Stand on the Rock: What Sets Our Athletic Program Apart
Why Co-Curricular Athletics at Covenant Christian Academy Changes Everything
I imagine it all started with a shovel, a prayer, and a verse.
I suppose before the first practice whistle ever blew, before jerseys were printed or plays were drawn on a whiteboard, the foundation of Covenant Christian Academy Athletics was marked in the dirt by a handful of faithful believers who knelt and prayed Psalm 18:2 over a plot of land:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge…”
In this envisioned moment, not just soil—but something far deeper—was turned.
This spiritual sentiment is the cornerstone—literally and figuratively—of how we train, lead, and compete today. At CCA, Athletics isn’t just an “extra.” It’s co-curricular. That means it’s woven into the fabric of our school—not as a separate or secondary experience, but as a vibrant and vital extension of our mission to develop the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.
And that makes all the difference.
A Different Kind of Ground Game
In Matthew 7, Jesus tells the story of two builders—one who built on the rock and one who built on the sand. The storms came for both. Only one house stood firm. That parable isn’t just about faith. It’s about preparation. At CCA, we don’t train athletes to avoid the storm. We train them to be ready for it—mentally, physically, spiritually. Our athletic foundation is on the Rock, so when pressure mounts, crowds roar, or defeat stings, our athletes don’t crumble.
We stand firm.
Because we’re not just playing for something—we’re playing from something. From identity. From truth. From Christ.
As John Wooten said, “Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”
Co-Curricular, Christ-Centered
When Athletics is co-curricular, it stops being just about sports. It becomes about a story—God’s story in each athlete.
That story includes the cross-country runner who learns perseverance on the trail and in life. It includes the basketball player who’s learning how to press full-court and pray full-hearted. It includes the soccer player who discovers that selfless passing often leads to scoring more—on and off the field.
At CCA, our athletes wear their Cougar uniforms with different sports names throughout the year. Many are multi-sport athletes, multi-talented, and multi-committed. Every coach on campus is pulling in the same direction: not solely toward trophies, but toward truth, toward building up young men and women of purpose, grounded in faith, relentless in pursuit, and impactful in all they do.
A Team That’s a Family
“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” — Mattie Stepanek
Our teams don’t just share a locker room. They share a calling. We compete for championships, but more importantly, we compete with and for one another. We measure success not just by the scoreboard, but by the strength of our character when no one’s watching.
When CCA athletes step onto the court, field, course, or starting blocks, they know the stakes are higher than personal glory. They represent a community, a school, a Savior. They’ve been trained to compete hard, honor the game, lift others up, and walk humbly with God.
Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to not to receive a perishable wreath, but an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control… — 1 Corinthians 24-27.
Why It Matters
I pray that when you hear our coaches, players, or opponents talk—you’ll hear stories.
Like one of our football players approaching an injured opponent and praying for them.Or our basketball captain encouraging a struggling teammate when adversity starts to mount.Or the track athlete who celebrated a teammate’s PR more than her own first-place medal.
I hope these stories go on. That’s what happens when athletics is co-curricular, when competition is saturated with calling, when the Rock is not just a metaphor but a mission that we stand on. At CCA, our athletes don’t just chase victory. They embody it—because they already stand on it. And that changes everything.
Be coached at a higher level.
Let us know your athletic interests, and we’ll be sure you meet the right people in our athletic department during your campus tour.