lectures with many influential people, but Coach Cori’s talk has stuck with me and will stick with me forever. So, Coach Cori, if you read this, THANK YOU! The next day, we had the opportunity to serve the homeless in downtown San Diego. We packed hygiene packs and informational pamphlets for locals to know they are loved and welcome at the San Diego Rescue Mission. I could only have one conversation – let’s call him Chris. Chris was just released from prison after serving eight years. He had taken a Greyhound bus from Wisconsin to San Diego and lives on the street. I approached him as he was sleeping on the grass and offered to buy him a few snacks and beverages from a nearby Starbucks. He sat up so quickly and agreed to let me help. Immediately, I was humbled and realized how many blessings I have in my life. After sitting down with the snacks, Chris and I talked about his story – because everyone has one. He told me about his childhood, where he’s been, and how he got to San Diego. Despite his circumstances, he seemed optimistic about his future. After sharing my faith with him at the end of the conversation, I was able to pray with him and left him in good spirits. On Wednesday, we had the blessing of serving the church that had/has served us so well – North Coast Calvary Chapel. We started off with their staff Bible study. We were blessed to hear from MOAM’s own-Drew Boe in the book of Jeremiah and where / if we are looking to God amid our mess. Then, we were able to lead the student ministry service at North Coast Calvary Chapel. Several students accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the biggest blessing. Oddly enough, the drummer for the student worship team is from Newport, TN, about 45 minutes east of my hometown in Tennessee. So, it was cool to see the 865 represented in SoCal. New friendships were formed. New life in Christ was found. On Thursday, we went on a group hike along the coast. This was one of the more physically demanding things I’ve done. The first 3.5 miles weren’t bad at all, but the final mile or so was at about a 95% incline. My legs have never been so strained from exhaustion. Every ten steps, I would look to see how far I’d gone. Perhaps this is a good spiritual reminder for us. Even if we only take ten little steps in our faith, when we see progress in our spiritual lives, we are inspired and pushed to go deeper and further. Like that, our week was over, and we were headed to the airport. To be frank, I was pretty emotional leaving this group of people. I had bonded and formed true relationships with almost every individual there – that was special. I just wish I had a little more time to make those relationships stronger. While we were short on group-bonding time there, we did have awesome team Bible studies that, no matter how exhausted we were, always seemed to force us to press in just a little bit more and allow God to move and shape us. In conclusion, I am beyond grateful and humbled to have gone on the San Diego Impact Experience with Managers on a Mission. To Drew, Seth, and Mikey, thank you for believing in me, my broken story, and everything the Lord is doing in my life. To my MOAM family, thank you for being encouragers who love to love others and desire excellence in sport. To anyone considering joining Managers on a Mission for an Impact Experience - just do it! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Tyler! Every USG Academy participant is provided the opportunity to attend an Impact Weekend, a final exclamation point to the eight weeks of training they have completed. If you are interested in experiencing a trip similar to Tyler's, and if you'd like to invest in your faith and your career in the sports industry, consider applying to the USG Academy today. If you'd like to know more about USG or would like to get in touch, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. Thank you for your time, and God bless!

