PREASEASON BONUS EPISODE!

Former D1 Iowa Hawkeye tennis athletes, Jason Kerst and Danielle Stickley join Chad for a conversation on building friendship and finding community as an athlete and recent grad. Jason shared his full story in Season 2 and is the current Women's Assistant Coach at Notre Dame. Danielle serves with Athletes in Action's Tennis outreach ministry to coaches and athletes. Listen today to hear their challenges and victories in building community, growing in vulnerability, and becoming more like Jesus.

If you are looking for a local college ministry, search here to connect with an AIA campus ministry near you!

Resources:

Made For People - Justin Whitmel Early

Find Your People - Jennie Allen

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

About AIA Tennis

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

SEASON 2 FINAL EPISODE!

Trevor Foshey is finishing his 2nd year at the University of Michigan. Prior to that, Trevor spent 4 years as the Associate Head Coach at Liberty. As a player, he helped Mississippi State reach #5 in the nation and was the 7th ranked doubles playing in the country. Trevor put his name in the history books by clinching the 2018 SEC Tournament title in a 3rd set tiebreaker.

You will hear in this episode:

• What Trevor did during college when his life hit rock bottom
• Trevor shares how to build competitiveness in athletes
• The importance of getting into the Word
• The blessing of marrying a godly woman
• And much, much more. . .

This is Season 2 of the Podcast! We are sharing 6 episodes all with elite assistant coaches to hear behind the scenes about their careers and faith stories.

Resources:

The Gospel

Quiet Strength

Support AIA Tennis Vision

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

About AIA Tennis

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

SEASON 2 EPISODE 5!!

Kaz Matsuno is in his first semester serving as the assistant coach at Pepperdine. Prior to that, Kaz helped his alma mater reach new heights as an assistant coach, reaching an all-time high of #15 in the country. As a player at MSU, Kaz reached as high as #36 in the ITA rankings.

You will hear in this episode:

• How during Covid, a zoom Athletes in Action meeting changed the course of his life
• Kaz’s reflections on why he began a relationship with Jesus
• The best premarital advice he’s been given
• How Psalm 27 has helped him transition to a new team and city
• AND much, much more. . .

This is Season 2 of the Podcast! We are sharing 6 episodes all with elite assistant coaches to hear behind the scenes about their careers and faith stories.

Resources:

Psalm 27

DONATE HERE for Tennis athletes to go to UTC

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

About AIA Tennis

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

EPISODE 4!!

Austin Rapp has served as the assistant coach at Clemson since 2022. Prior to that, Austin was the Volunteer Assistant with Texas for 2 years. Austin competed for UCLA from 2015-2018, earning All-American status in 2018 after making the semifinals at the NCAA Tournament. He continued on the pro tour reaching 672 in Singles; 328 in doubles.

Austin is known around the country for his joy and diligence as a coach, but in this episode you will hear:

• How he turned to God during his time in Austin
• the difference between a high achieving team culture and struggling ones
• Austin’s top advice for a new Christian.
• And much, much more!!

This is Season 2 of the Podcast! We are sharing 6 episodes all with elite assistant coaches to hear behind the scenes about their careers and faith stories.

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

About AIA Tennis

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

Jeri Stewart is the assistant coach at Columbus State. Prior to that, Jeri coached at Point University where she played an instrumental role in the team reaching a number 2 ranking in the NAIA. Before entering college coaching, Jeri ran a successful junior academy in Columbus, Georgia.

In this conversation, you will hear about:

• Jeri shared with me the prayer she prayed as she left college tennis during her time at UGA
• Her mindset as a female coach in a male dominated industry
• How to grow in your prayer life.
• And much, much more!!

This is Season 2 of the Podcast! We are sharing 6 episodes all with elite assistant coaches to hear behind the scenes about their careers and faith stories.

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

About AIA Tennis

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

EPISODE 2

Grey Hamilton is in his 2nd year as the assistant tennis coach at Baylor. Prior to that, Grey spent 3 years as the Volunteer Assistant at SMU. Grey played 4 years at Ole Miss where he helped the Rebels to four-straight NCAA tournament appearances and a spot in the Sweet 16 in 2018.

In this episode:

- What happened to drastically change his life while playing on the Futures tour

- The one thing his junior coach did for him everyday since he was 12 that when Grey found out, it had a massive impact on his life.

-What Grey found when he dug into the intellectual side of Christianity

-Grey’s daily approach in being a D1 college coach

- The legacy Grey wants to leave.

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Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

Resources Grey mentioned:

Mere Christianity by CS Lewis

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

SEASON 2 HERE WE GO!

Jason Kerst has served as the Assistant Women’s Tennis Coach at Notre Dame since 2023. Prior to that Jason worked in fundraising and was the volunteer assistant at Virginia Tech and at South Carolina while he completed his MBA. Jason competed for the University of Iowa, graduating in 2021 and was the recipient of the ITA Regional Arthur Ashe Leadership Award.

In this conversation, you will hear about:

• His deep love of tennis and how he became a Christ-follower
• What an Iowa campus staffer did that stood out to Jason
• How Covid and Iowa dropping Men's Tennis impacted Jason
• And much, much more!!

This is Season 2 of the Podcast! We are sharing 6 episodes all with elite assistant coaches to hear behind the scenes about their careers and faith stories.

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

Verses Jason shared:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

Lee Walker has served as the Head Women’s Tennis Coach at TCU since 2014 where his team reached a high of #14 in the country. Prior to this, he spent 7 years as the Head Coach at Memphis and 5 years as their assistant coach. Lee competed for Memphis where he was ranked as high as number 12 in the country in doubles and is in the Memphis Club Hall of Fame.

In this conversation, you are going to hear about:

• His struggles as a college athlete and where he turned in his lowest moment
• How as a D1 coach he was drowning in activity that lead to complete physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion
• The fundamentals he prioritized to rebuild his life, family, and coaching
• And much, much more!!

This is Episode 8 of our 8 episode series sharing faith-filled stories of elite college tennis coaches.

Connect:

IG - @aiatennis

Email - chad.simpson@athletesinaction.org

Resources Lee highlighted:

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Track: "The Rebel Flagship"

Music provided by https://slip.stream