Leading college baseball players and coaches into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

 

My name is Casey Cavell.  I am a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to my beautiful wife, Konny, and the founder of Turn2 Ministries. My time as a college baseball player, coach, and entrepreneur has prepared me to grow this ministry.

 

Turn2 Ministries exists to lead college baseball players and coaches into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Our ministry asks those we serve one simple question: “Who or what are you turning to?” 

 

2 Timothy 2:22 says we should “flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

 

We desire to help guide players and coaches in their pursuit of the Lord.

 

 

MY STORY OF STRUGGLE

 

I was as prepared to enter college as anyone is at 18-years-old. I grew up in a loving Christian home and knew the difference between right and wrong.  Yet, I discovered quickly that college is full of trials, stresses, and temptations.

 

I struggled to balance how to be both a student and an athlete while maintaining some sort of personal life.

 

I fought anxiety daily. My sense of well-being came from temporary things: peoples’ opinions, my ability to keep everyone around me happy, my batting average, and our win percentage.

 

I had idols in my life and the biggest one was baseball. My sense of value and acceptance was based on my performance on the field.

 

I went down a path of self-destruction.  I made unwise decisions that left me with unmet expectations and “what if?” questions.  I needed a mulligan, but unfortunately, in baseball and life, there are no do-overs.

 

Looking back now, everyone was struggling around me - even our coaches. They were supposed to be the calm in the storm, but they were over-capacity, underpaid, and trying to maintain a family at home, while keeping the athletic department, administration, and donors happy.  Additionally, their success or failure was paraded around for everyone to see via their win-loss record.

 

We all struggled and although I know the coaches wanted the best for me, they couldn’t give me what I truly needed: TIME.

 

It’s a broken system where coaches simply must play the numbers.  Some make it; some don’t. So, who’s next?

 

 

FINDING THE SOLUTION

 

Turn2 Ministries is on a mission to change the future of thousands of college baseball players and coaches.

 

We invest our time, talents, and resources to help players and coaches reach their God-given potential.  We want to ensure that players leave college with a story worth telling and a solid foundation on which to build the rest of their lives.

 

Our ministry employs full-time team Shepherd Coaches for collegiate baseball programs.  These coaches are full-time members of the team, but their role is to be a servant leader to the coach and a member of each player’s support team.

 

These coaches have collegiate or professional baseball backgrounds which give them strong dugout credentials and helps them relate to the student-athletes. Attending all the games, practices, and off-season workouts allow the Shepherd Coach to build authentic and oftentimes life-long relationships. 

 

 

THE RESULTS

 

Although this program has been in existence since 2014 and has impacted both coaches and players, God has recently given us a vision and team to expand this mission to college baseball programs throughout the country.

 

It has been eye-opening to see into the lives of our student-athletes for the past seven years. They carry heavy burdens upon them from broken homes or relationships. They are struggling with substance abuse, addictions, or the stress of trying to fit in with peers. 

 

Long-term bonds have been created by offering a listening ear and a helping hand. Because we can relate to them, there has been a spark in the development of the discipleship process.

 

 

THE CHALLENGE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

 

The majority of colleges are missing the boat: they invest their money on the best professors, the best technology, and the best facilities, but they miss what their student-athletes need.

 

True, some colleges do have campus pastors or leadership development coaches, but they are overutilized. They are often in charge of multiple teams and rarely have the time to invest deeply in relationships. Jesus had twelve disciples, but we expect these campus pastors to disciple hundreds.

 

It doesn’t work.

 

Robin Dunbar has proven her theory (Dunbar’s Number) based on data that humans can only maintain between 5-15 deep relationships.  So why don’t college ministries go deep rather than wide?

 

More than ever, today’s students crave deep and meaningful relationships. They want a connection with a person who will help them navigate the challenges that college brings. They want a person they can trust that has their best interest in mind and no hidden agenda. They need someone with whom to laugh and cry, to be open and honest, and to be transparent. 

 

 

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

 

Turn2 Ministries is looking for people who believe in this mission and understand the importance of investing in the lives of student-athletes. If you would like to be involved in this, no matter the capacity, we want to hear from you.

 

This is an amazing opportunity to serve a hungry generation that is looking for an answer.

 

Billy Graham once said: “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.”  This will either be good or bad.  Let’s make sure it is for the good of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

 

Now let me ask, “Who or what are you turning to?.”