826 Saints Who Sport – SKINNER!

Saints who Sport

 

Olympics | SLC | 2034

• https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-statement-2034-winter-olympics
  • “We stand ready to support the 2034 Olympic Games in welcoming athletes, volunteers and visitors from around the world. The Church is committed to efforts that make Salt Lake a host city that embodies values of service, cooperation and mutual respect.”
• Previously
  • Banners on buildings
  • Donated space for medal ceremonies
  • BYU two weeks off
  • Conference center shows

 

Olympics | Paris, France

26 July 2024 to 11 August 2024

• https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/meet-latter-day-saints-competing-in-the-2024-paris-olympics 12 athletes
  • Soccer
    • Taylor Booth, 23, Utah
      • First Men’s team to go since 2008
    • Quarter finals now, 0-1
  • Rugby
    • Make Unufe, 32, Utah
      • Men’s Team USA 9th in 2016, 6th in 2020, 8th in 2024
    • Stephanie Rovetti, 32, Nevada
      • Women’s Bronze
      • https://www.outsports.com/2024/7/25/24098011/2024-paris-olympics-steph-rovetti-usa-rugby-gay/
        • “Going to the Olympics as an out athlete means a lot to me,” Rovetti told Outsports. “You go and represent all communities you are a part of and that representation on the world stage matters. Coming from a religious background, I hope to be a representation of courage to be your true authentic self”
  • Pistol Shooting
    • Alexis Laga, 31, Colorado
      • Second olympics 
      • Couldn’t find results
  • Basketball
    • Jimmer Fredette, 35, Colorado
      • 0-4, 2 more games today
  • Track and Field
    • Whittni Morgan, 26, Utah
      • 5k
    • Courtney Wayment, 25, Utah
      • Steeplechase
    • Kenneth Rooks, 24, Washington
      • Steeplechase
        • https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/07/03/james-corrigan-kenneth-rooks-paris-olympics-byu-steeplechase/ 
        • Passed on final year at BYU to sign a contract with Nike and focus on the Olympics
    • James Corrigan, 22, California
      • Steeplechase
        • https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/07/03/james-corrigan-kenneth-rooks-paris-olympics-byu-steeplechase/ 
          • Barely qualified 1 day before cut off after failing beforehand.
          • “As I focus my life on Jesus Christ and continue to become like Him, I have been able to have a better perspective on why I run and why I choose to compete,” Corrigan said. “It’s that I want to get better and that’s my ultimate goal.”
    • Peter Bol, 30 Australia
      • 3rd Olympics
      • 800m
    • Conner Mantz, 27, Utah
      • Marathon
    • Clayton Young, 30, Utah
• https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/two-us-olympic-marathoners-reflect-on-running-living-the-gospel-paris
  • Clayton Young, “A marathon is very simple. It’s 42.2 kilometres (26.2 miles), one foot in front of the other. The gospel is also very simple. But at the end of the day, both can be very tough.”
  • Conner and Clayton were trackmates at BYU
  • Mantz served in Ghana
  • Young served in NC
  • “I love how running is essentially breaking down your body one day so you can change and become a better runner the next day,” reflected Young. “In this life, we’re here to learn and to grow. We’re here to stretch and break down our spiritual bodies almost every day in order to change and become better because of it. It’s not going to happen overnight. With running, it’s literally step by step. It’s the same thing with the gospel.”
• https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/paris-olympics-bishop-causse-peter-vidmar-jimmer-fredette-devotional
  • Bishop Causse, Peter Vidmar (2x gold medalist in gymnastics and a third in 1984, YM Advisory Council) and Jimmer.
  • 7/21
  • “Only one person’s going to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. I don’t know that Heavenly Father plays favorites in terms of who wins and who loses. He simply wants His children to discover their capacity. That’s what I learned in sport. The gospel gave me that perspective. I’m simply there to do the best that I can do.” –Vidmar
  • “You’re going to deal with difficult things in your life,” Fredette said. “You have to decide which road you want to take. Sometimes the right road is the hard road. But if you have faith and pursue it, you will be able to receive the blessings that you are supposed to receive.”
• https://www.deseret.com/sports/2024/06/24/olympic-track-and-field-trials-day-4-takeaways-athletes-chari-hawkins/ 
  • From Rexburg and Utah State
    • Not likely a member of the church today
  • Proponent of mental health after suffering many anxiety issues herself.
  • Competing in Heptathlon (7 events: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, 800m)
• https://www.ldsliving.com/thats-what-love-sounds-like-byu-coach-cheering-her-athlete-on-to-the-olympics-will-make-you-cry/s/12309
  • Courtney Wayment
    • “It doesn’t matter if you’re working a 9-to-5 job, or if you’re a stay-at-home mom, or if you’re an athlete winning a national championship—God cares about you. He knows you. He knows what’s important to you. And He genuinely cares. He wants you to have happiness and joy in your life.”
  • Coach mic’d up. Prayers, cheering and worry. 

 

NFL

• https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2-latter-day-saints-prepare-to-open-nfl-season-in-south-america-where-they-served-missions
  • Britain Covey and Tanner McKee
  • Play for Philadelphia Eagles
  • Both served missions in SA
  • Rare for members in NFL, even rarer for 2 on the same team

MLB

• https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2024/07/25/missionaries-sing-us-national-anthem-at-colorado-rockies-baseball-game/
  • Local Stake Prez member with ties to the Rockies recommended them
  • 180 missionaries
  • Rockies win 20-7 

BYU

• https://www.si.com/college/byu/recruiting/idaho-defensive-lineman-boyd-sorenson-commits-to-byu-after-mission
  • From Sugar City, Idaho
  • Gray shirt this season
    • To avoid injury, BYU prefers to grayshirt returned missions that get home in the Summer.
  • 6’4” 250, plays defense

 

Soccer

• https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/gareth-southgate-read-self-help-book-by-mormon-professor-for-tips-on-coaching/ar-BB1pXUaI
  • Coach for England
  • Read Covey’s 7 Habits for Highly Effective People
    • Applied it to his life
      • 1 stop away from realizing that The Church practices those same principles and will be visited by missionaries soon.

 

Rugby

• https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/06/30/a-mormon-missionary-chasing-dracula-in-romania-and-a-surprise-call-up-new-wallabys-incredible-rise-to-the-top/#ly4wfsmjkup0owptre
  • David Feliuai
  • Started playing rugby professionally in Samoa. After mission he was recruited to Romania to play for 5 years. Now back in Australia playing for the Wallabies. 
  • Tried to get on the NFL radar but hadn’t played enough “footy” because of his mission. 
  • NFL is big in Australia 

 

Ultimate Frisbee

• https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/us-ultimate-frisbee-team-includes-3-latter-day-saint-teens
  • 3 teens repping USA in world championships (not olympics)
  • From TX and UT
  • Sam goes on a mission to Peru soon
  • Self reffed sport
    • “You have to be super honest while you are playing. Integrity is a huge thing, and ‘spirit of the game’ is a huge part of the sport,” he said, which places the responsibility for fair play on every player.

 

Serving mission 

• https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article290347189.html
  • Collin Chandler just returned from a mission to Sierra Leone to play basketball for Kentucky
    • Came because of Mark Pope (former BYU coach)
    • Teammates with Jaxson Robinson (also from BYU)

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