The FCA Baseball & Softball Ministry (FCA Baseball) is pleased to announce the establishment of the FCA Baseball "Heart & Soul" award. This award is exclusively for athletes playing in the Lanier Baseball League and will be issued to one athlete from each age group (8U-14U) that best exemplifies the FCA Baseball core values of Integrity, Serving, Teamwork and Excellence. The purpose of this award is to bring recognition to the fact that "winning" is about more than just the numbers on the scoreboard and to encourage our athletes to live out the FCA Baseball core values both on and off the field of play.

March Recipient - 14U division

March Recipient - 13U division
Jacob Keesee - Georgia Force

Here is what Georgia Force head coach Tim Turner has to say about Jacob. "Jacob a dedicated, hard working player who is very disciplined in all that he does. When he is not on the baseball field, he is heavily involved in community, church and school activities. He has participated for the past two years in the Winter and Summer Special Olympic Games as a unified partner in Basketball and Track. Jacob also participates in the One Great Day of Service with Cumming First United Methodist Church. He’s a Youth Helper with Children's Church and Vacation Bible School, Ambassador to rising 6th grade students at Otwell Middle School and a Peer Tutor to Kindergarten students at Cumming Elementary School. Jacob is a great example of what the Heart & Soul award stands for: Integrity, Serving, Teamwork & Excellence. He sets an example every day to all those around him and we are so proud that he is now a part of our team".

March Recipient - 12U division
Alex Poppe - Georgia RedHawks

Georgia RedHawks coach Carl Emery has this to say about Alex.  "Alex displays a great attitude both on and off the field and exemplifies the FCA Baseball core value of Integrity,Teamwork, Serving & Excellence all the time. Alex has played in several ball games when physically he was far less than 100%.  He has dug deep for his teammates and has played with among other things a fractured toe, blisters on his feet and a 102 degree fever to avoid letting his teammates down.  He is a humble leader on the field who instills excellence and glorifies God in all he does often mustering up the courage to lead his teammates in prayer either before or after ball games. Off the field, Alex also has a sevant heart as he participates in community outreach programs such as "There's hope for the Hungry Ministries". He is a straight "A" student in the Horizons program at Sharon Elementary School was chosen to represented his school at the county level of the Oratory Contest.

March Recipient - 11U division
Ross Miller  - Coal Mountain Raiders

Here is what Head Coach Byron Nicholson has to say about Ross Miller. "Ross is one of those kids that never gets down and always plays the game cool and calm. Off the baseball field, he is very active in his school and his church. However, the real reason that I want to nominate this young man is because of his witness for Christ.  Ross beleives we should share our relationship with Christ with those that are around us.  He came up with a slogan that he has had printed on tee-shirts to wear at practice. Many of our other players and parents now also wear them as a testimony to help stay grounded and be examples to those around us".
The slogan reads as follows--On the front of the shirts it says "Pray like you practice-Play like you Believe".  On the back is ROMANS 10:9-10 that says "If you confess with your mouth that JESUS is LORD and BELIEVE in your heart that GOD raised HIM from the dead, you will be SAVED. For it is BELIEVING in your heart that you are made right with GOD and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are SAVED."

Ross not only lives out the FCA Baseball core values, but our mission statement of "to use the game of baseball & softball as a platform to impact the world for Jesus Christ through the influence of athletes and coaches".

March Recipient - 10U division

March Recipient - 9U division

March Recipient - 8U division
Chase Mangum - Fundamental Longhorns

According Chase's head coach, Chase exemplifys the FCA Baseball core values of Teamwork and Serving. 
Chase always maintains a possitive attitude toward his teammates and is happy and supportive of them in all that they do.  Even though he is very demanding of himself, he always wants to pick-up his teammates when they are down. He exemplified his Christian spirit of serving others this past Christmas when he went with his church and family to the City of Refuge in Atlanta to help serve a Christmas dinner and help give Christmas presents to some less fortunate inner city children. He instantly formed a connection with the 5 and 6 year old boys he helped serve. That evening riding home, his main concern was for the safety of the boys and girls he met that night. He prayed that night that all the children would get to their home safely with their new toys.