FFAI is a non-profit outreach program that serves and educates athletes from ages 6yrs and older. Building and developing character, mental toughness, and physical ability. By focusing on these we target three aspects of an athletes overall development, athletes are able to succeed on and off the court. The organization seeks to assist athletes in transforming their athletic ability into life and leadership skills. FFAI concentrates specifically on training and educating athletes through Christian biblical principles as taught by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We are a local and international outreach working with athletes to uncover their weaknesses and teach them how to develop the skill sets needed to succeed in life. We accomplish this mission by exposing athletes to the various biblical teachings and the gospel of Jesus Christ helping athletes understand that "...if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation old things are passed away; behold all things are become new" 2nd Corithians 5:17. With a trained and experienced staff of volunteers, and a experienced well-respected Board FFAI provides athletes from all walks of life with an environment that will cause each individual to grow in Christ likeness and in overall athletic ability. In addition, embedded into all of FFAI activities are several fundamental biblical principles: Truth, Character, Loyalty, Commitment, Focus, Passion, Responsibility, Discipline, Teachability, and Vision. FFAI’s philosophy is to use athletics as a tool of communication to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to impact a generation of student athletes who serve, play and lead selflessly.
FFAI Historical Timeline
Year 2000-2002
FFA was founded by Ray Vasser as a summer basketball sports camp outreach initially with 35 athletes in the program of ages from 6-12 grade. Over the next two years FFA (Fellowship for Athletes) expanded to over 100 athletes.
Year 2003
FFA goes Inc. to FFAI and added its board of directors. FFAI continued its summer basketball sports camp outreach program attracting over 200 athletes through the summer athletic camps and added our junior high and high school boys and girls basketball summer league of 40 kids. FFAI also went international to the Far East to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through basketball camps in the Manila, Sorsogon, and other provinces in the Philippines.
Year 2004
FFAI continued its outreach summer basketball sports programs along with its mission basketball sports camps in the Philippines.
Year 2005-2007
FFAI expanded its sports program to include junior high and high boys and girls’ varsity basketball for home schooled athletes. FFAI launched its first website, and our inaugural campaign for basketball. FFAI added 44 athletes and families to our program. The total increased to between 1000-2000 kids and families that were introduced to our program locally as well as internationally. In our first year, FFAI was added to the Heart of America Christian Conference a 10 team school conference. FFAI also eclipsed the $10,000 mark in funds raised for our program. FFAI graduated its first class with 1 player going into the Naval Academy, and 5 going on to college.
Year 2008-present
FFAI continued its expansion by adding yet another varsity sports program of Volleyball which added 25 more kids and families to our athletic program. FFAI hits the 100,000 visitor mark on its website with hits from all 50 states and 10 countries around the world. FFAI launched live internet audio/video broadcast streaming for its sports program, the first of its kind for a home school program in the Midwest. Ray Vasser was elected board member and chair of the home school sports teams with the Heart of America Christian Conference.
FFAI Vision: FFAI aspires to impact athletes through character development by educating and instilling Christian biblical priniciples through athletics.
FFAI Mission: Is to reach the lost with the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to promote the fundamental development of life and leadership skills through Christian biblical prinicples. We will use various athletic activities as a means of communication by which these skills can be cultivated.
"...behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be...He which testifies these things saith, surely I come quickly. Amen, even so, COME LORD JESUS." Revelation 22:12, 20
