The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a group of students on middle and high school campuses all across our area who promote their faith.
Their facilitator in Northern California is a guy who made it to the big leagues and learned lessons along the way.
Meet Otis Amey. It's his job to connect sports and faith with kids in our area - something he knows a lot about.
"So I literally look up in the air and say Jesus, please let me catch it. And I'm just running, 30 yards, 20 yards and there's no one there," reflected Amey. "My teammates are already going like this and I cross the endzone and I think to myself 'What just happened?'"
Amey's 75-yard punt return for a touchdown for the 49er's made highlights on TVs all over the country in 2005. After that, Amey got his first real taste of success.
"I got lifted up in pride and started thinking it was all about me," said Amey. "My gifts and talents or whatever were all about me. Bought a nice car, was hanging out with the wrong people, pretty much did everything but drugs."
Months later - much to his surprise - Amey was let go from the 49ers.
"My heart sank and I had to fight back tears because this was my dream," said Amey. "I'm sitting there thinking 'What am I gonna do?!' It's the only time in my life I dealt with depression. I think I even had suicidal thoughts because my identity and who I was was wrapped up in that and it was all taken away."
It was after hitting rock bottom, that Amey knew it was time to pull himself up. "Growing up in church, I heard the gospel, I knew what that meant but it was at my lowest point that I was like God, I'm sorry," Amey remembered. "I get it. I was trying to do things my own way. I made a vow then, I said I don't care if I play another down or not- no matter what, I'm going to honor you. And then He blessed me and allowed me to play another 6 years professionally."
Amey says after that, he realized his purpose in life was to help kids avoid the same mistakes he made in life.
We had to ask the question, "A lot of people on the outside looking in might say, 'If God is so good, why isn't he still in the NFL? Why isn't he super rich?' How do you combat critics?" Amey answered confidently, "You know, God has a plan for every person in this life. And when I really look at it, I can see that God clearly called me to this. This is what I want to do, I want to work with the youth. I want to disciple youth. I want to go speak to them and share my testimony."
Otis Amey was just promoted from FCA facilitator to Northern California's Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
He now oversees the program in 52 high schools - plus one middle school - in School districts reaching from Fresno, throughout the Central Valley, and all the way up to Redding.
He starts his new role in January.
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