Varsity Catholic Podcast

FOCUS Catholic
  • 5.0 (2)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Where Athletes Become Leaders. Discover that sport is more than a performance - it's a place to grow in purpose, inspire teammates, and shape culture that lasts beyond the game. Listen to our hosts and amazing guests, to find out how you can make an impact longer than the season.

Episodes

  1. FEB 9

    Relationship, Identity, Mission: Finding Who You Are Beyond the Game

    In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, Brady Steir and regular guest Ry sit down with Coach Carly Brousek — Division II softball coach, FOCUS missionary, and living proof that relationship shapes identity, and identity fuels mission. Coach B shares her journey from growing up in a deeply supportive, faith-filled family to becoming a college athlete whose identity slowly became tied to performance. When a devastating injury stripped away the game she loved, Carly was forced to confront a hard truth: she believed she was only lovable if she could produce. What followed was a profound encounter with God the Father — one that reshaped how she prays, how she coaches, and how she loves her athletes today. Now serving both as a missionary and a collegiate coach, Carly reveals how God healed her wounds through the very sport that once broke her — and how she now helps her players discover who they are beyond stats, starting spots, and success. In This Episode You’ll Hear: 🥎 A powerful identity shift sparked by injury and loss 💔 Why performance can quietly replace sonship and daughterhood 🙏 Learning how to pray when sport is taken away 👨‍👩‍👧 How Carly’s parents modeled unconditional love after every game 🔥 What it looks like to coach athletes as beloved daughters, not performers ⛪ Why Sunday team devotionals on road trips matter more than wins If you’re an athlete, coach, or parent wrestling with identity, pressure, or purpose — this episode will remind you of the truth that never changes: you are loved because you are His. Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE: Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/varsity-catholic-podcast/id1855639759⁠ Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram →⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠ HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment! Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org

    41 min

  2. JAN 26

    Trevor Williams: Faith at the Highest Level of Baseball

    In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, host Brady Stier sits down with MLB pitcher Trevor Williams — World Series champion, devoted husband and father, and a witness to what it looks like to live faith boldly at the highest level of professional sports. Trevor opens up about growing up in San Diego, where baseball and family shaped his earliest dreams, and how his Catholic faith quietly took root long before the bright lights of the MLB. From his college years at Arizona State to the pressure-filled climb through professional baseball, Trevor shares the unseen challenges of being a student-athlete trying to stay grounded when performance, expectations, and ambition threaten to take over. He reflects on the emotional weight of his MLB debut, the pivotal role his family played in keeping him anchored, and the mentors God placed in his life at just the right moments. In a world that constantly demands more, Trevor reveals how faith, prayer, and intentional family life have helped him define success beyond wins, stats, and contracts. Now a veteran in the league, Trevor speaks candidly about legacy — what it really means to leave something behind — and offers wisdom to young athletes striving to chase big dreams without losing who they are along the way. In This Episode You’ll Hear: What Trevor’s MLB debut taught him about gratitude and humilityHow to stay rooted in faith in a performance-driven cultureWhy family support matters more than any stat lineNavigating college and pro sports without losing your identityThe importance of mentors who point you toward ChristAdvice for young athletes balancing ambition, faith, and familyIf you’re an athlete, parent, or fan wondering how to pursue excellence without sacrificing faith — this episode is a reminder that the deepest legacy isn’t built on the field, but in how you live, love, and lead. Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE: Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/varsity-catholic-podcast/id1855639759 Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment! Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org

    41 min

  3. JAN 12

    Pressure and Performance: How to Compete Without Fear

    In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, Brady Steer and regular guest Ry Godde tackle one of the most universal struggles in sports: pressure. If the Bible tells us “fear not” over and over… why do athletes feel so anxious about performance? The guys unpack where pressure really comes from (people-pleasing, identity, stat-chasing, expectations), how pressure can be healthy or disordered, and what it looks like to compete with freedom — not fear. Along the way, Ry shares a painfully relatable slow-pitch softball moment (yes, prayer included), and Brady brings it home with a practical spiritual framework rooted in Philippians 4: pray, trust, play in peace, and glorify God no matter the outcome. In This Episode You’ll Hear:⚡ Why pressure hits athletes so hard (and where it actually comes from)🙏 How prayer reorders performance — playing from love, not for love📖 A simple Philippians 4 game plan for anxiety, confidence, and freedom🏟️ Why stats, expectations, and comparison steal joy — and how to compete like a child again If you’ve ever felt nervous before a game, crushed after a bad performance, or like you’re carrying the weight of everyone’s expectations — this episode will help you play freer, trust God deeper, and compete with peace. Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE: Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/varsity-catholic-podcast/id1855639759⁠ Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠ HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment! Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org

