We’ve all seen it. Under the bright stadium lights and the roar of the crowd, a player pauses, points to the sky, drops to a knee, and bows their head for a brief prayer before the next play.
It’s a familiar moment in sports, one that cuts through the noise and points to something higher. In a world where faith is often private, it’s a rare glimpse of it lived boldly.
It makes you wonder what could happen if more young athletes were shaped by that kind of influence.
For Adam Grubb, the new Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) director for West Hays County, that question isn’t hypothetical; it’s the mission.
“My heart is to see faith come alive in coaches and athletes,” Grubb says. “I want to help them grow deeper, live boldly, and become disciple-makers who impact their teams, schools, and communities far beyond the game.”
Founded in 1954, FCA operates on a simple but powerful idea: If athletes can influence culture through brands and performance, they can also influence it through faith. In West Hays County, serving Dripping Springs and Wimberley, Grubb is stepping into a leadership role designed to multiply that impact.
For him, FCA isn’t new; it’s a full circle.
A standout football and baseball athlete in high school, Grubb served as FCA president and was named FCA’s 2001 Panhandle Male Christian Athlete of the Year. His involvement deepened at Hardin-Simmons University, where he played tight end and helped lead FCA on campus.
But it was an unexpected moment at an FCA summer camp that clarified his calling.
Assigned to lead a small group of seventh-grade boys, Grubb watched several begin relationships with Jesus. “It was one of the clearest affirmations I’ve ever received,” he says. “This is what I’m supposed to do for the rest of my life.”
He went on to spend more than 20 years in vocational ministry, serving in student, college, and worship leadership roles. Then came a season of change. Sensing renewal, he stepped out of church ministry and into the classroom as a middle school teacher.
Even there, his mission didn’t shift. He continued investing in students as an FCA volunteer huddle coach.
“I knew I still wanted to impact students and families,” he says. “Teaching gave me a new way to do that.”
That season is symbolized by a phoenix tattoo on his forearm—a mark of rebirth and new beginnings. It was also during this time that he started teaching eighth-grade U.S. History at Sycamore Springs Middle School, married Marla Barnard-Grubb, and planted roots in Dripping Springs.
So, when FCA approached him about returning to full-time ministry, he says, “It felt like an answer to prayer.”
Now, as West Hays County director, Grubb’s focus extends beyond individual campuses. He’s building and leading a team to expand FCA’s reach across every level of athletics. Currently, FCA is active in two high schools and three middle schools locally, connecting with more than 7,000 athletes and 700 coaches on and off campuses.
But Grubb’s vision reaches further.
“I’m looking forward to expanding FCA’s reach not only in schools but across all levels of sports,” he says. “From youth leagues to potentially developing FCA’s own sports programs, to even exploring things like FCA Outdoors or Rodeo, the potential is huge.”
Like all FCA staff, Grubb is also raising support to fund his role and local ministry efforts—from camps and events to Bibles and discipleship resources.
“There are so many ways to be involved,” he says. “Whether it’s volunteering, mentoring, or giving, people can play a part in what God is doing through FCA.”
For Grubb, the vision is simple: help shape a generation of athletes whose faith is as visible as their talent, and whose influence lasts long after the final whistle.
FCAAustin.org/hays-county | @drippingspringsfca
Get Involved with FCA
FCA offers meaningful ways to invest in local student athletes. Volunteers can serve as campus huddle leaders, mentor students, or support community events like Fields of Faith. Financial partners help fund staff, camps, Bibles, and outreach efforts.