Retired football coaches welcome dozens of local kids

MIDDLE EAST, MENACA | 20 March 2026

Gary and Jo-Anne thought retirement would mean slowing down—but instead, they stepped onto the pitch. Through weekly neighbourhood football sessions and practical support for a nearby church, they’re helping dozens of young people and families in Waterloo and Kitchener encounter community, hospitality, and the love of Christ.

By Sports Friends Canada

The ministry has since grown beyond the pitch.

In Waterloo, Ontario, Gary and Jo-Anne didn’t slow down in retirement. They picked up a whistle.

Every Tuesday evening through summer, the couple coach neighbourhood kids on their church grounds. On Wednesdays, they support a nearby Kitchener church that needed extra help with its own soccer ministry. Together, they’re reaching 85 to 90 young people each week, and of the 60 kids at Tuesday sessions, only three had any prior connection to the church. The rest were neighbours, some of whom literally jumped their backyard fences to join in.

The ministry has since grown beyond the pitch. The church now offers English classes to parents, with an Alpha course to follow. Volunteers show up according to their gifts, whether coaching, greeting, or providing snacks.

From the ball to the Bible, it’s the body of Christ doing what it does best.

If your church is looking for a simple, community-rooted way to engage in mission, Sports Friends Canada’s churches page is a great place to explore how you can get involved.

The original story was published on Sports Friends. Head over to their website to read the full story. 

Please pray

  • For Gary and Jo’s willingness to serve in retirement, their faithfulness each week, and the relationships they’re building with young people and families who might never otherwise step onto church grounds.
  • For the children and families attending. That the joy, safety, and welcome they experience on the pitch would open doors to deeper conversations about Jesus, and that the English classes and upcoming Alpha course would bear fruit.
  • For continued unity and provision for both churches. That volunteers would be strengthened, new helpers would emerge, and the partnership between the Waterloo and Kitchener congregations would keep modelling the body of Christ working together.