Broussard named NWLA FCA Female Athlete of the Year
June 14, 2012
SHREVEPORT, La. - LSU Shreveport's women's basketball player Amelia Broussard was chosen by a committee from the Northwest Louisiana's chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as Christian Athlete of the Year. Each year the committee selects a male and female for the award in three different levels: middle school, high school and college.
Broussard raised recognition by speaking at many FCA events throughout the school year. "Amelia is an outstanding example of a servant leader," says Northwest Louisiana's (NWLA) FCA Directory Terry Slack. "She always related well to the student/athletes at all the middle schools and high schools we went to."
"I feel so very blessed. I am very honored to have received this award, and though I know there were many other candidates in this running, I know that God's timing is different than ours and he does things for a reason and he uses different situations to bless people in different moments," said Broussard. "I believe this is Him providing another way for me to show his glory through this award," she added. Two verse came to mind in recognition of this award for Broussard "...A man can receive only what is given to him from heaven." John 3:27 "He must become greater; I must become less" John 3:30.
The senior from Pecan Island also met and spoke with some adult groups this year on the journey to this award. "She was able to clearly share what God is doing in her life and at FCA at LSUS. Amelia is a great representative of LSUS and what a student/athlete should be," continued Slack.
She has not been involved with FCA for very long but has made a tremendous impact for the Kingdom. Her first encounter with the FCA came in the fall of 2008 when she was a freshman at LSU Eunice, a junior college a few hours south of Shreveport. Her next year she became the co-president of the LSUE chapter and continued her fire in spreading God's word with the chapter at LSUS when she arrived for the 2010-2011 season, her junior year.
Lynn Mitchell, who is in his second year on the staff with Coach Slack running the NWLA FCA chapter, got to spend some time with her at all of the FCA events and got see how well she communicated with the students.
"Amelia Broussard is at the top of the list of what a college Christian athlete is to be on the court as well off the court. She spoke to several FCA groups at schools (even entire student bodies) from the upper elementary to the high school level as well as adults this past school year. She relates well to all. She is an excellent communicator of how to live the Christian life and represents LSU-S in a great way .Grateful for this outstanding college Christian athlete," said Mitchell.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes ("FCA") is touching millions of lives...one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
FCA is the largest interdenominational, school based, Christian sports organization in America. FCA focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.
Broussard has grown to love FCA and the fellowship with other students since her freshman year in college. "It is a coming together of people of all shapes, colors, and backgrounds to love on Christ, bring people to Christ, and for our relationship with Him to grow as well. We learn from both the bible and each other's experiences."
The thing that she loves most about FCA is that it is for everyone. "Anyone can come. It is not about how much scripture you have memorized or how often you go to church. It is about people reaching out to each other and impacting each other in a positive, loving way, and all the Glory goes to God. All the great things we do are not our doing anyway; it is Jesus working through us. We're just the tools," she added. She also added a few verses from scripture that fuels her decision to follow Christ.
"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" - Galatians 2:20
"I planted the seed, Apollo's watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow" - 1 Corinthians 3: 6-7
While there are many great memories that she will have with her for the rest of her life her greatest from FCA was speaking in the schools this year, "Being a guest speaker and seeing youngsters in the front of the room, teachers at their desk, and my closest my friends and Mr. Lynn Mitchell in the back drop, brings me a type of gladness I can't put into words. Using collegiate student athletes to spread the Gospel to them is very impactful and that is why it's my greatest memory."
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1
Broussard encourages anyone who is interested in joining FCA to get involved, "It is not about where you've been, it is about where you want to go. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!""
"I would also tell them that it changed my life. It played a big role in me forming a relationship with my Savior. I wouldn't be where I am today without FCA and the people involved. FCA is a great starting point for people who feel like there is something missing or who want to get there feet wet and learn about God. It is also a great place for some who may feel like God is calling them to lead and everyone in between. There is a place for everyone in FCA," Broussard said.
