RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. - Stretching to funny voices and foreign languages and laughing in between drills, elementary-aged athletes are learning about their favorites sports and receiving lessons in faith this week at Sports Crusaders.
The Holts Summit-based ministry has been sending college-aged leaders to rural communities, inner cities and international camps for more than two decades.
Russellville has been hosting Sports Crusaders for more than a dozen years for basketball, softball/baseball and cheerleading.
As the outdoor ball players grabbed their bats and got a dose of sunscreen on their way to the high school fields, nearly 30 second- through fifth-grade students this week stayed in the gymnasium.
Most of the children are from Russellville, Lohman and High Point.
Each day comes with its own theme, like crazy hair day or dress like a super hero.
And reflecting the core of the Sports Crusader camps, a daily "halftime" introduces participants to Bible stories and the Salvation message.
"This is awesome and fun," said Bryant Davis, 11, who came back for a second year.
Reagan Jenkins, who is attending her sixth Sports Crusaders camp, likes the combination of sports and the feel of Vacation Bible School.
The young athletes also like that the camp leaders are closer to their age than parents or other adults.
Shea Roberts, a health and physical education major, is in her third year as a Sports Crusader leader. The college student from Jonesboro, Ark., intends to pursue a career providing sports programs for special-education students.
The nine weeks with Sports Crusaders has helped her discover that all children are not the same, she said.
"My viewpoint has changed a lot," Roberts said.
She said she likes how the program takes something like sports, which children are familiar with, and then uses it for lessons in faith.
Unlike Russellville, many of the organization's camp locations draw athletes with little understanding or access to religion.
Their message this week has been the value of a Christ-like attitude beyond the church building.
"A lot of times, people think we're here to save everybody during the week," Roberts said. "But we're just planting a seed."