Hannah Conlisk has been a USG member since the fall of 2022. She is a great example of being a light for Christ in the sport industry! Winning Fall 2021 Essay by: Hannah Conlisk - Daytona International Speedway Guest Services & Information Coordinator "With the exciting highs and thrills come the difficulties and sacrifice when working in the sports industry. I have been blessed to begin working in sports straight out of college and in my short time as a professional in the industry, I fully understand the struggles, battles, and challenges that Christians face. The industry, no matter what sport, presents a necessity for busyness, something plaguing the world today. The hours in both preparation and event execution can be long and hard and often leave myself and other individuals wanting to do nothing but rest in what little free time is available. Therefore, I see forfeiting of intentional time to loved ones, God, and those in our lives. It’s a challenge to separate work time and personal time, often a compromise to values as work expectations grow exceedingly large. Additionally, I do believe the industry can present a focus on gaining the world because of the time commitment it takes to be a sports industry professional but also the fight to move up the chain. There is a constant struggle to be promoted which initiates a need to aim higher and find immediate results in work. This conundrum often involves putting morals, beliefs, and values behind. I believe the necessity for detailed time commitments solely dedicated to working and the industrial pressure to move up the ladder shifts the focus from God’s blessings and opportunities to a priority in gaining the world. Therefore, in a race to be at the top and prove worth within a company or a team, morals and values fall. After graduating from The University of Iowa in December 2020, I had an expectation to land a job in the desired field in the desired location, working with the desired sport team. Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 pandemic along with my timetable, I was rejected many times and failed to advance after many interviews. For a while, I became extremely discouraged and wondered what God’s plan was for me. I responded by shifting dependence from myself to Him and praying He would grow a trust in me to be dependent on Him and not my future. I have always had lofty goals for myself and didn’t hold myself short when aspiring to work in the sports industry. God continued to be faithful despite my doubt and discouragement and I moved down to Daytona Beach, FL where I became an intern in the Guest Services department at Daytona International Speedway. I never imagined, planned, or prepared to apply for a guest services position as much of my experience was in marketing, communications, or production, but in hindsight, I see His faithfulness throughout. As in Tony’s interview, I faced significant lows in my trials of finding a job within the industry and attempting to work my way into a desirable position. I now see from Tony’s interview and his experience in the industry, I can use my position to glorify God in the way I interact, communicate, and experience event days with fans and coworkers. My job revolves around positively impacting fans to enjoy their experience and what better way to glorify the Lord than through kind actions and intentional reach. Additionally, I can make known my faith in the Lord and use that as a catalyst for sharing the gospel while working long hours and long days. Through wearing a USG bracelet, I have had the opportunity to answer a coworker’s question regarding the significance of USG and Romans 12:2. In taking a step back and realizing the perfection of God’s plan, I see that God placed me in a position with coworkers and management that allows me to talk about my faith and encourages conversation. As a professional in the sports industry, I have begun to understand the challenges of working in an industry that demands your time, energy, focus, and commitment. Through my experience with USG along with God’s continual faithfulness, I can take on this challenge while not compromising a relationship and dedication to God. Like Tony Dungy, I see the power my impact can have on others in the industry as sports affect a wide variety of people across the globe. The challenge of shifting my focus from the world to God will be an ever-present battle but with God anything is possible. Freedom from the pressures of this industry comes when I lay my wants and needs for achievement and success at the feet of the cross and surrender the good and the bad to Christ." Thank you, Hannah, and congratulations! The Spring 2022 Reflection Scholarship announcement is right around the corner! Our team looks forward to hearing more encouraging and uplifting stories from this next round of our scholarship program. Click here for more information on our Scholarship Program. Thanks!

A career in the sport industry can be filled with unique pressures and temptations. At Uncommon Sports Group, we provide faith-based training, resources, and relationships that develop leaders to successfully navigate these challenges. The number one way we raise up Christ-centered leaders in the sport industry is through our newly-designed, virtual Academy for students to complete throughout the year. Our goal for the USG Academy is to guide and equip students with the proper disciplines and tools to grow in their relationship with the Lord, build authentic community, and live a purpose-driven life. The eight-week training includes: Weekly purposes that help you answer some of life’s biggest questions. This stems from Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life, and covers five different purposes we’re called to. Daily journal pages to do simultaneously with reading The Purpose Driven Life. This leads you through prayer time, scripture to study, and questions to answer. Weekly assignments that put the training into practical exercises, including informational interviews, resume writing, testimonials and Gospel presentations, Strengths coaching. Weekly calls with a certified USG Coach who walks alongside you and encourages you throughout the training. With Rick Warren’s, The Purpose Driven Life, our Academy walks you through life’s greatest question and five purposes to help you find and fulfill your life purpose here on earth. The six topics that are deeply studied are: What on earth am I here for? Planned For God’s Pleasure → What will be the center of my life? Formed For God’s Family → What will be the community of my life? Created To Become Like Christ → What will be the character of my life? Shaped For Serving God → What will be the contribution of my life? Made For A Mission → What will be the communication of my life? Are you a sport professional looking to take your faith to the next level in the collegiate or professional sport industry? Click here to apply today to be a part of the USG Academy! If you have questions and want to know more before you apply, please contact us! We'd love to hear from you.

Have you ever wondered about the value of networking and if it can benefit your career in sports? In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Noah is joined by Judy Praska, who formerly worked with the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and is presently a business owner. Judy is a networking pro and an avid LinkedIn user. She shares why networking is important and how to build professional relationships that last! 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 follow 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!

