Josh Kincaid is about to enter senior season at Wilmington College and as a leader on and off the court, Kincaid traveled to Fort Collins, Colo. with Athletes in Action for a two-week camp that stressed the importance of Biblical perspective on sport and competition.

“A lot of it is blending faith and sport together,” Genevieve Hamilton, a spokesperson for Athletes in Action said. “The camp includes several days where the students will sit through an hour lesson that uses Biblical principles and teaches them how they can blend in with their sports. Then, (the students) would take that and go outside to an outdoor volleyball court and take those principles and used them in the games they would play to put them in action on the court.

“A lot of it has to do with character, motivation for playing. Instead of playing for themselves and their own glory, they should play for God’s glory.”

The Athletes in Action call the two-week trip the Ultimate Training Camp. As Ms. Hamilton said, the athletes were placed in controlled competitive environments and challenged to apply the principles that they were taught. They also took part in small-group discussions.

For Kincaid, a business management major, he found out about the camp through a friend.

“My friend’s brother works for the AIA at Ohio State and we don’t have (an AIA) at Wilmington College,” he said. “I’m trying to start a chapter here at Wilmington so that I can get some of my teammates to go to Colorado next year like I did.”

Kincaid talked about the principles that the athletes learned while at the Ultimate Training Camp and how they helped apply your faith to your sport.

“The first one they taught us was a principle of one, meaning you’re playing for God, not yourself or your teammates,” said Kincaid. “Another principle was about giving it your all because God gave you these abilities to play these sports, so it would be a waste if you don’t use them.”

The camp was made up of all types of athletes, ranging from Division III, like Kincaid to Division I and even some professional athletes.

“There were only eight Division III athletes there and the rest were Division I, so it was a good camp about 85 people there.”

The camp hosted about 200 people over the two two-week sessions with universities being represented from around the country including Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Miami, Georgetown, Alabama, Michigan State and Wake Forest.

“It kind of lights a fire inside you to spread the word and better yourself and make you better at your sport.”

For more information about Athletes in Action, their causes and their camps visit athletesinaction.org.