    39 min

  4. 12/29/2025

    Hockey as a School of Holiness

    In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, Brady Steir speaks with Ry Godde and Jared Spooner — former D1 hockey player, FOCUS missionary, and current college coach — to explore how hockey becomes a school of holiness. Jared shares his journey from having his entire identity wrapped up in being a hockey player to discovering that the game could form him far beyond the ice. Through Bible study, prayer, and learning to see suffering as redemptive, Jared began to understand that competition isn’t opposed to faith — it can actually train us for it. In This Episode You’ll Hear:🏒 How hockey shapes virtue through sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance✝️ The moment Jared realized he was more than just a hockey player📖 Why “run so as to win” (1 Corinthians 9) changed how he viewed faith and competition🔥 How team Bible studies and prayer transformed locker room culture💪 Seeing workouts, losses, and adversity as opportunities for holiness👨‍🏫 What it looks like to coach athletes as human beings, not human doings If you’re an athlete trying to integrate faith and sport — or a coach looking to form the whole person — this episode will challenge you to see the game not just as something you play, but as something God uses to shape who you become. Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE: Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠⁠⁠ Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram →⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠ HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION? Email us at ⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment! Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠ For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠ The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org

    26 min

  5. 12/15/2025

    More Than a Game: Why Sports Should Be Making Relationships, Not Breaking Them

    In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, host Brady and regular guest Ry dive into why sports should build relationships—not break them. Whether you're an athlete navigating the wildness of college sports or simply curious about how competition can strengthen your relationships with teammates, coaches, parents, and God, this conversation invites you to live boldly and place Christ at the center of your sport. What You'll Hear: 🤝 The heart of a true teammate — Brady and Ry explore how growing in virtue and embodying the same relational qualities can define great teammates across every sport. ❓ Which sport makes being a good teammate hardest? They debate individualized sports, the unsung roles like offensive linemen on struggling teams, and the unique challenges sometimes found on women’s teams. 🙏 Practical ways to glorify God in your sport — from offering up your toughest moments (yes, even that 50th burpee or those 800-meter repeats) to turning daily sacrifices into prayer for others. Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE: Listen on Spotify →⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠⁠ Listen on YouTube→⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram →⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION? Email us at ⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠ or leave a comment! Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠ For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠ The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠www.focus.org

    33 min

  6. 12/01/2025

    What It Means to Be a Varsity Catholic: Faith, Sports, and the Pursuit of the Imperishable Crown

    In this episode of The Varsity Catholic Podcast, host Brady Steir is joined by regular guest Ry Godde to kick off the first episode by diving into their shared love of the Catholic faith and their love of sports, asking the big question: What does it even mean to be a varsity Catholic?. They break down the appeal of competition and debate the best sports movies of all time, sharing their personal picks like Blind Side, Rudy, Moneyball, Miracle, Sandlot, and Remember the Titans. They discuss the power of transformational coaching, using the example of Coach Carter who sought to teach life lessons, discipline, and excellence, not just win basketball games. Ultimately, they explore the central concept that sport should be a tool that serves us, helping us grow in virtue and leading us toward eternity. In This Episode You’ll Hear: 🍿 A debate on the "Mount Rushmore" of sports movies, focusing on stories that tug at the heartstrings versus those focused more on the sport itself. 🐘 Personal stories about what first hooked Brady and Ry into sports, including a pink baseball glove and playing baseball with an elephant at the fair. 🧠 Why the stories behind sports—such as family drama and life lessons—are often what make sports movies so beloved. 📈 The key difference between striving to win a perishable crown (trophies) and an imperishable crown (heaven), and the importance of making Christ the center of your life. 🔥 The legacy of Coach Carter, who demanded excellence from his team in the classroom, in their discipline, and in honoring contracts, even if it meant forfeiting games. 💡 The concept that sport is meant to serve us by fostering discipline and excellence, rather than us serving sport, even when that means experiencing humility by being on the bench. If you're seeking to understand how your love for competition can deepen your faith, or you want to hear stories about coaches who successfully teach excellence both on and off the field, this episode is your guide to how sport can bring us to the masses and lead us to the cross. Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE: Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠ Listen on YouTube→https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION? Email us at varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠ or leave a comment! Join Our Email List → ⁠seekreplay.com⁠ For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠ The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

    32 min

  7. TRAILER

    New: Varsity Catholic Podcast

    Here is a short preview of the upcoming Varsity Catholic Podcast!

    24 sec

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Where Athletes Become Leaders. Discover that sport is more than a performance - it's a place to grow in purpose, inspire teammates, and shape culture that lasts beyond the game. Listen to our hosts and amazing guests, to find out how you can make an impact longer than the season.

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