Hear from USG’s Senior Engagement Associate, Michael Carpenter, as he reflects on how the Lord moved during the 2021 calendar year at Uncommon Sports Group. "Over the past year, I have been encouraged by the Lord’s continued faithfulness in using USG to reach individuals working in the sports industry, for His glory! After our ministry had not had an in-person event in over a year, we had a Weekend Gathering event in Miami, Florida in April of 2021. This event was for USG members that had completed our first Training Academy team, Team 24, that walked through the devotional, Purpose Driven Life, as well as some assignment call to action over two months. Some of the highlights of the Impact Weekend included our students building Christ-centered relationships with each other, our group hearing from a diverse group of Christ-centered present leaders in the sports industry, participating in small-group evangelism on South Beach, and leading a Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment activity with our students! Later in May of 2021, we led a similar Weekend Gathering event in Atlanta, GA! These in-person opportunities helped prepare our organization for our mission trip to Kenya in July of 2021! I can't help but reflect on the Lord's goodness throughout our whole Kenya mission trip. The Lord was faithful in putting the trip together in a short amount of time, weaving our team of USG members together through authentic and intentional community, and using the unique gifts of each team member for His glory during the sport camps, coaches clinic, excursions, and Bible studies. My hope is that our USG members left this experience in Kenya with an equipped foundation in Christ Jesus and that they presently are ignited to live a life rooted in Him in their athletics workplaces, all over the United States, where the Lord has planted each of them! Since the mission trip, our team has continued to follow up with one another in terms of accountability for individuals' post-trip goals! USG closed out the 2021 calendar year strong with two additionally powerful Weekend Gathering events in Minneapolis, MN, and Tampa, Florida, for Team 26 and 27 Training Academy participants respectively. Right at the start of the 2022 calendar year, our USG staff was able to lead a group of over 15+ individuals at the Passion 2022 Conference, in Atlanta, GA for an incredible time of fellowship and spiritual growth. Over a day and a half, our group was able to hear powerful messages and talks from a wide variety of individuals, worship with 60,000+ believers during the conference, and the Lord wove our team together in unity. My favorite speakers included David Platt speaking on living missionally, Jackie Hill Perry defining holiness, and Jennie Allen illustrating that there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus! A few of my favorite songs included “The Blessing” by Cody Carnes and Kari Jobe, “Beautiful Jesus” by Chidima, and “I Thank God” to close out the conference by Maverick City Music! This was my third time attending the Passion Conference with a USG group, and the Lord moved in mighty ways again in our USG members, through music, personal testimonies, guest-speakers, and prayer! After missing out on the opportunity to do quality life with our USG members for over a year, due to COVID-19 I’d say that the theme or word to define this past year within our ministry has been “thankfulness”. I’m thankful to have been able to do life in the trenches with many of our USG members at various events, and to meet many in person for the first time! Individuals all over the nation are growing in their relationships with Jesus, and are shining His light in the sports industry that can often be so dark! I have been so encouraged by how the Lord tangibly worked in USG in 2021, and I am excited to see what he has in store for the rest of the 2022 calendar year!" Thanks, Mikey! If you'd like to know more about the USG Academy, what it means to be a Member of USG or the work that we do, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you!

As you may have heard, a group of USG members attended the 2022 Passion Conference in Atlanta, GA in early January. One of our members, Katie Suits, shares her thoughts and experiences below: "Passion 2022 was one to remember! Witnessing 50,000 young adults worshiping our Lord and Savior with everything in them was a glimpse of what I believe heaven will be like. I sat back in awe and just took the crowd in as we worshipped at different moments. I did not know whether to cry or shout a joy of praise! God showed up in each session. It was undeniable! He made His presence known through the communal worship, wonderful sermons brought forward through some of the best speakers, and in deep conversations between sessions. For those who did not believe in God, or who may think He has left them, or that this generation does not know Him, they are completely wrong. God is real, He is alive, and He is moving. All we have to do is jump in, throw off the weight of our sin, and say, “Use me.” Thank you USG for giving me the opportunity to attend such a wonderful conference. If you have a chance to attend Passion in future years, I urge you to go! God is good!" Thanks, Katie! If you'd like to know more about USG and the opportunities it sponsors for its members, visit our USG Academy page today. Are you ready to take the next step and become a member? Then apply today! And as always, if you have questions about who USG is and what we do, please contact us. We'd love to get to know you. Thanks for reading!