Athletes / About Us
Athletes Becoming Leaders. Campuses Being Changed.
We’re a community of athletes following Jesus with passion and discipline. Together, we pursue transformation, relationships, and courage to live out our faith.
Our Vision
Athletes and coaches transformed. Collegiate athletics renewed. World changers developed.
Our history
Growth of a work of God
2000
2008
2011
2014
2000
2008
2011
2014
Athlete Ministry Begins
Although little happened with athlete ministry in InterVarsity in the first 60 years of its history, in the early 2000’s God began to simultaneously grow ministries to athletes in several places around the country, most significantly at the University of Delaware, The University of New Hampshire and Hillsdale College (MI). However, although there was some knowledge among InterVarsity Staff working with athletes at their schools of other athlete ministries happening at other schools, there was little to no vision of anything more than what was already happening. Then, in the fall of 2006, InterVarsity hired Maghan Grahn, the first full-time CSM working with athletes, who came into InterVarsity with a vision for a national InterVarsity athlete-specific focused ministry.
Athlete Ministry Grows
From the beginning of her ministry with InterVarsity, Maghan began to inquire with national InterVarsity leaders about her vision. In January 2008, Maghan was introduced to Denny Brogan, who worked with athletes at Hillsdale College and who also shared the vision for a national InterVarsity athlete-specific focused ministry, and together they committed to pray and work together to make this vision a reality. More full-time athlete staff were hired, new athlete ministries began to grow, and staff working with athletes began to gather with each other whenever they could to pray and grow in vision with each other (e.g. Urbana 2009). And throughout this time, national IV leadership began to take notice that God was growing an athlete ministry in InterVarsity.
Athlete Ministry Affirmed
At the InterVarsity National Staff Conference in January 2011, a video was shown, highlighting the work among athletes at the University of New Hampshire. This video, along with what was shared at a gathering of staff working with athletes (with national leaders in attendance) about what God was doing in and through athlete ministry around the country in InterVarsity, raised much excitement and recognition of what God was doing. It also led Paul Tokunaga (InterVarsity National Director of Strategic Ministries) to start a process with Maghan, Denny and other InterVarsity national and regional leaders to discern if God were calling “Athletes InterVarsity” into existence. The result of this process was a unanimous “yes”, affirming that what God had started, He wanted to continue to grow.
Athlete Ministry Launched
Between 2012-2014 the foundations of a national ministry were put in place, a national leadership team was formed (Maghan Perez Grahn, Denny Brogan, Ben Sturgill, Mac Smith, Colleen Walsh Caskey and Meredith Beaton), regular national data began to be collected about athlete ministries, and key InterVarsity national events (e.g. Ambition 2012 and Urbana 2012) were utilized to gather athletes and InterVarsity staff to create momentum for Athletes IV. In December 2013 Maghan Grahn Perez was appointed the first Athletes InterVarsity National Director, and at the InterVarsity National Staff Conference in Jan 2014, Athletes InterVarsity was officially launched as an official Focused Ministry within InterVarsity.
Our Team
Who's behind Athletes InterVarsity?
Meet the leaders who are working to support and empower athletes and coaches nationwide.
Colleen Caskey
Director, Athletes InterVarsity
Denny Brogan
Associate Director, Planting and Growth
Contact
Let's connect
Are you an athlete who wants to start or join a ministry? Are you interested in learning more about who we are and what we do? Do you want to work with us? Reach out and let's start the conversation.