He was also introduced to Christ at NDSU. Several players had a heart for sharing Christ with their teammates, and others were saved through their message. He said, “I saw radical transformation in their lives. I saw guys move from the classic college scene to becoming people who go to church and have a lot more joy. I saw people whose lives were changed by the Gospel.” It was through watching them and hearing the truth of the Gospel that Olson turned to Christ. Those years at NDSU were foundational for his faith.
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Coach Grant Olson - Not In Charge
A story on the impact of a coach in Fargo, North Dakota
“He’s in charge. Not me.”
“Coach says” are two of the most uttered words out of athletes’ mouths during the sports season. With that influence comes great power – power that could drive a coach to become either hard-driving, control-seeking, and self-promoting or to build athletes up, create a positive team atmosphere, and speak truth into the lives of athletes.
What determines how a coach uses the power given to them by their position? It’s an attitude of the heart.
Grant Olson is the linebacker coach at North Dakota State University, and he knows that the influence he holds as a coach comes directly from God. Grant says, “He’s in charge, not me.” As Coach Olson consistently submits to Christ’s Lordship, he leads from the perspective that while he is in a position of great power, he is not in control.
Jeff Curtis, FCA Area Rep, said this about Olson: “Fellowship of Christian Athletes longs for coaches like Grant Olson. His love for Jesus and desire for truth have been contagious throughout his area of influence. Coach Olson truly cares for the coaches and athletes around him and it all stems from the life transforming work of Jesus Christ. Olson’s identity is grounded in Christ, and that doesn’t change whether he’s at home, in the office, or on the sideline.”
Early Days at NDSU
Olson, a graduate of Wayzata High School in Minnesota, played football at NDSU. He holds the school record for single-game tackles (29) and was part of three NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championship teams. His success on the field was outstanding, but when asked what he is most proud of from his playing days, he said it was being voted team captain. He said, “When others say you’re a leader and they respect you and want you to be a leader on that team, it is a great compliment.”
A Move to Coaching
After graduation, he took a coaching job in Wyoming where FCA became a great partner to him. He was part of a coaches Bible study where he learned from godly coaches who wanted to build into him as he walked through some challenges. The entire FCA Wyoming team supported him in his coaching and in his life. When he left Wyoming, his faith foundation had grown even stronger as had his love for FCA.
After two years in Indiana, Coach Olson landed back at NDSU as the linebacker coach where he has now led his team to three NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championships. He continues to grow as a coach, as a person, and most importantly, as a Christ-follower. His coaching philosophy reflects that as he coaches with a priority toward honesty and respect (truth and love). He said, “You can’t love someone not in truth. You can’t coach someone when you’re not honest with them, but I always do it with love.”
Olson’s coaching goes well beyond building the athletic skills. First, he is open with his players about his relationship with his wife. He said, “I can admit to them that I was a jerk the other night and then watch some of them grow in their relationships in an intentional, God-honoring way.” He also walks with his players through college challenges, like academics, and said, “Now I see these guys kicking butt in the classroom, going on and getting great jobs, and making a difference in their communities.”
Finally, he helps players navigate future plans. One came to him and said he knew he was expected to follow a certain path where he would make a lot of money, but he believed God was calling him to ministry. Olson was able to encourage him to follow God’s lead. His message to anyone trying to discern the best place for them is this: “If you’re not sure what you should do, I would encourage you to find some godly, older mentors who can give you some advice and help you understand what you’re good at and pursue a career to both highlight those skills and give you a tremendous opportunity to honor Christ. Finding that sweet spot is not easy, but if your desire is to honor Christ, you can do that.”
The Support of FCA
Olson is grateful to FCA for supporting him as a coach so that he can do what God has called him to. He remains part of a coaches Bible study that makes a tangible impact on his life. He said, “The days where we have coaches Bible study, I’m a better coach, a kinder coach, a better husband and to have other people notice it continues to remind me that I’m nothing without Christ.” In addition, Curtis is a tremendous support as the team chaplain. Olson said, “You need someone not in your immediate circle that you can talk to who can be a sounding board. He can pour into us and encourage us. We spend so much time pouring into others and don’t always have people pouring into us.” FCA can provide that source of encouragement and refreshing.
