CCO Campus Ministry

Finding the missing link at the Rock

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine.

“I was nervous to go to FCA at first because of my lack of knowledge,” says Caitlin Hubbard, a 2007 graduate of Slippery Rock University. “I was afraid people there would put me on the spot, or laugh at me for asking simple questions. When I came, it was not like that at all. Julie’s experiences of being a college athlete herself made it easy for us to relate to her. She knows what athletes face and she helps people through it. I think it is a great balance to have a strong woman like Julie and a strong man like Josh as leaders because it meets the needs of both genders.”

Julie Manfred, CCO staff worker at Slippery Rock University, played soccer during her undergraduate years. Her CCO co-worker, Joshua Hayes, grew up playing football, and he also participated on the wrestling and track teams. “Student athletes already have their own communities, just by virtue of playing on a team,” says Julie. “But it’s not usually a community that is going to build them up in a healthy way. I love being able to break into that world and build relationships with athletes.”

While Julie focuses much of her time with women on the softball and soccer teams, Josh is chaplain to the football team. Both Julie and Josh advise the FCA fellowship on campus, mentoring student leaders and spending time with students however they can.

“Josh relates to everyone. He doesn’t just talk a good game, he lives it,” says Cory Lacek, a senior at Slippery Rock, and a former defensive end on the football team. “Josh knows what’s going on in our lives, and he knows how to get to us most of the time. I love Josh and would do anything for the guy.”

“It’s amazing to see students really engage their faith and watch the change when they realize there’s something more there,” says Josh. “I’ve been on the football field for four years with these guys, and I’ve seen them go from rejecting me, to keeping me at arm’s length, to recognizing that I love them right where they are, even as I challenge them to go further.”

George Mihalik, head coach of the SRU varsity football team, is grateful for Josh’s presence on campus. “I’ve been head coach at Slippery Rock for 21 years now and we’ve been associated with the CCO for the past five years or so. That was the missing link in our program. I’m glad we found it.”

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