Finding Purpose Beyond the Jersey

For many college athletes, the biggest challenges of their sport happen away from the competition. The pressure to perform, the loneliness of a demanding schedule and the search for a sense of belonging can follow athletes long after the jersey comes off. 

At the University of Northern Colorado, a group of current and former athletes is finding a way to navigate those challenges together through faith.

Every Monday at 5:30 p.m., athletes gather for a Bible study led by Digby Marshall, a senior nursing student and former UNC track and field athlete. The group reads scripture and discusses how faith connects to the experiences, challenges and relationships that come with being a student-athlete. 

Marshall competed at UNC for three years as a sprinter and long jumper. While athletics was an important part of his college experience, he said his purpose extends beyond the runway. 

“He blessed me to do track collegiately,” Marshall said. “But that was not the whole purpose he gave me.”

That belief has become part of the foundation for the Bible study he now leads. Marshall wants the group to give athletes a space to discuss their lives, strengthen their faith and build relationships beyond the Bear logo they represent. 

“To have a community like this is something I personally never expected to have at this school,” Marshall said. “Fellowship through God is what makes this possible.”

Mostly current and former athletes attend the group, creating a space where people at different points in their athletic careers can connect over similar experiences.

For Sam Kulish, a senior pre-med student and former track and field athlete, being surrounded by people who understand those experiences has made the group meaningful. 

“It’s reassuring to see that there are so many people around me in similar situations,” Kulish said. “That fellowship alone has brought me fulfillment.”

The Bible study encourages athletes most to use their voices to connect with others. Marshall believes athletes have an opportunity to share what they have learned through their own challenges.

“We have the gift to speak,” Marshall said. “It’s up to us to use that gift.”

This week, athletes gathered to talk about idolization and what it means to find purpose outside of sports. The conversation challenged each other to look beyond the expectations that can come with competition and instead consider what gives their lives meaning away from their sport. For Kulish, those conversations have encouraged her to appreciate the smaller parts of life that become overlooked when athletics are the center.

“We are so lucky to have able bodies and able minds,” Kulish said. “It really is the little things this Bible study has brought.”

The discussions allow athletes to slow down and reflect on parts of their lives that may be pushed aside during a busy season. Between practices, classes and other responsibilities, the Bible study provides time to step away from the demands of athletics and focus on faith. 

For Caydence Brewer, a senior sports and exercise science major and current track athlete, the community has been especially meaningful. Brewer transferred to UNC at the beginning of last year and said she struggled to find a sense of connection despite her involvement in sports. 

“Last year, I didn’t really have anyone,” Brewer said. “Having a bad season in track made it worse and I spent a lot of time by myself in my apartment.”

The group became a place where she could talk openly, surrounded by people who understood both the challenges of athletics and the importance of faith Brewer was looking for.

Rather than measuring success through wins or losses, athletes in the group are learning to find value in their relationships, their faith and the experiences of young adulthood. 

 Marshall says that is part of what makes the group different from other athletic commitments. It is a place where athletes can step away from sports and focus on who they are outside of it. 

The Bible study continues to bring current and former UNC athletes together each week on Mondays. 

For many, that community has brought fulfillment and connection that carries into other parts of their lives. 

“It has made me feel less alone and so much closer to God,” Brewer said. “Being able to come here and be surrounded by like-minded people has allowed me to praise my faith out loud.”