Weekly Spiritual Workouts
The Goal of the ACCA is to get all Catholic High Schools and Colleges to meet and go through the Weekly Spiritual Workout (WSW) each week for 20 minutes, preferably on Thursday or Friday, since it’s closer to Sunday Mass. The WSW will better prepare them for Mass.
The ACCA wants all schools, Catholic and non-Catholic, to offer the ACCA Weekly Spiritual Workout to their Coaches and Athletes, especially the ones who are Catholic. However, all Coaches, Athletes and School Staff are invited to attend the Weekly Spiritual Workout, no matter if they’re Catholic or not, to learn more about the Catholic faith.
Start an ACCA Chapter at your School / College.
Duties of an ACCA Chapter Leader –
1) Choose the 20 minute time slot you and the other Catholic Coaches and Athletes will meet each week, preferably Thursday or Fiday Morning (because it’s closer to Sunday mass, which the WSW will prepare you for). FYI… invite all school members to the WSW, Catholic and non-Catholics.
2) Facilitate the 20 minute WSW which opens with a set prayer –
Prayer to the Holy Spirit – Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us Pray: O God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant that by that same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations. Through the Christ our Lord, Amen.
3) Line up 2 – 4 people to read the upcoming mass readings, and meditation on the readings.
4) Show the video talks by the Priest and the Coach or Athlete.
5) Select the person to close out the meeting with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be… First ask for special prayer intentions from the group, for sick relatives, etc.
February 22, 2026 Weekly Spiritual Workout – Click HERE
Weekly Spiritual Workouts
Fr. David Lee – Associate Vocations Director, Diocese of Nashville / Associate Pastor, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (TN) Played Baseball in High School,
Emilie Nelson – Current Cross Country & Track Athlete at Benedictine College (KS)
“Surrendering Everything to God”
Fr. Mark Simpson – Pastor, Mother Teresa Catholic Church (TN)
Wrestled in High School,
Barry Dean – Former College Baseball Player & Coach /
Founder & President of the Association of Catholic Coaches & Athletes (ACCA)
“Creating Your Sacred Space for Prayer“
Fr. Mark Simpson – Pastor, Mother Teresa Catholic Church
Wrestled in High School,
Joel Drees – Current Golfer, Central Catholic High School (Toledo)
“Going to Adoration Daily“
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ. – Jesuit Dallas, VP of Mission and Identity
Played Basketball and Baseball for AAU, Avid Golfer,
Jason Gonzales – Head Baseball Coach, Texas A & M University – Kingsville
“Offer It Up“
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ. – Jesuit Dallas, VP of Mission and Identity
Played Basketball and Baseball for AAU, Avid Golfer,
Pat Casey – (Retired 3-time Nat’l Champion) Head Baseball Coach, Oregon State University
“Adoration: An Amazing Way to Build a Relationship with the Lord”
Fr. Peter Nguyen, SJ. – Associate Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
(Worcester, MA.) Jui Jitsu Practitioner / Grappler,
James Hines – Pitching Coach, Damien High School / Health & Kinesiology Professor, East Los Angeles (CA)
“Understanding How Important Thy Will Be Done Is“
Fr. Peter Nguyen, SJ, – Associate Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA),
Brad Soderbergh – University of Virginia, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach
Fr. Mark Simpson – Pastor, Mother Teresa Catholic Church (Nolensville, TN.),
Nathan Sagging – University of Florida, Sports Marketing Graduate
Fr. Mark Simpson – Pastor, Mother Teresa Catholic Church (Nolensville, TN),
Mike Sweeney – Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame Baseball Player
Fr. David Lee – Associate Vocations Director, Diocese of Nashville / Associate Pastor, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (TN)
Steve Lewis – Assistant Softball Coach, Central Alabama Community College
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ. Jesuit Dallas – VP of Mission Identity,
Andrew Shaw – Engineer / Former High School Baseball Player “How do we incorporate our faith into our daily lives“
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ. Jesuit Dallas – VP of Mission Identity,
Mike Sweeney – Kansas City Royals Hall Of Fame,
5-TIME MLB ALL-STAR
Fr. Peter Nguyen, Sj, Associate Professor Of Religious Studies – College Of The Holly Cross (Worcester, Ma.)
Kramer Soderberg – Head Basketball Coach, Millikin University (IL)
“Making God a part of every aspect of your day“
Fr. Peter Nguyen, Sj, Associate Professor Of Religious Studies – College Of The Holly Cross (Worcester, Ma.)
Brad Soderberg – University Of Virginia, Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach
“Something greater than a National Championship“
Fr. Mark Simpson, Pastor – Mother Teresa Catholic Church (Nolensville, Tn.) Wrestled In High School
Aly Habetz – U Of Louisiana, Head Softball Coach
“The power of the Rosary“
Fr. Mark Simpson, Pastor – Mother Teresa Catholic Church (Nolensville, Tn.) Wrestled In High School
Milani Alo – Focus Missionary/former Soccer Player – Northern Arizona University
“I would write phil 4:13 on my wrist before every game“
Fr. David Lee Associate Vocations Director, Diocese Of Nashville / Associate Pastor,
Jamie Wagner – Blessed Trinity Catholic High School (Roswell, Ga.),
“The crucifix is the biggest symbol of my catholic faith“
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ. Jesuit Dallas – VP of Mission Identity,
Michael Mutton – Current U of Louisiana Basketball Player,
“I get away from the busy world in Adoration“
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ. Jesuit Dallas – VP of Mission Identity,
Jonas Ortiz – FOCUS Missionary / former University of Texas A & M
University Football Player – “In Adoration I found my True Identity“
Very Reverend Aaron Williams – Rector, The Basilica of Saint Mary (Natchez, MS.)
Matthew Simkins – FOCUS Missionary / Former University of Montana Football Player
“I asked God, Please show me You’re real“
Fr. Peter Nguyen, SJ. – Associate Professor of Religious Studies (College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA.)
Jui Jitsu – Practitioner / Grappler
Joe Patterson – Former U of Louisiana Track and Field Athlete
“My devotion to Mary“
Fr. Peter Nguyen, SJ. – Associate Professor of Religious Studies (College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA.) Jui Jitsu – Practitioner / Grappler
Thomas Raglow – FOCUS Missionary / Former University of Dallas Soccer Player
“God’s Plan for Us is way better than anything we could of imagined for ourselves“
Fr. Mark Bernhard, Pastor – Notre Dame Parish (Clarendon Hills, IL.),
Steve Lewis, Assistant Softball Coach / Student Recruiter – Central Alabama Community College (Alexander City, AL.)
Fr. Mark Simpson, Pastor – Mother Teresa Catholic Church (Nolensville, TN),
Isaac Callias, Current FOCUS Missionary / Played Basketball at South LaFourche HS (Cut Off, LA.)
Fr. Mark Simpson, Pastor – Mother Teresa Catholic Church (Nolensville, TN.),
Mathias Bertram, Current FOCUS Missionary/Former University of New Mexico and Idaho Football
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ, Jesuit Dallas – VP of Mission and Identity,
Jan Weisberg, Head Baseball Coach – Eastern Kentucky University
Fr. Jon Polce, SJ, Jesuit Dallas – VP of Mission and Identity,
Daniel Bolster, Franciscan University – Current Track Athlete