Coach Olson understands that God has given him the skills and desire to be a great coach. More importantly, he knows God has called him to be ready to shine Christ’s love wherever he is. FCA is grateful for coaches like Grant Olson and is thankful for the opportunity to engage, equip, and empower them to become the most effective coaches possible.
Northland FCA Blog
To and through the coach. This strategy brings the mission and vision of FCA to fruition: to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes and to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. FCA has seen the incredible impact a single coach can have when engaged in a growing relationship with Christ, equipped to lead and serve fellow coaches and athletes, and empowered to do the work. To the Coach Brock Thompson attended the weekly FCA huddle at Blair High School in Nebraska. He grew in his faith, but it wasn’t until years later that God really grabbed hold of his life. He attended the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. In the fall of his senior year, he took a job coaching a high school girls soccer team. That was a major turning point in his life. He says, “At the end of that season I remember feeling called - like this is my path. I had changed my major four times thinking healthcare. That was the first time I felt called to go down a new path.” After graduating with a degree in Biology Education, he served as head coach of the women’s soccer team for three years at Mary (at the age of 22) and then at the University of North Dakota. Thompson admitted that his early years of coaching were more about his own achievements than the teams he coached. He says, “I wanted to coach at the highest level. My focus was on climbing the ladder of success and coaching the biggest and best place I could.”
“If not us, then who, if not me and you? Right now, it's time for us to do something. If not now, then when will we see an end to all this pain? It's not enough to do nothing. It's time for us to do something.” The sentiment of these words, sung by contemporary recording artist Matthew West, is what drives Coach Tom Milbrandt as a math teacher, football coach, and FCA huddle coach at Valley City High School in North Dakota. He doesn’t want to take life for granted for even one moment, and he knows God has him at Valley City to bring the light of Jesus to every student and athlete he meets. Five years ago, he made a transition from Maple Valley High School to Valley City. He says, “I never thought I’d end up in a bigger school. I was nervous about going from a smaller, class B school with two hallways to a bigger city and class A school, but it’s my opportunity to reach more kids.” Coach Milbrandt has a positive impact on 500 kids every day, from those he coaches in 7th grade football, to his math students, to every student he passes in the hall, and to the FCA huddle members. Coach Milbrandt is driven by what Christ has done for him. He says, “I serve because that’s what I feel led to do. I love the Lord and want people to see that. It doesn’t mean I’m perfect – I fail – but my sins are covered, and I want kids to know that. Knowing Christ, the world’s going to look different to you and you will look different to the world, and even your everyday language will look different. If I can model that to kids, what better place to do that than in a public school?” On the Field Coach Milbrandt has been coaching since he returned to his hometown of Hankinson, North Dakota, during the summers while he was in college. It was during that time that he was moved toward a career in education and coaching. He says, “You have much different relationships when you coach. It’s on a more personal level and makes a greater impact on your athletes’ lives.” He knew even then that he wanted to have an impact on as many people as possible, and he knew that coaching and teaching was a great way to do it.
It’s easy to underestimate the impact one person can have in a world with such great need, but the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has witnessed time and time again the influence one coach can have on an athlete, a team, and a school. God uses coaches to influence young people on and off the field every single day through their words and actions. One such coach is a young man named John Dewitt. Coach Dewitt is a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. During high school, he played football, wrestling, baseball, and ran track and cross country. He grew in his love of running and found he was especially fond of the longest distances, like the two-mile run for track. When he attended UW-Oshkosh for secondary math education, he kept running, again gravitating toward the longest distance - the 10k. He regularly ran 80-110 miles per week in college (that’s 15-18 miles per day!). After college, he just kept running and extended up to the marathon, where he has qualified for two U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He has no plans of stopping and feels he has great running years ahead of him. A Teacher and Coach for God Dewitt’s love of running made him a natural for coaching track and cross country at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis, Wisconsin, where he has taught upper-level math classes since 2014. While he trains athletes and prepares students for post-secondary education, he is at West Allis for so much more than that.
Contact Info
5217 Jansen Ave NE, St Michael, MN, 55376, United States
jconklin@fca.org